When you introduce your partner to your family for the first time

It’s a big deal when you and your partner finally decide to take your relationship further by introducing each other to your families. That’s when you know it’s very serious.

It’s actually not as interesting as it sounds, because once they know your partner exists they want to ask numerous unnecessary questions. They become annoyingly invested in your relationship and ask embarrassing questions in the least expected moments; like asking when you’re intending to get married at a large family get together.

Oh, the drama!

The first time I introduced my significant other to my family was purely accidental. I had not planned on it and he wasn’t expecting it. He merely strolled through the door of my Aunt’s house with my cousin on a fateful Easter Sunday. We were both surprised to find each other there, but as fate would have it I didn’t know he was friends with my cousin. The evening proceeded with my cousin introducing him, and him subsequently acknowledging our relationship. The brief introduction was followed by silence. Then shrugs.

They were already accustomed to him as my cousin’s friend, so it didn’t really make a difference if it turned out he was romantically involved with me.

Of course, as time progresses and your relatives become more and more comfortable prying into your personal life, as is custom to dig their noses in other people’s business, they also begin asking the nagging questions you dread: are you intending to get married? Are you ready for children? How many do you want? Have you taken a mortgage, because with this economy and the children you have to start early?

It all means well, and their curiosity if often driven by a desire to see you succeed in your relationship, that is, except for the occasional nosy uncle here and there who want unnecessary details. Yes, they can be annoying and introducing your partner to your family or vice versa can be an anxious stage of your relationship, so it’s best to be prepared for the unexpected. This is especially true if you think they are ‘The One’ and you do intend to tie the knot in the future. They say you marry the whole family so the earlier you get to know them the better

There’s no way to actually predict what will happen once your partner meets your parents or you meet theirs. You sometimes have to go with the flow, and sometimes deeply embarrassing encounters can be avoided if your family at least know you’re seeing someone. You can’t be single one moment and the next you’re bringing a whole boyfriend of 2 years over Christmas.

All I can add to this is, don’t overthink the introduction. It’s never much of a big deal until you make it so.