Career Considerations

• Does your boyfriend seem like a dream to you? Does he seem to know you inside and out and makes you happy in every way? Then he may be the love of your life and quite possibly your future husband. But how do you know for sure that your boyfriend will make a good husband? How do you know that although he is good for you now, he will be good for you in matrimony? There are a few things to consider when trying making that determination. They don't always apply to every person, but it never hurts to look. After all, your wants and needs now could change in the future as well.
  First, find out exactly what his life goals are and if you are going to be a part of them. If your boyfriend has a desire to be a fighter pilot for the Air Force, that may mean you will have to move from place to place every few years and your career aspirations could be on hold for awhile. If he plans to be a doctor, there could be many late nights at residency or at school, and you could find yourself spending time with him at odd hours. Or if he plans to run a business from home, you may see more of him than you intend. On the other hand, you may have a career path that will make a relationship more challenging as well.
  
  

Family Man?

• Watch how he treats his family and his interactions with them, especially the women in his family. The women in his family are most likely the role models from whom he learned to treat other women, especially you. If he's a momma's boy, you may see him devote an inordinate amount of time to his mother; it could also mean he's sensitive to women's needs. Listen to how he speaks about past relationships with women. Some relationships may have been so bad he doesn't want to talk about them, but if he speaks about the women in his life with respect but stands his ground, you could expect the same.
  You'll also have to consider the family future. Do you plan to have kids? Does he? Does he have a clear answer to that question, or is it more of a "we'll cross that bridge when we get to it"? Whatever your family plans are, he should be in line with them as well. There's a difference between "we'll cross that bridge" and "in the future, I would like to have children." See how he puts up with other kids, or his own if he has any from a previous relationship.
  
  

Change And Growth

• It isn't impossible to tell if a boyfriend will make a good husband, but we all change over time as our responsibilities increase and our priorities change direction. By knowing the fundamentals of a person you are planning to marry (outside of love), you'll know if you are a couple that can grow together well. You may not want kids now, but the pitter-patter of little feet may tug at your biological clock in five years. Will he hear the clock, too, or will he hit the "Snooze" button?