A major step in an adult dating relationship is making the mutual decision to meet each others parents/ family. Meeting the family of the man or woman you are dating means your relationship is taking a fairly serious turn. Depending on your age – most young relationships go through the process of ‘meeting the parents’ much sooner than others, therefore it has a lesser meaning than, say, a couple in their mid 20s – this relationship ritual can be a very serious, sacred and meaningful thing.

Meeting the parents can also be nerve wracking. What if his mother doesn’t like you? What if her father doesn’t think you are good enough for his ‘baby girl’? There are so many “what ifs” what will be filtering in and out of your head before you actually meet your partner’s family. Try not to get too caught up in it. Over thinking has the potential to ruin any situation; it also has the potential to get an individual all worked up over nothing. Sure, you are making a first impression on the one person you love’s parents, but the best thing you can do is be yourself. If your partner loves you for being yourself, his/her parents should be able to see the same person.

Always be polite, always offer to help out in the kitchen, with cleanup aka doing the dishes. Always be social, and answer questions with more than one word answers. Make conversation with your partner’s parents, don’t treat it like an awkward job interview. Remember, ‘the parents’ want their child to be happy, and to find someone to spend the rest of their lives with (even if that’s not where you are, parents are always expecting grandchildren), but this doesnt mean they aren’t looking for ANYTHING negative about you to talk about after the visit. And even if you show a shining example of yourself, they will probably have SOME sort of criticism. But that’s what parents are for. Criticizing the things we love the most.

That was a joke – sort of. Just have fun and be respectful.

Bonus Tip: Bring a gift with you. A nice bottle of wine or expensive chocolates should do the trick.