Writer's Workshop: How to Survive Meeting the Parents

I haven't done any in quite a while, but I love participating in Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop. Want something new to write about, then head on over and join in all the fun.

 

Future. In-laws. Boyfriend's. Parents. Can there be anything more nerve wracking or potentially embarrassing? I don't know anybody who hasn't dreading meeting your significant other's parents. The fears and worries rush through your mind: will they like me, am I smart enough, good enough? We want it to go well, but we were not raised the same way and therefore, there is potential for them to not like you.

I remember all too well when I met my Husband's, although he was just my boyfriend at the time, parents. They seemed pretty quiet to me back then, I mean his Dad kind of has a temper, but they never really talked to me. I'm not sure if it was a matter of they didn't like me or didn't approve of me. But I remember the first time his Dad actually said anything to me, cause its not something I could ever forget. We'd actually been dating on and off for almost a year and a half at that point. Christopher had joined the Army Reserves and he had just shipped out to Basic training. I'd been helping him pack up all his stuff to be put in storage while he was away for six months. 

We hadn't quite gotten all of it packed, we had a few distractions. So, I arranged with his Mom to come and help finish packing. I arrived bright and early the Saturday following his departure. Following about an hour's worth of work, I was invited to join them for breakfast. Now Christopher and I had gotten engaged the day before we graduated from high school and then had kind of put it off for a while, so we were kind of on  a we'll get married when you get home kind of a thing. (We did that a few times). Anyway, as we were eating breakfast his Dad suddenly says, "Christopher needs to serve a mission."

Now for those of you who don't know, the LDS Church asks the young men of the Church ages 21 to 25 to serve a mission. On a mission they go and teach people about the Church and the Gospel. A mission lasts two years, and during that time they can't date or anything like that. Its a big deal to serve a mission. So, his Dad was kind of implying that I was perhaps a distraction and that I needed to encourage him to serve. I was kind of embarrassed. I mean his Dad had never said more than two words to me and now I was getting lectured about what his son should be doing. And what he should be doing was not getting serious with me. I mean what does a girl say to that? Apparently our being serious was kind of low on their list of expectations. 

Needless to say, I had a hard time carrying on a conversation with either one of them for the rest of the morning and found myself making early apologies and getting out of there. It took a long time before his parents really warmed up to me and of course his Dad & I are very close these days. But in the beginning not so much. I'm glad I only had to go through that experience once, once was bad enough!