Soooo... 'Bout them parents?

[BabyDimples]

I was always the 'golden child' in our family. I'm the youngest, and the only daughter. My mam hates long distance relationships, and my dad is the same. They know about our relationship, and often call it a fantasy. My dad has compared it to an obsession with a poster of a boy band. I've heard various things from them like it won't work out, I'm living in a dream world, he's got nothing going for him, I'm just going to end up moving back begging for money, I won't have a life... The list is honestly endless. Since they found out about our relationship, I have 'fallen from grace' I guess.

That doesn't really bother me. I always wanted to impress them and make them proud of me, but since I have seen the 'other side of them' as it were, I honestly couldn't give a shit. I've realised that they won't ever be happy or proud of me or my lifestyle unless it is exactly the same as theirs. They aren't the type of parents to say, 'as long as you are happy'. They don't like Thomas, and they are constantly putting us down and trying to force me into doing things that I don't want to do, but then the possible career paths that i have looked into, which tend to be good ones, eg Midwife, Doctor, they shot down and said that they are crap and that I could NEVER do them. They even got an inspector to check him out!

I'm sorry for the negative post, but everyone else has put good ones, and I just wanted to share my on -going experience so that you can see all the different ways that it has turned out for people. Their reaction is like that because of the type of person that they both are. I am sure that your parents would be much more accepting! I also know that they don't agree with it because of our age. We are seventeen (and have bene together for almost ten months). Though, i also know that their reactin would still be pretty much the same unless I had moved to Cork first and then met him.

I hope that everything goes well for you when you tell your parents! Remember, you could always just say that he is a friend that you met while travelling if you don't feel ready to tell them! Good luck with everything

[staystrong12]

I told my mom immediately, 'cause I tell her everything. I mean she knew about him before he and I even thought about being a couple, 'cause we became close friends pretty fast and were chatting a lot on Facebook and on the site where we met. We told my dad about him last summer I think, and he seemed to approve. Then we told him a few months later that my babe was planning on flying down to meet me and them, and he was fine with it. He even let my babe stay at our house for a week. They were naturally worried, of course; even my friends were worried. But they were all supportive 'cause they could tell that this guy makes me happy, and that I was serious about him. And my parents adore him.

[churchgrim]

I don't really understand not telling your parent/s about your relationship if they're not the type to put stress on your LDR.

My parents knew my realtionship started getting serious after I spent more time online and started talking about him a little, so I never had to tell them outright. We've had talks about it, though, and I just made sure they knew that I understood what I was getting into.
For the first year or so they definitely thought it was just a silly little high school thing, but they both know how committed I am to him, so watching me grow up in that type of relationship gave them a lot of understanding and acceptance about it, as well.

[13000km]

I started name-dropping very early without specifically saying we're in a relationship, so when the time came for our first visit my parents were still hesitant, but not completely opposed to my flying to the US alone. As for his mom, I don't think he really had to tell her anything because he was living with his sister for most of our relationship and I'm sure she kept their mom updated about 'the Singaporean' he was on skype all the time with.

[notyourexgirlfriend]

I gave up the ghost about a month before he was due to come visit me. He'd booked his flight/accommodation wrong and we had to get it sorted out. Was a bit of a mess. It kinda stressed me out and my parents asked me what was wrong because I was acting out of character. Once they were told they took it well. Probably helps that they started of as nevermets in a LDR way back when snail mail was the in thing. They've met my SO and they seem to get along OK but it's early days yet. I've only met my SO's mother. That was kinda awkward as we weren't planning on that but she seems to be OK with us now seeing as we've been together for quite some time.

[kteire]

I told my mum about my SO by email when I was still in Ireland. I mentioned in passing in an email that I was seeing someone and that it was quite serious. When I got home a month later, she was a bit worried for me, but generally supportive. I think her concerns were mainly that she thought I might have met some dreamy Irish man that was a fling, and would break my heart, haha. She remained wary until he booked a flight to Toronto to come see me! I think that showed her that he was serious about me too, and she was smitten when she met him

You never know how they'll react until you tell them! I didn't expect my mum to be completely supportive, because of the distance and with it being international, but I can't keep anything from her, and it was ok It's a good thing that he might have the opportunity to meet him too, will be nice for them to put a face to the name and to get a feel for him!