So I began casually dating a woman about a week ago. We had a great texting dynamic and got along well, but I was clear in our beginning conversations that I was not looking for anything serious. She said she was also casually dating, and though she would be down for something serious, if it didn't turn into that, it was fine.
Long story short, we ended meeting and having a wonderful evening together. We continued texting after that and proposed another meet-up the week after. However, during this weekend, we were texting and, since I wasn't doing anything, she asked if I wanted to come over to her house for a bonfire (she has a child, a roommate, and the roommate also has a child). I told her I wasn't comfortable doing that, as I wanted to keep this casual and I felt that would be a serious step forward.
This lead to a discussion which ended with her asking what the point of casually dating was if I didn't have any intentions of getting serious eventually, which took me back for a second. I told her I was casually dating because I explicitly did not want anything serious, to which she said her understanding was you casually date "to get to know someone then if you like them you formally date", which she said that was the understanding of her whole friend group too. She then said I was looking more for a FwB thing and I should have said that.
We continued talking and realized we had differing ideas as to what casually dating is, and agreed to not see each other again. All of that to ask this: how do you see the difference between casually dating and friend with benefits? I've always seen casual dating as filling the needs that one might have that you usually get fulfilled from a relationship (companionship, sex, etc.) without the commitment of a formal relationship. I also see it as a no-strings-attached situation with no long-term plans (but definitely can be long-term) and can include or exclude whatever the two consenting adults want. I see is as being very similar to friend with benefits, though not necessarily the same thing. I should also say that though we did have sex when we met, it was never discussed prior to our meeting nor was it expected by anyone.
TLDR: Started casually dating someone. She wanted me to meet her friends and family. I said I was uncomfortable doing that. She asked what the point of casually dating is if I don't want to get serious. What're your thoughts?
submitted by /u/Anomander_Rukus
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