Top 5 Signs Your Prince Charming Is Really A Frog In Disguise

Ladies, how many of you have dated guys who appeared to be Prince Charming come to life? He seemed to be just what the doctor ordered: intelligent, funny, witty, and sexy.

You begin dating, and he sweeps you off your feet. You excitedly confess to your friends you may have found "the one." Then you really begin to scratch the surface only to discover - as the old adage goes - "all that glitters aint' gold."

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Fortunately, there are five red flags at the beginning of your relationship which can tell you if your Prince Charming is really just a frog in disguise:

1. He is hyper-critical of you. He doesn't like the way you dress or wear your hair. He makes unflattering comments about your weight. Nothing you do is "right" in his eyes, and he is not afraid to tell you so. Men like this attempt to make you feel inadequate in order to bolster their own egos.

2. He freeloads often. You find yourself always financing your dates. You have to field his constant requests for loans. He drives your car more than you do. If any or all of these situations sound familiar, you may be dealing with an opportunist who just sees dollar signs when he looks at you.

3. He resists taking you to his place. If you don't know where your man lives, or have never seen the inside of his place, then Houston we have a problem! If he gets cagey about showing you where he hangs his hat, odds are he has something to hide. Tread very carefully here.

4. He wants to monopolize all of your time. He frequently calls or texts you at work. He frets if you are not spending most of your leisure time with him. If you are going out with girlfriends, guess what? He wants to tag along. These are huge, red flags you could be dealing with a very insecure, jealous guy with control issues. Not a winning combination.

5. He begins abusing you. It doesn't matter whether it's verbal, physical or emotional abuse, if your guy begins to exhibit any of these behaviors, head for the exit immediately! There is never an excuse for any kind of abusive behavior. Remember, abuse does not equal love. Ever. If you are in an abusive relationship and need help, please visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline web site: www.thehotline.org, or call 1 (800) 799-SAFE (7233).

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Falling in love is a heady, exhilarating feeling. While you should enjoy it, don't neglect your intuition either. If something doesn't feel right, take a moment to really assess your situation. Doing so will help you avoid all of the frogs on your journey to finding your true prince.

Terez Williamson writes about the challenges of dating and creating vibrant relationships in the 21st century. You can find more of Terez's musings on his blog, http://www.RegainYourRelationship.com.