Maybe they’re just pretending to like you in order to keep the family peace. Maybe they smile to your face, but badmouth you as soon as you leave the room.
Instead of getting paranoid about your future parents-in-law’s opinions, really think about the way they treat you. It’s pretty easy to tell whether they’re being genuine and being frauds, so just keep your eyes open. Here are some of the sure signs that his parents love you just as much as he does:
1. They Want You Around
His parents are required to say hello and goodbye to you when you enter their home to see their son, but they have no reason to go out of their way to be nice to you. If his mother wants to teach you how to cook or his father asks you to watch television with him, they like you. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t voluntarily spend any more time with you than they had to. Getting asked to stay for dinner or to help with the dishes means that they enjoy having you around.
2. They Give You Gifts
When the holidays roll around, do you receive gifts from his parents? They certainly aren’t required to buy you anything, so even if they just give you a candy cane, it means that they like you. Exchanging gifts with his parents is a sure sign that they’re as happy about the relationship as you are.
3. You’re Always Invited Out
When your boyfriend’s cousin has a birthday party, are you invited to tag along? No matter how old your boyfriend is, he wouldn’t invite you to family parties if he knew that his parents didn’t want you there, because it would cause unneeded drama. So if he always has you on his arm at family events, you know that everyone is a fan of yours.
4. They’re Nice When You’re Not There
You and your boyfriend are completely honest with each other, so he would tell you if his mother made an offhand remark about you after you left. If he insists that his parents always talk highly of you, even when you’re not within earshot, then it’s safe to say that they genuinely like you. There’s no reason for them to play pretend around him.
5. They Give You Hugs and Kisses
Pay attention to how his parents greet you when you enter their home. Do they grunt a hello or do they walk up to you and wrap their arms around you? Some people aren’t very touchy, so if you never receive kisses, it doesn’t mean that they hate you. You can tell exactly how they feel by watching how enthusiastic that they are about your arrival.
6. They Talk About The Future
Have his parents made comments about the two of you having babies together or getting married? If they involve you whenever they talk about their son’s future, then that means they like having you around and don’t think that you’ll be leaving anytime soon. Even if the relationship isn’t super serious, you should be flattered by their mentions of marriage. It means they actually think you’re good enough for their little boy.
7. They Brag About You
When one of his parents answers their phone, do a little eavesdropping. When they’re asked about their day, they’ll probably mention that their son’s girlfriend is over. If they call you by name, it means they talk about you enough for the person on the other end of the line to remember who you are. You might even hear his parents brag about you!
8. They’re On Your Side
If his parents love you, they’ll get annoyed with him whenever he gets into a fight with you. They don’t want him to lose you, so they’ll push him to make things right with you. If your man shows up with flowers and admits that his mom convinced him to buy them, it means the whole family approves of your relationship.
9. They Buy You Food
Is his parents’ refrigerator stocked with food that they know you love? If they’ve gone out of their way to pick up certain groceries that are meant especially for you, then you’ve won them over. They’re spending their money on things that you enjoy when they could be spending it on something for themselves.
10. They Text You
If his parents call you or text you to chat, they obviously like you. There’s no reason for them to reach out to you when you’re not even in their house, so if their numbers are always popping up on your phone, you have some fans.
As long as his parents can see how much you love their son, they should approve of you. Even if they don’t, does it really matter? Relationships are about two people—not the entire family.
