Introducing Your Significant Other To Your Family

By Victoria Robertson on November 20, 2018

Dating around the holidays is stressful enough, but when it comes to meeting your significant other’s family for the first time, that stress increases exponentially, for both of you. Introducing a significant other to the family is a giant step in a relationship, and the pressure is felt on all ends of the deal.

So what is the best way to go about such introductions? Is there a right or a wrong way to do it?

To help provide you with some guidance as the holidays quickly approach, here are six tips for introducing your significant other to your family.

Photo Via: Pixabay.com

1. Communicate with Each Other

Every relationship requires communication, as without it, it’s sure to fail. The same goes for introducing a significant other to your family for the first time. Not only do you need to communicate that this is something you want to do, but you also need to communicate to determine whether or not the feeling is mutual.

Introducing a significant other to your family is a big step in a relationship, and it’s possible one person will be ready before the other. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to take a step back and wait for a time when both of you are ready. If not, feel free to proceed so long as everyone’s on the same page. Either way, the only way you will be able to determine everyone’s comfort is to communicate with one another.

2. Communicate with Your Family

On the other end of things, it’s very important that you also communicate with your family. Be sure to let them know if you are going to be introducing someone to them, as it’s much better for everyone to be fully aware of what’s coming.

Families can be protective and reserved when it comes to relationships, so letting them know your intentions ahead of time provides them with the ability to process the information and prepare for a meeting. Remember, it can be just as stressful for your family!

3. Set Expectations

Be sure you are setting expectations with everyone involved. Let your family know what your relationship looks like so they don’t ask any questions that may be offensive. Let each party know enough about the other that things won’t be uncomfortable and everyone will have a good, general sense of what to expect.

The most stressful part of these meetings is the unknown, so if you’re able to remove some of that anxiety ahead of time, you’re already ahead of the game and making the situation much easier on everyone.

4. Have a Plan

Again, the unknown aspects of a first time meeting are the elements that can entirely change the situation. Putting together a plan ahead of time helps ease everyone’s minds and give them a little more information as far as what to expect.

For instance, your family may be planning a meal while you and your significant other may be planning to eat ahead of time, which will lead to an awkward situation when you arrive full and there is a large meal waiting for everyone on the table. Let them know your plans ahead of time so everyone knows what to expect.

5. Brief Everyone

Providing as much information as possible up front is in everyone’s best interest. Be sure to brief everyone involved regarding pet peeves, general personality traits, likes and dislikes, etc. This information can help avoid topics that might make people uncomfortable as well as to provide everyone with something to talk about.

You are the only person in this situation that knows everyone involved, so it’s your job to set the tone for the meeting by briefing everyone on the other party. This will help to make things go much smoother in the long run.

6. Keep It Casual

It’s easy for family members to create a situation in which the meeting is too formal for everyone’s taste. Generally speaking, for a first time meeting, it’s much better to keep it casual and ensure everyone is comfortable.

You can always meet at a neutral location (to avoid giving one party more comfort than the other) as well as to make the meeting brief to ensure everyone feels comfortable and gets a good feeling for one another without being dragged out too long.

Again, introducing anyone to your family for the first time can be stressful, but introducing a significant other takes stress to a whole new level. There are many considerations to take into account, so be sure you are really evaluating the situation prior to proceeding.

The above six tips are a good starting point, but be sure that both of you are on the same page regarding the process and are up for the challenge, as it will add strain to a relationship in some cases.

Good luck! And happy holidays!

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