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Tips for Meeting Your Partner’s Parents

Dating and relationships are complicated enough, even when you and your partner are from the same socio and racial demographic. For interracial dating, things get a little more complicated. The complications that come with this aren’t necessary a bad thing at all, rather it can be exotic and exciting learning from someone you deeply care about their traditions and customs in their cultural background.

The biggest complication that arises perhaps when dating someone from a different race is meeting their parents. Meeting the parents of your partner is always intimidating and has potential for much awkwardness and discomfort to occur. This is true even when the parents share the same cultural values as you. Throw into this your partners’ parents who may not necessary speak the same language, or have a strong accent, and perceive the world differently to you through their racial background, and you’ve got a good recipe for reasons to be nervous!

While you may be apprehensive about meeting your partners’ parents, keep in mind that these are totally natural and normal feelings to be experiencing. To help keep your calm and maintain a rational mind in the lead up to the big moment and during the initial meeting, keep some of these interracial dating tips in your mind. And after you’ve met the parents, you are more likely than not going to walk away feeling enlightened and welcomed more than anything else!

Talk about it with you partner

Before the time you meet your partners’ parents, make sure you talk about how you are feeling about it with your partner. At this stage of your relationship, you should be able to discuss things opening and honesty. In order to go into meeting the parents feeling comfortable and assured, you want as much information about them as possible. Don’t hesitate to ask your partner questions about their stances on religion, culture, and other big topics. This type of conversation should be easy with your partner and they should show understanding of your position.

Be patient with the parents

Once you’re sitting down with the parents and chatting away, keep in mind that there might be some accent or language barriers and perhaps they won’t understand all of your cultural references or colloquialisms. Bear this in mind and take time to explain things in more detail if you need to. Remember that the parents will be keen and excited to meet you and will want to know more about your life and your background.

Be gracious and accept everything!

Meeting the parents is a time to be overly polite and accepting of new ideas and experiences that present themselves. One of the best things about different cultures is surely the food. The parents are likely to have prepared some tasty snacks for your visit so you need to make the most of this! Eat up and try anything new, even if you’re not sure you’ll like it. Declining food is impolite in a lot cultures so avoid any awkwardness and give it a go!

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