Any guy can get a girlfriend, but it takes a real man (or woman) to treat his or

her girlfriend right. Respect, honesty, and a pinch of playfulness are the
names of the game when it comes to treating your girlfriend the way she
deserves to be treated. See Step 1 below to start learning "wikiHow" to treat
your girlfriend right!
Respecting Your Girlfriend

1
Never lie to her. Honesty is the cornerstone of any relationship. Sometimes, in a
relationship, telling the truth can be hard, but you should never take the easy way
out by lying to your girlfriend, even for minor, everyday things. Lying
demonstrates to your girlfriend that you don't trust her with the truth. Getting
caught in a lie within the context of a relationship can put tremendous stress on the
relationship itself and may even lead to a breakup.[1]
 It's also important to remember that, in the long run, telling the truth is
easier than lying. Keeping a complex web of lies straight in your head can
be incredibly stressful - just one slip of the tongue may ruin you. In the
famous words of Mark Twain, "If you tell the truth, you don't have to
remember anything."

2
Respect her intelligence.[2] Just as you are free to develop your own thoughts and
opinions, so is your girlfriend. If your girlfriend and you develop different thoughts
and opinions, this is generally OK. Just because your girlfriend has a different
opinion than you doesn't necessarily mean that she arrived at that opinion with
logic that was faultier than your own. If your girlfriend thinks differently than you
in matters of art, politics, or recreation, for instance, the most you can generally do
is to listen to her explanation for the way she feels and logically debate her. You
may find that your difference of opinion stems from a difference in life
experiences; you'll probably find that it's not something to take personally.[3]
  There are, however, certain types of disagreements you should take
seriously - namely, disagreements about the parameters of your
relationship. For instance, if you see your relationship as an exclusive,
long-term commitment but your girlfriend is looking for something much
more low-key, this is something you'll need to seriously discuss before
your relationship can progress. You should also consider how your actions
would effect you in reverse, ex .if She went to a guys house at 2 or 3 AM,
would you be jealous?

3
Listen to what she says (and remember it). One easy, surefire way to
demonstrate to your girlfriend that you respect and value them is simply to make it
obvious that you're listening when she's speaking. Do this by keeping engaged in
the conversation - responding to the things she says with thoughts of your own -
and by remembering what she says. Obviously, no one can remember 100%
percent of what his or her girlfriend says, so, if you have a hard time remembering
things, rather than trying to memorize everything that comes out of your partner's
mouth, memorize the big, important things (place of birth, dietary restrictions,
middle name, and so on) and make a point to repeat select minor things at later
points.[4]
 It may seem cynical to purposefully pick things that your girlfriend says to
repeat later. Try to adopt a positive outlook when you do this - think of
this as making an effort to show you value your partner's thoughts rather
than scoring easy points down the road.

4
Give her your attention.[5] Partners in a romantic relationship shouldn't have to
compete for each others' attention. Show that you respect your girlfriend by paying
attention to her (with few exceptions) when you're together. For instance, don't
allow yourself to become distracted by a television behind her at the restaurant, a
video game that you're midway-through when she shows up at your house,
or, worst of all, another woman. Basically, spend the time that you're with your
partner with your partner.

5
Reach a mutual agreement about which types of things constitute gentlemanly
behavior. Men and boys are taught to act like "gentlemen" around their girlfriend
from a young age, but the messages they get telling them to do this can be
confusing and even contradictory. For instance, a boy's father might chastise him
for failing to pull his girlfriend's chair out when she sits down at a restaurant,
while she, on the other hand, might find this type of behavior patronizing. The best
remedy for these types of confusing situations is to talk frankly with your girlfriend
early on in your relationship about which types of traditional "gentleman" behavior
have a place in your lives and which do not.
 It's important to respect your girlfriend's independence by taking her
wishes in this area to heart. Don't insist upon opening car doors for her,
pulling out her chair, and so on, if she doesn't like it or it makes her
uncomfortable. This can create tremendous awkwardness in the long term.
A real gentleman knows that actual respect is far more important than
archaic displays of etiquette.[6]

6
Respect her boundaries in terms of displaying your affection. Having different
ideas about the types of behaviors that are and aren't appropriate ways to express
affection is a great way to run into conflict with your partner. For instance, if you
love to make out with your girlfriend in semi-public places like movie theaters, but
she's naturally shy about such things, you absolutely should not ignore her feelings.
Respecting your partner sometimes means refraining from doing things that you
want to do but she does not - basically, making small sacrifices.[7]
  Consider the reverse of the scenario above - would you want someone to
kiss you if you knew that you didn't want him or her to? Of course not.
Putting yourself in your partner's shoes like this can help you understand
how actions that might seem minor to you can be very big deals to others.

7
Be fearless around your girlfriend. One way of showing how much you respect
your girlfriend is to be unafraid about the things you can express to her. This isn't
to say that you should make a point to reveal deeply personal information early on
in your relationship. Rather, it means that you should be open to her. Don't be
afraid to tell her how you feel - even if it's a bad feeling.[8]
 Paradoxically, this can also mean being fearless about expressing your
inner fears. You can (and should) occasionally talk to your girlfriend
about deep-seated sources of worry - for instance, your performance at
school or work, stressful relationships with your parents, and so on.
Part2
Showing that You Care for Your Girlfriend

1
Be proactive. Like the vast majority of human beings, most girls won't want
to ask to be treated well - they'll want you to spontaneously treat them well.[9] If
your girlfriend constantly has to ask for the things she likes in your relationship -
like for you to hold her hand, listen when she talks, remember her birthday, and so
on - these special things are robbed of the joy they might otherwise bring. This can
even make her feel isolated or needy. So try to stay on the ball - make an effort to
treat your girlfriend with respect without her having to ask you.[10]

2
Keep in touch.[11] It's hard to be a steady presence in your girlfriend's life (and
vice versa) if you rarely talk to her. Though every couple will have a different
natural "rhythm" of communication, generally, you should try to meet, call, or, at
the very least, text your girlfriend once or twice a week, if not more. This should
stem from a natural urge to want to know what she's been up to - what minor
accomplishments she's made in the last few days, what challenges she's faced, and
so on.
 Be sure to contact your girlfriend on your own - don't just respond to her
calls and texts. Taking the initiative to make that crucial first contact with
your girlfriend demonstrates that you want her as much as she wants you.

3
Don't be materialistic. Nothing is less romantic than a man who loses sight of
what's really important in life in favor of his money or possessions. Your girlfriend
should always take precedence over material pleasures. For instance, don't skip
your anniversary dinner to wax your new car. Don't neglect your girlfriend for
weeks to play an addictive video game. Don't devote your every waking hour to
your work. Keep your life in perspective - genuine love is a longer-lasting source
of joy than any material gains you can ever hope to make.[12]
 This being said, a good girlfriend will never willingly ask you to do things
that are bad for your financial health. Though the mythical "gold-digger" is
much rarer in real life than popular culture may lead you to believe,
beware of women that pressure you into buying expensive gifts.

4
Do things "just because". It's normal for a man to show he cares for his girlfriend
by celebrating birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and so on with her.
It's exceptional for him to show that he cares on the days between these big events.
Take your girlfriend by surprise.[13] Celebrate your relationship for no other reason
than that you cherish it. This doesn't necessarily have to mean booking a fancy,
expensive night out - a simple love note, a rose, a sweet text message, and other
things like this can let her know that you are thinking of her and care for her.

5
Strive to be yourself around her. One of the goals of any good relationship
should be for both partners to reach the point where neither has to put on a "nice"
front for the other. Within the context of your relationship, you should be able to
truly be "you" and not one of the characters you adopt for work, school, etc. This
won't happen overnight, but it is something that has to happen for a great
relationship to develop.[14]
 Sometimes this may mean being truthful about negative emotions that, for
whatever reason, you can't express during your daily life. Be honest and
open about these emotions - they're part of the real you - but don't let them
become the only topic of conversation in your relationship.

6
Let her know that she's valuable to you. This goes far beyond everyday
compliments, which can become rote and dull if you repeat them too often. Instead,
when you want to make your girlfriend feel amazing, be specific, drawing
examples from your personal history and attempting to genuinely express your
inner thoughts. Also, try to adjust the "sappiness" of your comments to a level that
you know your girlfriend is comfortable with. Finally, choose especially poignant
opportunities to make these types of comments - no matter how good you are with
words, you can cheapen your thoughts by repeating them incessantly.[15]
 For example, if you know your girlfriend is comfortable with a little
sappiness in your expressions of verbal affection, rather than saying, "Hey,
nice dress", you might say, "I like your dress. It reminds me of that dress
you wore when we first met." This is much sweeter and has the added
benefit of showing that you remember a small deal from early in your
relationship.
 3
Part
Showing Your Girlfriend a Good Time

1
Be imaginative with your date ideas. While most girls (like most guys) will
appreciate a classic dinner/movie night out, there's no need to pigeonhole
yourselves as a couple by sticking to traditional date possibilities. Be creative - take
your girlfriend to do things she'd never thought she'd do before. Going outside of
your comfort zone can be a great opportunity to bond as a couple. As an added
bonus, non-traditional date ideas can be a great way to save money if you're
young.[16]
 One great date idea is to surprise your girlfriend by taking her to do an
activity that she's casually expressed an interest in during conversation.
For instance, if she's previously talked about how cool she thinks aquatic
animals are, you might consider taking her to a SCUBA diving class.
Similarly, if she loves art, you might want take her on a hike into some
scenic woods with an easel and paint to make your own together.

2
Make the night about her. Your big night out is no time to be distracted by other
people or commitments. Put everything else aside for a few hours. Clear your mind
of any upcoming projects that will require your attention and tune in your girlfriend
and the relationship you share with her.
 Be sure to turn off your phone, pager, laptop, and/or any other distracting
devices. Nothing ruins a great moment like having to take a business call
in the middle of your candlelit dinner.

3
Pay for her (respectfully). That age-old question - whether a
man should or shouldn't pay for his girlfriend on their night out - is more relevant
today than ever before, as it's become accepted (and even expected) that a woman
may pay instead. There's no right answer to this question - the specifics of who
pays for what in your relationship are up to you and your girlfriend to discuss.
Generally, if you're responsible for planning the night, it's recommended that you
at least make a genuine effort to pay. Do so to demonstrate how important your
girlfriend is to you, not out of an old-fashioned conception of gender norms.
 If your girlfriend insists that she should pay or that you should split the
bill, you may want to put up a token resistance to show that you're
genuine, but don't seriously fight her on the issue. Some women can feel
patronized if their man constantly pays for them while they're out together,
so show that you value her as an equal partner in your relationship by
allowing her to pay.

4
Praise her without objectifying her.[17] Your special night is a great opportunity
for expressing the sorts of naked, passionate emotions that don't ordinarily get
voiced. Feel free to be as sappy and passionate as you like, but keep your
compliments focused on things like your girlfriend's personality, her sense of
humor, the way she makes you feel, and her aesthetic beauty, rather than her
sexiness or her figure. There will eventually be time for these things, too, but don't
cheapen your special moment by bringing them up in a "serious" romantic context.

5
Make her feel like she's special.[18] Your girlfriend is undoubtedly important to
you, so let her know that this the case. If you do nothing else on your night out, tell
(and show) your girlfriend that she really, really means a lot to you. Everything
else - the fun you have, the adventures you go on, the time you spend together - is
just a way of expressing this truth.
  The best, sweetest way to tell your girlfriend that she's important to you is
almost always to just be completely frank about it. Flowery, elegant
language is no substitute for genuine emotion - almost all girlfriends will
be able to tell when you're being yourself and when you're not.
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Tips
 Always put the toilet seat down. Over 40% of couples say this is a problem in their
relationship.[19]
 Gifts don't need reasons to be given. Give your girlfriend gifts on normal days. If you
have no idea what gift to be given, send her an affectionate letter or card.

 Ask her on dates often. They don't have to cost anything: going to a park is always nice.

 Girls are not things, and don't like to be treated like objects. Avoid being too possessive
of them or treating them with less affection or respect than they deserve. If she is special
to you, then prove it, unconditionally.

 You may have many differences with her but you have to know how to handle her.
 Tell her everything, don't keep any secrets from her especially if you love her, this shows
that you trust her.

 Hugs will give off the message that you are affectionate towards her and want to hold
her. Hugs are the universal medicine!

 Always speak with her affectionately.

 If you are texting your girlfriend take the time to spell out the entire sentence, "I love
you".

 Send flowers but in a different way. Send them to her at the hairdresser, dentist office, or
worst case work. Somewhere in public that she least expects them and not her birthday or
Valentine's day or just after a fight but completely random.
 Show 4 more tips

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Warnings
 Some girlfriends may have friends in your office. Never talk about your sexual prowess
in the workplace.

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 References
1. ↑https://sites.psu.edu/aspsy/2014/04/13/honesty-and-relationships/
2. ↑https://www.loveisrespect.org/content/respect-in-healthy-relationships/
3. ↑https://iheartintelligence.com/relationship-respect/
4. ↑https://psychcentral.com/lib/become-a-better-listener-active-listening/
5. ↑https://www.askmen.com/top_10/dating/top-10-ways-to-become-irresistible-to-women_
9.html
6. ↑https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/13-things-real-gentleman-does-differe
ntly.html
7. ↑https://psychcentral.com/blog/why-healthy-relationships-always-have-boundaries-how-t
o-set-boundaries-in-yours/
8. ↑https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-couch/201707/how-talk-about-feelings-y
our-romantic-partner
9. ↑https://www.theodysseyonline.com/15-ways-to-treat-woman-right
More References (10)
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75 votes - 78%
Co-authors: 96
Updated: March 27, 2020
Views: 1,004,816
Categories: Going Steady | Long Term Dating
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