Relationship Advice: How to meet the parents.

Communication is very important when meeting a significant other’s parents for the first time. As the old saying goes, “first impressions are the most important ones.” That is true to a certain degree, as it can take a long time to recover from a bad first impression. The best (and most obvious) solution is to get it right the first time.

Like all things in life, good first impressions are complex. However, we can sum it all up into a few key points:

1. Communicate with your wardrobe - This may seem like the last thing that matters, but you can bet that you are being judged before you walk through the front door of their home. The general rule is to wear clean, tasteful clothes that are free of rips and stains.
   Guys - Avoid extremely baggy clothes, bandannas, hats, or anything that has rips or holes in it. Some of these things can appear rude or disrespectful.
   Girls - Cover up! Avoid cleavage, crop tops, super low rise jeans, and skimpy outfits. Though your spouse may want to see all of those things, it is highly unlikely that their parents want to.
2. Smile - Show those pearly whites! Nothing says “you are a waste of my time” like a frown or disgusted look. Your partners parents will want what is best for their child, and you want them to know that you’re just that.
3. Be polite - Be careful with this one, as there’s a fine line between being polite and being fake. Trust us, parents can tell the difference (after all, they’ve been raising children for how long?), so don’t sound insincere. Offer to help with the dishes, ask if they require any assistance preparing anything. Offering to help out with the small tasks shows that you are helpful and caring.
4. Be friendly – Now is the time to open up! Don’t just speak when you’re spoken to- start a conversation, make them laugh, and show you’re personality. People can sense when others are feeling uncomfortable, and it turn they will feel uncomfortable.Talk to the parents, siblings, and anyone else that’s around.
5. If their jokes are funny, laugh - This may seem obvious, but how many times have you quelled laughter because you felt it inappropriate? Even if some of the jokes that the parents come out with are lame (and trust us, they almost always are), showing some interest is better than nothing.

These are the basic steps to communication with the parents. By following these the first meeting with the parents should be a breeze and you can have more confidence going into that first meeting. It’s always going to be a little nerve-racking the first time, but after the first few minutes you’ll start to feel more comfortable, especially if you use these guidelines.

Good Luck!