How to Deal with Meeting the Boyfriend's Parents

Meeting the parents is not easy. This is the time where everyone who is anyone important to your boyfriend will have the time to speculate, poke and prod you. The experience may be nerve-wracking at first but if you can get through the initial meeting the next time around won't be so difficult. There are some things that you can do to help lessen the anxiety that you feel when meeting the parents and these things are mentioned below.

1. Remember to smile. Smiling is very important. It makes you seem warm and approachable. A small smile will go a long way. You want to avoid smiling consistently as this will make you seem phony. Smile occasionally. If you find something funny smile or laugh just don't fake it.

2. Don't be afraid to loosen up a bit and talk. Avoid answering questions with a yes or no. Answering questions with one syllabic answers makes for awkward breaks in conversation and silence. Do not be afraid to elaborate and answer questions truthfully. Be aware that quietness might come off as you being snobby to some people. So put on your best face and try to talk and hold a conversation.

3. Make little conversation. Don't leave it up for others to start the conversation. You can start conversations too. If you are unsure of what to talk about then talk about an incident in the news. It can be heavy or light although it is best to stick to light chatter upon the first meeting. You can talk about what you do for work or ask the parents what they do for work and then ask them about their job. You can even talk about the weather.

4. Find common ground and run with it. If you are meeting the parents then your boyfriend should have already told you a great deal about them. Try to remember some of the things that your boyfriend mentioned (that may be significant to you) and start to talk about them. For instance, maybe the mother wants to learn Spanish and you speak Spanish; you can start talking about the difficulties and triumphs of learning such a language. Maybe the dad is into art and you happen to be an art hobbyist etc.. Try to find common ground with both parents to ease any nervousness.

5. Make compliments but avoid making too many. Good things to compliment the parents on would be the house, the d©cor of the house, the food, the mother's dress, the garden etc -- . You want to be sure not to make too many compliments because then it will seem as though you are a suck up and will say anything just to be liked. You should not give more than two compliments.

6. Be honest and respectful even if personal questions are asked. Sometimes we get asked questions that venture on touchy subjects and often the person asking this question asks out of innocence. There might be others who ask these questions to push buttons. Whatever the situation may be it will be in your favor to remain collected and answer honestly and respectfully without attitude and without sighing.

7. Hold off on any overt affection with your boyfriend. While it may be true that you love your man you want to avoid kissing him or groping him or letting him do the same to you. Keep it respectful and just hold hands or give one hug or two. Proper ladies never indulge in heavy public displays of affections especially not in front of the parents or in the parents' home.