CRUSHES

Things have been smooth sailin’ between you and your significant other. Your bae is amazing - and all of your friends agree! You’re ready to take things to the next level in your relationship by introducing your sweetie to the fam, but you’re not sure if now is the right time. Well, read on, sister, for our guide to introducing the boyfriend/girlfriend to the ‘rents!

Define Your Relationship
Meeting the parents is a big step in any relationship, so make sure you know where you and your boo stand before sending out an invite to your next family get-together. If things are still super new and fairly casual between you and your sweetie, you might want to take more time to get to know this awesome person and consider holding off on a fam introduction for now. However, if you’ve been seeing each other exclusively for a while and you're both serious about each other, you definitely have the green light to bring him/her home.

Have a Quick Talk
Touch base with both your BF/GF and your parents before the introduction happens. If your parents don’t already know you’re dating someone, give them a quick heads up. It can be something as simple as, “Hey, I just wanted to let you know I’ve been dating someone - you remember Jamie from orchestra?” Or, “Mom, Dad, I have a girlfriend/boyfriend and I want you to meet her/him!” Chances are, your parents will be the ones who are pushing you to make the introduction happen and will want to meet the person who has captured their daughter’s heart. You also should tell your BF/GF about meeting your parents. Something like, “My parents will be at summer carnival next week and I’d love for you to meet them,” will do the trick.

Schedule a Meet and Greet
Now that you’ve decided you’re going to introduce your significant other to the fam, it’s a good idea to figure out where this meeting will occur. If and your bae have a joint event coming up in the near future, like a town parade you’re both marching in, or a swim meet you’re both competing in, or a county fair you’re both volunteering at, consider having a casual introduction there. And make sure to actually introduce everyone properly! Say, “Mom, Dad, I want you to meet Taylor. Taylor, this is my Mom, Carol, and my Dad, Steven.”

Follow Up with Dinner
After the first casual introduction, you or your parents may want to have your guy/girl over for dinner so that everyone can get to know one another better. No need to be nervous, chica! Dinner is a great opportunity for your family to see just how awesome your sweetie is. For an easy going evening, plan for a simple meal - make sure to let your ‘rents know about any allergies your bae may have - and prep some topics of conversation. Make mental notes of common interests between your BF/GF and your parents so the dinner isn’t awkward. Most importantly, have fun introducing your special someone to the family!

When did you first introduce your significant other to the fam? How did you do it? Let us know in the comments below!

by Morgan Ome | 4/27/2019