Give examples like, “My mom might tell you embarrassing stories about my from my childhood. It’s just what she does,” and, “My dad can be a little bit intense sometimes, but he means well. ”
If you want to, you can help your boyfriend think of specific questions beforehand. Try preparing questions like, “I heard you like to knit a lot, Mrs. (Surname). Are you working on any projects right now?”
If your boyfriend has any interests that line up with your parents’, make sure to mention those. If your father and your boyfriend both like fishing, let your dad know so that they can talk about it.
Don’t tell him to dress up too much - a full suit is probably too formal for a casual dinner. Try saying, “I know you want to make a good impression on my parents. Maybe you could wear one of your nice shirts to dinner, since I think they’d appreciate that. ”
Try to be understanding if your boyfriend is super nervous. It’s always scary to meet new people, especially if they are people that your partner loves and respects. Calm your boyfriend down by saying things like, “My parents just want to get to know who I’m dating,” and, “I’ve told them a lot of great things about you, so they’re excited to meet you!”
This will probably also help lessen your boyfriend’s anxiety about meeting your parents, if he has any.
Float the idea to your parents by saying, “I’d love to get together at your guys’ house so that we can all get to know each other. We can bring some drinks if you don’t mind cooking!” Try not to make a big deal out of the meeting. Instead of hosting a big, high-pressure family dinner, keep the meet-up fairly relaxed. [9] X Expert Source Mark RosenfeldDating & Relationship Coach Expert Interview. 29 July 2021.
Bring up this idea by saying, “I don’t want anyone to have to worry about cooking a meal. Why don’t we meet up at one of our favorite restaurants?”
Doing an activity together also gives your meeting a timeline and lets you leave once the activity is done.
Say something like, “This is my boyfriend, Zack. Zack, these are my parents, Mike and Terese. ”
Use conversation starters like, “Dad, I heard you went hiking the other day. Where exactly did you go? Zack and I love to hike together. ” ”Mom, have you read any good books lately? I just finished a great one, and I’d love to tell you about it. ” ”Zack loves to work on computers. I bet he could tell you guys a thing or two about yours. ”
Questions like, “What do you do for fun?” and, “What did you go to school for?” are totally acceptable questions. Things like, “How many people have you dated before?” can make your boyfriend uncomfortable, and should be avoided. Use phrases like, “I don’t think he should have to answer that, Mom. Why don’t you tell us about your new job instead?”
Stick to subjects like individual hobbies, fun vacation stories, or life accomplishments. Use conversation starters like, “Our trip to Europe was super fun! We can show you some pictures, if you’d like. ” Or, “Didn’t you guys just go to the beach? How was that trip?”
You can go to the bathroom on your own, of course, but try to be brief.
