When should you tell your date you have hearing loss?
January 31, 2017
How video chat can transform relationships for people with hearing loss
February 1, 2017Deaf and Dating? 8 Tips for a Successful Long Distance Relationship
Long distance relationships are not easy, and being in a long distance relationship with a deaf person can be even more challenging.
Good communication is key in a successful relationship. When I’m with my long-distance boyfriend, it’s like a perfect little holiday. All our worries float away when we’re together creating memories! But time always flies when you’re having fun and when the day comes where you say your goodbyes, nothing can describe the heartache and tears when you won’t see them for a while.
My boyfriend and I both have hearing loss, but we’ve had a successful relationship for for nearly 3 ½ years now!
So, in honor of this month’s #HearingLossHour and the upcoming Valentine’s holiday, I thought I could share my tips!
8 Tips for a Successful Long Distance Relationship with Hearing Loss
1. Have love and faith with each other
The main thing that keeps our long-distance relationship going, is love! If you love each other, you are willing to make it work. Patience, trust and honestly are also important factors in any relationship.
2. Plan to meet regularly
The best thing to do is to have a date pre-planned for the next time you meet, before you say goodbye to each other. This gives you something to look forward to and makes the goodbye a bit easier! It could be meeting in the middle, or somewhere specific, or in your own areas.
3. Communication is key
Always ensure you stay in touch. This is especially important when verbal communication isn’t that easy. If you’re dating a deaf person, you might find it more challenging to communicate over the phone than face-to-face.
Fortunately, there are more and more options available for deaf people to communicate. Of course, you can always text, or email, but FaceTime and video call services such as Skype and Oovoo are also good options. Video chat allows you to seeing each other’s faces, which is great if you need to sign to each other or lip-read.
Some video chat apps let you type whilst watching each other, which is reassuring for those who struggle to understand speech.
4. Download a countdown app!
We have a countdown to the next day we meet, or for our next holiday and it’s a fantastic way to motivate our relationship. When the days between seeing each other become fewer, it makes it more enjoyable knowing you’ll see them in fewer days!
5. Send surprises every now and again
There’s nothing cuter than receiving a handwritten note in the post, or some flowers or a chocolate Pizza delivered to your door! It’s a lovely sign of how much you think of each other.
6. Take photographs together
There’s nothing more special than photographs that cherish the memories you’ve spent together. Create a photo collage or get a canvas print for your bedroom, it will give you something to look at whether you’re feeling happy or sad.
7. Watch movies together over video chat
We regularly have movie nights via video chat to feel close, even when we’re far away. One of us will show a film on a TV and then turn the camera to face the TV, allowing us to can both watch the film together. Or, if you both have Netflix or a movie streaming channel, start the film at the same time and watch on your own devices. It’s a lovely feeling knowing you’re doing something together even if you’re not by each other’s sides.
8. Be patient
Goodbyes are hard, being apart is the worst, but as time goes on it gets easier. It becomes routine and like I mentioned previously, when you see each other, you appreciate the time together more!
Are you in a long distance relationship with someone with hearing loss? Have you got any tips you’d like to share? If so, please comment below!
