AirDroid Parental Control

● See and listen to kid's phone surroundings remotely

● Sync app notifications and show kid's live screen

● Manage app & screen time usage and view activity report

● Track your loved ones in real-time and set geofencing

● Filter inappropriate content and websites such as porn


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FWB Meaning: Parents Need to Know about the Slang FWB

Elsa Updated on Jul 12, 2023 Filed to: Teen Slang

Are You Wondering What is FWB's Meaning?

Well, the term FWB which stands for 'Friend With Benefits,' is a common abbreviation nowadays, and young people mostly use it. This term can either describe a person or a relationship, for example:

a) Lilly is my fwb – Which describes what Lilly is.

b) Lilly and I just had an FWB back then – Describing the type of relationship that exists.

Just from these two sentences, you can note the difference as one describes the type of relationship while the other describes the person. This FWB abbreviation is common in digital communication during a casual speech among friends, colleagues, or peers.

Part 1: What Does FWB Mean in a Practical Sense?

FWB stands for friends with benefits; it refers to people who have engaged in intimate activity with each other in a casual relationship.

And so, friends with benefits describes a physically intimate relationship between two people without commitment. An FWB relationship is a no-strings-attached type of relationship that isn't romantic. Still, its only aim is to enjoy time together in an intimate way.

FWB meaning

Part 2: Is 'Friends with Benefits' Different from Dating, and If So, How?

As noted, Friends with benefits relationship is just a casual relationship between two people that involve having sex with each other but no romance or strings attached.

However, when it comes to dating, Romance and strings are the two key elements that lead the way before we even talk about intimacy. So, the absence of those two explains how this type of relationship s different from dating.

Generally, FWB is about a friend who hangouts from time to and can have sex once in a while just to offset the urge or lust. So, no commitment to each other since there are no strings attached.

Part 3: Why Do Some People Opt for Friends with Benefits?

There are many reasons why people would want FWB instead of dating. Some of the common reasons why include the following:

To explore: Sometimes you're not feeling like being in a relationship; therefore, the best option is to have fun and explore, granted by FWB. So, when they are in this phase where they feel no need to date, most people can have a couple of friends to explore sexual life with.

When you're emotionally unavailable: This isn't a common term to people, but it is a state whereby you are out of a relationship that took a toll on you and doesn't feel any emotional connection to anyone. When in this state, you want someone to explore with once in a while, thus the need for FWB.

When having strong feelings for a friend: Sometimes we find ourselves in love with a close friend but not sure if it will be right or work between us. In this state, you might not want to commit and lose that friend forever if it doesn't work. So, having fwb with the hope that it will evolve into a dating relationship is another reason for FWB.

If both of you don't want commitment: If you find yourself in which both you and someone you like wanting to 'smash' but not commit, then FWB will be an attractive choice.

Part 4: How to Talk with Your Kids about FWB Relationship

Is FWB Relationship Right for You?

In this case, the word 'right' is a relative term as it depends on each need and feels. Therefore, before you get into a friend-with-benefits relationship, you must be very careful and understand yourself.

First of all, what do you feel and need if the FWB proposal comes up?

To answer this, you will need to ask yourself questions such as:

  • Are you looking for something casual or committed? – If casual, then ok.
  • What do you feel emotional about the other person? – If you love that person, that is very dangerous. Because you will develop feelings quickly. But if you just like them, you are good.
  • Are you emotionally available to bond? - If you are, FWB wouldn't be a good idea. But if not, you can handle the entire FWB relationship well.

Such questions will help you understand yourself before subscribing to an FWB relationship.

Why Do Friends with Benefits Work Well for Some People but Not You?

There are several common reasons why it works well for some people.

Remember, FWB prevails as long as there is no string attached. However, this means you need not have any emotional connection with the other person, which is, in fact, hard to do at times.

FWB right or wrong

So some of the common reasons include the following:

  • Suppose either or both of you had negative experiences in your past relationships. This situation may make someone unavailable since they aren't ready to open up emotionally. Therefore, this situation itself can create a better FWB relationship between people.
  • If the person is aromatic. As you possibly know, aromatic individuals are the ones that have less or zero interest in romantic attraction. These kinds of people are the ones that value open romantic relationships with the main aim of fulfilling their sexual needs.
  • People that are non-monogamous or have no time for emotional or time commitment will value having FWB. These people's main aim will be to get their sexual and maybe social needs to mate, not emotional or commitment needs.

When Should You Avoid Friends-with-benefits Relationships?

Now that you know what FWB means if it's right for you, and why it works well for others, you should also be careful of FWB. This relationship can leave you in a bad state if you aren't careful to know when to avoid it or get out of it.

So, to help you avoid making a huge mistake, there are times when a friend with benefits isn't good for you and should avoid it:

  • When you are ready to connect emotionally. NOTE: when you feel like you need someone to connect with emotion – let's say someone to love, someone to spend and enjoy your time with romantically and sexually, then FWB is a no-go zone.
  • When the other person loves you and wants you to be theirs for keeps, emotions must go both ways for a successful relationship. So, if you're looking to be in an FWB relationship with someone that has expressed their feeling to you, then be sure chaos will follow. It is because they will reach a point where they will feel you owe them your time, attention, commitments, etc., and that won't end well.
  • When you're starting to feel for your other FWB fellow. In such a case, you can tell them what you feel, and if they aren't in the same zone as you, get out of the FWB relationship. It will save you from future heartaches, don't assume they will change. Just get out, and you will be fine with time.
  • If your casual connection with that person doesn't seem to lead to a good long-term relationship if it ever transitions.

Tips for a Healthy FWB Relationship

FWB's meaning is enough to show you this kind of relationship. Therefore, before subscribing to it, you must understand its importance and accept all that comes with it. For example, you say you will be making out with each other once a month or once in a while.

Also, understand that upon current wants and needs, there exist advantages and disadvantages of an FWB relationship with that person. Remember that a person isn't your lover but a friend you can spend time with, and they are obligated to meet your needs every time, but when everything is ok for both sides.

Knowing that that person will not be able to provide you with emotional support in case you need it will help you limit your expectations. Let them surprise you with their act of kindness but don't expect them to do it every time.

To keep up with expectations, start by setting the expectations at the beginning and keep the conversation open to ensure you're all on the same page. Above all, set boundaries to ensure you enjoy and have peace of mind.

healthy relationship

Part 5: How to Monitor Kids' Text Messages and Get Alerts

FWB is a comment word you can find in people's or your friends' messages. And so, as a bonus, why not let you know when your friends, colleagues, or spouse has an FWB relationship with someone?

Tracking messages on different devices is possible thanks to third-party apps like the AirDroid Parental Control app. With this app, you can track multiple devices and get almost every kind of information you are looking for. You track messages not only for messaging apps but also for social media apps and other applications.

AirDroid Parental Control

Besides tracking messages, AirDroid can also be used to do important things like:

  • Tracking real-time location
  • Real-time remote monitoring
  • Sync app notifications from other devices
  • Get daily reports for all paired devices
  • App & Screen Time Management
   
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Elsa
Elsa
Elsa has worked on a number of iOS & Android solutions, she can always find her way around almost any application. She is an accomplished, skilled and versatile writer with more than 7 years of technical article writing experience.
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