Meeting your girlfriend’s parents is one of the most serious steps in your relationship. It is a sure sign you are heading in the right direction and crossing the threshold into long-term expectations. Nevertheless, meeting her parents seems to be a little nerve-racking occasion, especially if it happens for the first time. On the one hand, you want to live up to their expectations, but on the other hand, you don’t want to be the guy who just fulfills a checklist required by your girlfriend’s parents. So how do you find that happy medium? The answer is plain as a day. All you need to do is be yourself and try to make a favorable first impression. Luckily, we’ve come up with 6 tips which can help you achieve that goal. Let’s get started!
- Get prepared
Find out as much information as possible. Ask your girlfriend to guide you through some basic information such as: What kind of hobbies and interests do they have? What do her parents do for a living? How religious are they? What is their politics? This will not only help you reach understanding faster but also prevent you from touching upon controversial subjects.
- Dress sharp
Forget about your baggy pants and favorite stretched T-shirt unless you want to make an impression opposite to favorable. Make sure that you wear something appropriate and presentable. Some good variants may include nice jeans with polo or (as an option) dark pants with a button-down T-shirt. Do not forget to shave, trim your nails and comb your hair.
- Greet them in a friendly way
When you meet your girlfriend’s parents for the first time, try to show that you’re a polite and well-mannered person. Give a firm shake to her father and a light hug to her mother (unless she’s not to reserved woman). Tell them that you’re really pleased to meet them and thank them for invitation. By no means should you call them by their first names, until your girlfriend or they ask you to. Up to that point go with simple Mr. and Mrs.
- Bring an appropriate gift
You should remember that a good guest, and especially a good boyfriend, never shows up empty-handed. Spend some of your time choosing nice flowers for your girlfriend’s mother or a bottle of refined wine for both parents. If your girlfriend is from another country (let’s say you met her on a Ukrainian wives dating site), consider bringing them a gift, which can be found only in your homeland.
- Be engaged in conversation
First of all, turn off your electronics in order to give them your full, present attention. Secondly, make sure that you don’t simply answer their questions, but take the initiative in your own hands. Ask her parents about their hobbies, or take an interest in what your girlfriend was like as a child. They will love you!
- Be yourself
Remember, that your girlfriend loves you for who you are. That is why you shouldn’t pretend to be someone else when you meet her parents for the first time. Feel free to express your own ideas and opinions, tell jokes and give sincere compliments.
We hope that our suggestions can bring you good luck!
