*sigh*

I've been FWB with someone for several months. She's great, we have a good time together, and support each other emotionally, talk about family drama, all that. We haven't made any kind of formal relationship, and haven't talked about status and such. We see each other 1-2x/week. But she's starting to indicate she wants more from me. I am not ready. I am in the "exploratory" phase post-divorce.

While she knows I'm not (and neither is my kid) ready for kid introductions, she hinted that she'd like to meet the rest of my family around the holidays, maybe my mom, brother, etc. when my kid is at my ex's. I am not ready and bristled a little, and she could tell and backed off and told me to think about it.

Truth is, I don't know that this relationship is going to go the distance. At least, I'm not ready to say that it will. Nor do I want to date her exclusively. (Not yet on the table but she'll ask) I want to do what we're doing, hang out, go out, relax together, have great sex, support each other.

I think I have to sit with her and have a talk about expectations, and how great I think she is, but I just don't see it developing further into a deeper committed long-term relationship. I'm pretty sure she wants a doting boyfriend who is deeply committed. I'm not ready for that yet, and may never be. No time soon, anyway.

Trouble is, the holidays are around the corner. Her kids are long moved out, live far away and probably won't be here for them (they might even go to her ex's, which hurts her). I have my kid over the holidays. So she'll be alone on xmas and NYE, unless she finds some buddies to hang with. I'll take her out when I can of course.

I hate the idea of having "the talk" before the difficult xmas season. I also hate the idea of waiting until after the holidays. I hate the idea of hurting her, and it seems inevitable that I do.

What does reddit think?