If you ever wake up and you look in the mirror and think:
“You know, I could use a boyfriend, sort of. I want to pretty much be monogamous, but only some of the time, maybe.”
Well it’s your lucky day! You’re not alone in this complex sentiment. And there’s a new dating site aimed straight at you sister. Enter PartTimeLove.co.uk created by journalist and author Helen Croydon. Croydon also wrote a book, Screw the Fairytale, about the benefits of low maintenance relationships, where she also delves into her own past dating adventures on sugardaddie.com. She took issue with the website and users sole focus on money and sex, but she liked the efficiency of the dating model. This inspired her to tailor her own ideal dating site, creating Part Time Love for people who don’t want a full commitment but do want a partnership with equal power.
Or:
“Singles looking for regular partners with mutual attraction, genuine friendship, respect and a magical spark but whom have no expectations of moving in after three months and value their free time and independence.”
Magical spark and free time? That sounds great. But sparks and free time are also feasible in regular relationship-type relationships, right? Also what’s this moving in after three-month thing, does that happen? Am I doing this wrong?
Users of the dating site are allegedly entering the situation with the intentions to have something more than a purely sexual encounter but something less than a serious long-term commitment. That all sounds well and good as long as you’re a wrangler of emotions and never waver from your resolve or like…start having deeper feelings for people.
The featured testimonials on the site give some potential insight about why people are drawn to this model.
Leah says:
“Wish I’d found a site like this sooner! I have found a wonderful weekend lover. He asks for no more and the times we spend together are magical.”
And Jeremy shares:
“I work abroad for two weeks every month and I can’t expect most girlfriends to put up with that. Here I hope to meet someone independent with her own life who doesn’t mind that I have to be away and actually maybe quite likes it!”
Hmm. If you’re coming out a long term relationship where you were forced into a joint Facebook account and were at the total whim of your partners scheduling, dress code, and eating habits, then it’s understandable that you’d be unaware of how to find a little more freedom in a relationship. But also, why on earth did you do that!? Keeping a sense of self and your own free time isn’t contingent only on part time love…that comes from the right love.
