How to avoid falling for a Man Child on the dating scene & the tell-tale sign you're already seeing one without knowing

The Sun

17-06-2025

THE dating world is hard to navigate as it is, with more apps than anyone could know what to do with, ghosting, red flags and more.
Now, the term 'Man Child' has been thrown in there too, as Sabrina Carpenter's latest single has singletons calling out their ex flames.
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The term describes a man who acts like a child in a relationship, or just in general.
That includes emotionally immature men who can't, or won't, give their partner support.
They might be immature, unreliable and irresponsible, leaving you to pick up their slack - the last thing you want in a long term commitment.
Luckily, dating app Hily relationship expert Dr. Marisa T. Cohen, PhD, shared with the Daily Mail the tell-tale signs to be on the lookout for if you're either trying to avoid dating a Man Child, or wondering if you're already seeing one.
According to the pro, one easy way to figure out a person's emotional maturity is to pay attention to how they handle conflict in different areas of their life.
'Their answer can tell you a lot — like if they're self-aware, whether they stick it out when things get rough, and how well they keep their cool (or not)," Marisa explained.
Another indicator if a potential lover is a Man Child or not is if they did the work on themselves by going to therapy and learning skills to regulate their emotions.
'You'll get a sense of what they need, how they handle things, and maybe even how they deal with stress or think about mental health,' the expert explained.
Another good was is to ask your potential suitor what they're most proud of in their life.
This way, the pro explained, you can hear about their big wins and how they "handled any curveballs along the way."
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It's pretty normal to talk about past relationships when getting to know someone you might be romantically interested in, but avoiding basic questions is the key to really getting to know someone.
Instead of asking when their last relationship was, for example, the dating pro suggested asking what they learned from it.
'Basically, you're seeing if they've taken time to reflect, process the ups and downs, and figure out how to do better next time,' the expert said.
According to VeryWellMind, if your man doesn't help around the house you should be on high alert.
"If asked to help with chores, an immature person might respond petulantly.
"They might need to be bribed or demand compensation for performing tasks that are simply a routine part of keeping a home and functioning as a responsible adult."
Not only that, put their partner might need to remind them to shower, brush their teeth and perform basic hygiene tasks.
If a man is acting like Peter Pan, you could easily fall into the trap of being his Wendy, meaning you could end up unconsciously encouraging his behaviour by acting like his mum.
You might even enjoy being able to comfort and look after him in the early days of the relationship, the pros noted.
"Initially, you might have felt attracted to and enjoyed these aspects of your partner's personality.
"As your relationship progressed (perhaps even to marriage), however, you might have become exhausted by, or even resentful of, your partner's immature behaviour."
15 Relationship red flags to look out for
Red flags are warning signs that indicate unhealthy or manipulative behaviour. When you encounter relationship red flags, it's a good time to pause and reflect on the dynamic you really share with that person.
Overly controlling behaviour
Lack of trust
Feeling low self-esteem
Physical, emotional, or mental abuse
Substance abuse
Narcissism
Anger management issues
Codependency
Inability to resolve conflict
Constant jealousy
Gaslighting
Lack of emotional intelligence
Negatively affecting your relationship with family and friends
Inability to communicate openly
Lack of social connection or friends
For more advice and support, Relate is available: "Whether it's your relationship with a partner, a child, a family member or anyone else - we help everyone to build better relationships."