Credit: popcornpanel.com
Every so often, I’ll get women (and some men) ask me when is the appropriate time to introduce someone to their parents. Let me end the debate now by saying there isn’t a specific time that’s appropriate.
When it’s time to introduce your partner to your parents depends on two things.
The first is simple. If you see long-term potential with your partner and family is important to you then it’ll be best to bring family into your relationship sooner than later.
This will be where some of you will ask, “but what I want to introduce them after a second date?” And I will respond by saying, “don’t be weird.”
The second has to do with the relationship you have with your parents. When I was younger, meeting the parents was the biggest deal for me. I only brought someone home to my family if I was dating her for at least a year. Over time, that changed. I became more indifferent. I thought it was cool for my girlfriend to meet my parents, no matter what the circumstance. Why? Because my parents are awesome and people love to meet them.
How long before my wife met the family? Less than a week. I was still living at home with my parents when we first started dating. The next morning, after spending the night at my place, when she left my bedroom, she immediately ran into my mother, at which point, I quickly introduced them and cleverly breezed into the kitchen to make myself breakfast.
One of the better and more hilarious moments of my life.
So what has changed?
My relationship with my parents has grown stronger over the years and therefore they’re laid back about meeting the women in my life.
The whole time I used to make a big deal about my girlfriend meeting them, my parents didn’t even care. If I had only talked to them about it before, I wouldn’t have had to go through so much self-induced anxiety. My parents still laugh about it to this day, reliving the women who came through their home.
If you want a better idea of what’s appropriate, talk with your parents and see how they feel about it. They may or may not even care. Then, you can go on, living anxiety-free and not have any Meet the Fockers nightmares.