I, F 21, have been with my M 23 boyfriend, for 4 months now and it’s great! I really can’t complain, we are really good at communicating, and he is always a great listener, and we haven’t had any issues.
I have noticed though, when we are out on dates, he is on his phone a LOT. We will be eating dinner or going for drinks and he is on his phone most of the time. I have asked him a couple times when I was talking to him and he was on his phone “Are you even listening to me?” and he is, in fact, listening to what I am saying and able to repeat every word I said, which leaves me feeling dumb or like a dog with it’s tail between its legs. So I know he is listening, but it really bothers me when he doesn’t appear to be engaging in the conversation. I don’t want to make it a big deal and I don’t want to be demanding of his attention, but I’m not sure how to word it if I want to bring it up. I don’t know if it’s a personal problem that I am just hyperaware of and if it is something I need to learn to get over. In the past I have dated people who are never on their phones around me so it could just be something I’m not used to.
I just want to word it in a way that is respectful and not hurtful. How should I bring this up to him in a way that he will understand how I am feeling without seeming like I am asking for too much?
TL;DR Boyfriend on his phone too much but don’t know how to bring it up without being hurtful or demanding.