A cookie jar is when someone keeps a backup relationship. (Representative Image)
If you feel neglected by your partner, look for these signs to ensure you are not being cookie-jarred.
In modern times, cookie jarring has emerged as another dating trend. In layman’s terms, it refers to someone keeping you as a backup option, just like a spare cookie in a jar, while they actively pursue another person. If you are cookie-jarred, it means the person dating you won’t commit despite keeping communications open and going on dates. Some people do it as a backup or security blanket if their primary relationship fails. It’s indeed a painful experience, and if you are wondering whether you’re being cookie-jarred, here are five signs to watch out for:
Inconsistent Communication
One of the most obvious signs that you are being cookie-jarred is erratic communication. If the person you are dating takes longer times to reply, doesn’t answer your calls or reaches out to you sporadically, then it’s a red flag! Your partner keeps you hanging just enough to maintain your interest but doesn’t show consistency.
Vague About Future Plans
Another telltale sign that your partner is keeping you as a backup plan is when they avoid making any plans about the future with you. If they hesitate or deflect while conversing about taking the relationship to the next level or simply about your next date, that’s a sign of you being cookie-jarred. Their reluctance to plan anything beyond the present indicates they aren’t prioritising you.
Treatment Like A Backup
If the person you are dating isn’t putting in effort to get the relationship going, it is a sign that you are a backup. For example, they aren’t making you feel like you’re important to them and aren’t affectionate or caring towards you. They consistently act cold when they seem uninterested in anything related to you or are distracted, making you question whether they are really into the relationship.
No Commitment
If your partner often tells you to ‘live in the moment’ or ‘not to put a tag on the relationship’, it is a sign that you are being cookie-jarred. If someone is serious about you and wants to commit to you, then at some point in the relationship, they are going to talk about taking it to the next level, if not in the beginning.
Keeping It A Secret
Your partner is cookie-jarring you if they avoid taking you to meet their friends. It might indicate they don’t want anyone to know they are dating you. Keeping the relationship private and away from the prying eyes is completely different from keeping it hidden. It is a red flag when they refuse to take you to gatherings where they might come across an acquaintance.
