BOYFRIEND SAYS SHE PRESSURES HIM

Dear Jellybean,

ok, so here's the thing...my boyfriend is really sweet...and i love him alot. but he says i pressure him to do things like holding hands and kissing! i wouldnt have to if he actually did things like that on his own . i honestly dont think i peressure him that much. but i dont want him to break up with me because he thinks im pushing him.....any help???
-WBR

Dear WBR,

Pressure just doesn't belong in a romantic relationship. Imagine if you were a guy writing in, complaining that his girlfriend felt pressured by him to do stuff she's not ready for. Guess what I'd say to that guy.

Yep, I'm saying the same thing to you. If you really care for your boyfriend, you'll respect him enough to let him go at his own pace in the romance/touching department. Maybe he's inexperienced, or maybe he likes you so much that he's nervous around you. Whatever the reason, he's telling you that he needs time to be ready for the physical stuff. You need to listen, and honor his boundaries.

It's not like you have no choices here, of course. Besides choosing to be patient, you could, as you say, choose to break up with him. But you do need to understand that pressuring your boyfriend is really not an option. Love only means something if it's given freely... right?