Found this indepth post and thought Id place it here for discussion:
Here are ten rules for a Open Marriage.
What do you think?
1. First and foremost, if one or both partners in the outside relationship become emotionally involved (start to fall in love) with the other, that outside relationship will end.
If this happens the outside relationship becomes a threat to the primary relationship—not to mention create emotional entanglements that will hurt one or more of the people involved.
2. The primary relationship will always remain primary.
This means that one spouse will check with the other before meetings with an outside partner. If conflicts occur, they will be discussed with the marriage partner. If a compromise can't be reached, the decision will favor the needs of marriage partner.
3. The marriage partner has the option of disapproving a particular outside relationship with a specific person; or to turn it around, that partner may want to approve or even meet the other person.
4. Meeting with any one outside person can't take place on a daily basis. Regularly seeing just one outside person can easily result in a personal and emotional dependence on that relationship by one or both people involved. To help avoid this it may be advantageous to have more than one outside sexual relationship.
5. Assuming the agreed upon rules are followed, the outside relationship can't be used against a spouse at any time, as in a later claim of adultery.
6. If one spouse is meeting another person, the other spouse must know where he or she is at all times. Any change of plans will be made known. Although this is primarily a safety issue for wives, should the need arise the marriage partners need to know how to get in contact with each other. This is especially important if a spouse plans an overnight stay.
7. Although this should come under the heading of common civility, comparing attributes, attitudes, or sexual capabilities of a person outside of the marriage to those of a spouse is "off limits."
8. Given the attitude of general society to open relationships and the professional and personal harm that might ensue if generally known, it is often necessary to be discrete in meetings with the outside person or persons—out of sight, of friends, business associates, or family members. In small towns this may mean out-of-town meetings.
Where these concerns are not a factor, some couples find that the number of prospective partners increases if it is generally known that the couple has an open marriage.
9. There will be "full disclosure" at all times and there will be no secret conversations or meetings with the outside person—things that can easily lead to mistrust and jealously.
10. And finally, no outside relationship will endanger another person's monogamous marriage or relationship.
