Issues with your in-laws? 5 ways to build a bridge and get over it!
Someone once said to me "the best mother in law, is a dead mother in
law". I gasped in horror and laughed at the same time at this statement.
This sentiment obviously speaks to the usual discourse between couples
and their significant others families. This intricate relationship
between you, your beau and his/her family can be an interesting one to
say the least. I however don't believe in approaching a situation like
this with a negative view. I think it is totally plausible that you can
develop meaningful relationships with your boo's family. Now don't get
me wrong there are some crazy in laws that just make it downright
impossible to get along with them. This article is not about the
crazies, this only applicable to people that have an ounce of common
sense. I cant fix crazy!
Remember you don't have to be BFF (best friend's forever) with them but
you can still have decent relationships with them. So ladies and gents I
present to you my 5 tips for getting along with the in-laws:
1.
Speak to them
When you are with your boo and his family it's totally expected that you
ask about his relatives lives, as a matter of fact I strongly
encourage it. People love to talk about themselves, what better way to
find out about someone than having a conversation about work, school,
vacations, pop culture etc. Of course a conversation is a 2 way street
so make sure you leave room to drop interesting tidbits about yourself.
This however, is not the time to wow them with stories of your
legendary pot smoking days - keep the conversation appropriate to your
audience.
2.
Don't act like a b*tch
No need to be stuck up and pretentious around his family. Just relax and
be yourself. So for example, if everyone in his family knows that you
are die hard vegan, no need to freak out when they break out the ribs,
sushi and pulled pork sandwiches. People have differences, it's totally
cool to have your opinion and different lifestyle but try not to judge
people on seemingly minimal differences.
3.
3 sides to every story
So your boo told you all about his mooching Auntie. All she does is ask
for money and when its time to pay the money back home girl is always
missing in action. I ask you remember this, there are 3 sides to every
story. His side, her side and the truth. What you are hearing is your
partner's side of the story. You don't know the relatives side of the
story so try not judge her and write her off based on third party
information. At the end of the day you should form your own opinion and
judge her based on your interactions with her.
4.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me. I know you have heard the
Aretha Franklin song and my friends I'm here to tell you no truer words
have been spoken. Respect is a fundamental part of life that everyone
should be given. His or family members deserve the respect given to
strangers. Smile and say hello. Look at people in their eyes. Be
genuine. All these tips go a long way in gaining people's confidence and
trust.
5.Is it worth it?
At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself if it's worth it. By
worth it I mean, are you willing to step outside of your box and develop
a meaningful relationship with your in-laws? Is this relationship
really that meaningful to you, that you will do anything to see it
succeed? If you can truthfully answer yes then I would suggest you
start reaching out to your in laws, building a bridge and getting over
it.
Thoughts? Do you have in laws? How do you get along with them?