So you’re mad at your boyfriend and you want to teach him a lesson. You’ve probably seen those articles online about how ignoring a man is the best way to get his attention. And maybe you’ve even tried it yourself, only to find that it doesn’t always work.
Here’s the thing: ignoring your boyfriend is not going to teach him a lesson. In fact, it’s likely to do more harm than good. When you ignore someone, you send the message that you don’t care about them. And that’s not the kind of message you want to send to someone you care about in any scenario of life.
If you’re looking to teach your boyfriend a lesson, try something else; like talking to him directly about what’s bothering you. However, some people argue that ignoring a partner can work if that’s the last resort and communication doesn’t get through to them so is this true?
Can ignoring your boyfriend to teach him a lesson be healthy?
Yes, it can be bad to ignore a loved one but it’s not unhealthy or toxic to ignore your boyfriend to teach him a lesson. In fact, it’s a lot better than doing something extreme like cheating on him or being revengeful and hurtful in more ways.
If you’re that pissed off then why not ignore him until he understands that he really hurt you? It all comes down to what it is he did, how bad it is and whether you tried something less extreme than ignoring him first.
If your partner is being a pain and you’re sick of their bad behavior, and you tried many things but none worked; then giving them the silent treatment can be incredibly satisfying and a good lesson for them too. They’ll realize that they can’t take you for granted and that they need to start treating you better.
They will also understand that you will not tolerate bad treatment or accept the bare minimum in a relationship. You can check this article out later to see what the bare minimum when dating or in a relationship means. So yes, ignoring your boyfriend to teach him a lesson can be healthy; if that’s what you want to do.
Communication is a better option, though:
Although, it’s not so bad or harmful to do such a thing as ignoring your boyfriend to teach him a lesson you may want to opt for communication instead. It’s true that sometimes people need to be taught a lesson, but ignoring someone is not always the best way to do it.
Not only is it confusing and frustrating at times for the person being ignored, but it can also lead to resentment and mistrust if you drag it on. If you’re angry with your boyfriend, talk to him about what’s bothering you. Tell him how his behavior is affecting you and ask him to change.
By communicating openly and honestly, you’re more likely to resolve your issue than if you resort to silence.
Ignoring him might backfire though:
If you’re considering ignoring your boyfriend to teach him a lesson, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, it’s important to understand why you’re doing it. Did you try everything else first and it still didn’t work?
If you’re trying to punish him for something he did and he doesn’t even know you disapprove of it, then chances are it will backfire. Not only could he end up not understanding what he did wrong, but he could also become very angry for getting such treatment with no explanation.
Additionally, ignoring someone is generally not an effective way to communicate, if anything, it may just lead to more miscommunication and conflict. Ultimately, if you’re considering ignoring your boyfriend, it’s important to ask yourself whether it will really accomplish what you want.
You know your boyfriend more than anyone else and you probably know better if this will work on him and make him more apologetic or if it will only backfire. In most cases, it’s probably not worth the risk.
How to ignore him the right way to make him act right:
If despite everything you have read up to this point, you still decide to ignore your boyfriend in the hopes of teaching him a lesson then at least try to do it right.
You will know better what works for you in the end, so who are we to judge? Maybe he’s been taking you for granted, or maybe he’s been behaving badly and you want him to realize how much he needs you. Whatever the reason, there are a few things you should keep in mind if you decide to go this route.
First of all, be sure that ignoring your boyfriend is actually going to learn a lesson from it. If he’s the type of person who thrives on attention, or if he’s a clingy type of boyfriend then ignoring him is likely to have the opposite effect of what you want.
Second, be prepared for the fact that ignoring your boyfriend may not actually change his behavior. He may not even realize that you’re doing it!
And finally, be sure that you’re OK with the consequences of your actions. If things don’t go as planned, you could end up causing more harm than good.