What is a relationship?

A relationship is a ‘connection’. It may be a connection to people or to other things.

Relationships between people happen when they meet and get to know each other. They may end up spending more and more time with each other as they become friends or partners. There are many different kinds of relationships in people’s lives:

• professional relationships—you and your employer, you and your co-workers, you and your doctor

• family relationships—mother-child, father-child, etc., may include your closest family, and also extended family members

• friendships—people who share things about themselves, do things together and care about each other

• love relationships—people involved in loving, sexual relationships

• dating relationships—boyfriend-girlfriend relationships, which may develop into loving relationships