Next Level of commitment...

[Startingover]

okay so just hit the six month mark on a relationship. We were acquaintences/friends before. Already have a commitment level of monogomy (physical/emotional)
would like to make that next step. Not marriage or major life altering changes, just the idea that we will focus on developing this relationship and become emotionally stronger inhopes of seeing if there is a future.

So the question is....Is there any possible way of a woman bringing this up without the man getting the dear in headlights look and his ears turning off before I make my point that I'm not looking for a ring..just an opportunity to grow together and grow closer?

HONESTY guys. How would you like a woman to approach this. Don't want to ruin a good thing.

[miSSleepy]

The way I did it was brining up the future very subtly in conversation. We'd be talking about something totally unrelated like university and I asked him where he saw himself after her graduated.
Or where he planned to buy a house. His responses give a hint to what he wants or sees himself doing - obviously if he had said I'm buying a beachhouse 200 miles away I'd get the drift that I wasn't in the picture. However, his responses hinted at still being with me, at which point I saw it safe to say "so we'll still be able to see each other"

Or you could say "I'd really like to meet your aunt/cousins/grandparents etc" which will mean you get to grow as a couple and he should realise that too.

But it's not really a clear transmission. Things just happen on their own when you're ready. We didn't plan this until about 18 months into the relationship. Just go with the flow, and when you're both ready things will happen.

[gartlas]

i agree ,except for a small difference,dont bring it up at all,not even subtly.we are all paranoid,if someone tried even subtly to bring up the future,i would go into a level of high paranoia and think they were planning the names of our children.in short dont go there ,dont over plan,let things happen and if the future turns out well,it turns out well ,if not then celle a ve.dont mention it unless it comes to crunch time

[vashti]

It's only been six months... I'm not sure what (specifically) you are looking for. You are supposed to just be dating at this point. I don't think you should say anything at all.

[Gigabitch]

It's too early to solidify anything. The time for that is after you've been together for a year. Reassess then.