While it may be nerve wracking for most of us to finally meet the parents of the man we're with, it is an inevitable step in a relationship that's headed somewhere. The butterflies you feel before are normal, but it can often lead to feeling tongue tied and a little less than confident. Don't worry, there are a few things you can talk to them about other than the weather, that actually might actually help break the ice.
1. How about some food talk?
Their son is probably not the only thing you love and have in common. Food is more often than not everyone's favourite thing - and if not, people often have interesting stories around their food experiences. Look around you and observe your surroundings. See what everyone has ordered if you're out for a meal, or what has been cooked if it's a meal at home. Go beyond the thank you, please and the praises while you're at the table. Really try and get into the details and talk about your favourite dishes and experiences with food. This is likely to make them talk about theirs and will open up a whole new topic for discussion.
2. Blast from the past
While this may sound like a cliche and sometimes hard to do, talking to them about a funny or favourite childhood experience and asking about your boyfriend's allows them to see you as more than just their son's girlfriend. Talking about things that are personal and important, such as your childhood, allows them to understand you better as a person and where you're coming from, thus creating an open passage for more and more conversation to take place. If you don't know where to start or how to bring this up, you can start simply by referring to a childhood story that your boyfriend might have told you about and build a connection to yours from there.
3. Find a shared interest
Whether it's his dad's favourite book, mom's love for coffee or their careers - find something you have a common interest in and make sure to bring it up. While you might not want to seem over enthusiastic, doing a little bit of research and asking your boyfriend about these things beforehand won't hurt. In fact, it could save you from an otherwise awkward dinner.
Comments
