My SO and I started dating about a month ago, and being that we are both college students living away from home, the timing was somewhat inconvenient.
Luckily, our summer homes are less than an hour away from each other, and as far as long distance relationships go, a forty minute drive really isn't anything. However, as we have moved out of our respective school year apartments, it has occurred to me that seeing one another will most likely mean visiting each other's home towns. And by extension, this means the inevitable familial introductions.
Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm opposed to taking that "next step" in our (very young) relationship. But there's just something about parental introductions that has always made me cringe. It's not that parents don't like me -- I've gotten along with ex's and friends' parents just fine. But for some reason, the prospect is entirely frightening to me.
How do you deal with meeting your SO's parents/siblings/family? Any particularly memorable accounts to share?
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Comments (19)
Just be yourself, believe me. That works. You'll do fine!
P.S. Yeah, a 40-minute drive is hardly an LDR
Try 33-hour flights (including layovers). That's what my fiance and I have to endure.
It's all about impressing the mum. The dad is irrelevent. If the mum thinks you're a bitch, you're finished.
Check out my dating disasters:
http://plentymorefishoutofwater.blogspot.com/
Anything that takes an hour or less is not "long distance." It would be kind of silly if people started calling their relationships long distances ones because their SO lived in the next town over that took a shocking 10 minutes to drive to.
But yeah, like FreeVerse said, be yourself. I feel like girls usually have a lot less difficulty with the whole meeting the parents and having the parents like them thing, anyway.
My boyfriend did recently say that he'd like to meet my parents. Considering that would either take them driving 3 hours upstate to visit me or my boyfriend and I driving 3 hours downstate to meet them, it's a little bit nerve wracking.
parents will want to get to know you, so think of a few interesting things that you think are unique (hobbies, books you're reading, stuff like that) so that you're not floundering with "uh...i go to college...i major in this..i like to hang out with my friends...i like movies"
:D
My first introduction to my SO's parents was in my dorm room. My SO was graduating, his dad came up to my room. SO hugged me, then his dad hugged me. Same story with his mom, 2 brothers, sisters in-law, and oldest sister. The youngest I met before we were dating, so I believe we just said hi. It's quite the huggy-family.
I always lucked out. With my ex, we'd known each other forever before we started dating so I've known his parents since I was twelve, and they loved everyone so it was okay. With my current sort of s/o, it's a little weird. I was friends with his little sister so I've known his parents. Now that there's sort of something going on between us, the dynamic is a little different. They love me, yet I still feel ridiculously awkward around them. So I feel you.
Good luck w/ it :) Cause my intro to my husband's mom $UCKED! LoL
Haha it's all in your head. So long as you:
1. Chill.
2. Don't attempt to impress / dazzle / amaze.
3. Be yourself.
Mine went smooth~ Just think of it like any other gathering @ a friend's. Freak out afterwards. ^^
Yeah, you just have to be yourself.
I haven't met my boyfriend's mom yet. Well I did once, but we were just friends at the time and it was randomly. I don't think I'll have a problem being myself, but I'm already worked against by his mom because I'm not Jewish. :/
His dad is cool though.
I've always been super good with adults.. Ever since I was like a little little girl, the parents always loved me! Although, the meeting of your SO might be totally different..
I have a decent relationship with my fiance's mom. She pretty much hates her dad (for reals hate, not bs), so I have never bothered being anything other than indifferent towards him.
I'm not going to meet the parents unless I'm engaged.
LOLOL.
when I met my ex's mom for the first time, she had just gotten home from work, and her son & I had been upstairs in his room making out. I was in sweats and my hair was a mess, and I was SO nervous. haha but he dragged me downstairs anyway, his arm wrapped around my waist, and she just smiled, said hello, and asked me what I liked on my pizza. haha to this day, despite the non-existant communication between J and I, his mom & I still talk often and I adore her.
it is like going to a job interview. I panic and don't know what to wear, then I can't sleep the night before and get sleepy once I get there and they either think I'm rude for spacing out and staring at the wall or they think I'm a nice and shy girl.
My boyfriend's parents are dead.
I've made the personal decision to forgo introducing current boyfriends/girlfriends to my parents until I'm SURE it's going to last. They've met too many failed ones already.
It was a funny moment for both of us, really. Israeli parents are loud, full of questions, and blunt, but hospitable and kind. So it was pleasant yet a bit in-my-face. My parents are kind of uptight but I don't really care what they think...it just happened, nothing special.
Just go with the flow.
jus take it in like ur meeting ur best friends parents b NORMAL acting like someone ur not is not worth it cuz they will find out eventually how u really are...as for stories haha i got 2 meet one guys parents as part of our 1st date without that part being planned originally but it was totally chill so if u dont worry about it and make a big deal out of it all goes well but if u get jittery ask ur SO important things u should know about the fam our things that u shouldn say around them jus 2 be safe :)
When I met my first ex's family (the first time I knew that they knew we were dating, that is), it was completely relaxed. It was right after a choir concert both he and I were in, and we all went to eat at IHOP. We laughed and enjoyed each other, and his dad even gave me a handshake and a hug, which I didn't expect.
It's unfortunate that we broke up, because his family really liked me.
My last boyfriend's mom absolutely loves me. I still see her frequently because I'm friends with both my ex and his sister.
She's very sweet. :3