'Monkey-barring' is newest term for an unhealthy relationship habit, expert says

(NEXSTAR) – It’s time to stop treating your romantic relationships like playground equipment.

A dating trend known as “monkey-barring” — named after the popular playground feature — has been making headlines in recent weeks after a relationship expert spoke to Vice about the unhealthy practice.

As she described it, monkey-barring refers to a bad habit whereby one party in a relationship lines up another relationship before breaking up with their current partner. In this way, the unscrupulous party uses their relationships like monkey bars — not quite letting go before grabbing hold of another.

This practice, however, is anything but new. People on social media have shared their experiences with this phenomenon for years, sometimes calling it “monkey branching.”

“I’ve come across the pa