MEETING THE PARENTS tips, tricks, and rules.

Me and my boyfriend have decided to go out to eat with his parents next month. This will be the first time I meet his parents. This made me nervous so I decided to research this a lot. I am sure I am not the only one stressing about what to wear what to say and how to act. So to save you from all the research I did I thought I would make a post about this. Be sure to let me know how it goes with you, and if theres something else I should add. xox

CLOTHES! This is probably the most stressful thing, for me at least. I have a million questions running through my head. Is this to casual? Is this to dressy? is this to conservative? Is this to colorful? ect. I think you get the point.
Here are a couple tips to make this easier!

1. Stick to your style. Its really important that your boyfriends parents get to know the real you.

2. With that in mind Dress conservative. You don't want to make a bad first impression. Don't wear inappropriate clothing, cover yourself up ect.

3. Dress with the event in mind. If you are going out to eat dress accordingly.

4. Don't over do the makeup. let them see the natural you! You are gorgeous flaunt it.

5. Don't wear jewelry you are going to play with all night. 

6. keep in mind who you are meeting. If his parents are very classy dress with that in mind.

so now here are some outfit examples for different styles! You don't need to follow these exactly but they are good starting points!

The rules: 
after you have your outfit planned out you can release a major sigh of relief. But then your body begins the nervous jitters. You realize that although you have accomplish something major this means the meeting is coming closer. So i have put together a small list of rules to follow to ensure a positive night with his family!

1. Be yourself
This is really important. He is introducing you to them because he likes the real you, so why wouldn't they?
Helpful tip: If they are talking to you about something you know little about don't just chime in to look like you know it. For example if they are talking about a football game and you don't watch football just ask them to recap it! This way you wont get caught in a sticky situation and you come across as interested in their interest! In the long end they will respect you more! 

2.  Be Helpful 
The ways you can do this depends on what you are doing with his family. If you are going over to his house for dinner offer to bring a plate (appitizer, dessert). You can offer to set the table, bring dishes out or back to the kitchen, offer to help clean up or do the dishes. The amount they are willing to let you do will vary but the offer is what is important. If you go out to eat there is not much that you can do. However you can open doors for his family, after all its the small things that matter. 

3. MANNERS, MANNERS, MANNERS! 
This is SO important. you have to think of this as a first date, or an interview. Its much easier to create a good first impression off the bat then it would be to change their opinion of you. A really good way to do this is with manners. 

So lets review the basics: 
- Maintain good posturer (sit with a straight back NO SLOUCHING!) 
-Chew your food with your mouth closed (if they ask you a question while you are chewing just motion to them that you are chewing and respond after you finish chewing) 
-Put your napkin in your lap. 
-Hold your silverware properly.
- Do not forget please and thank you. 
- when you are eating cut your food up as you go into tiny manageable bite sizes. 
-Do not touch your phone. It will make it look like you are bored and you would rather be somewhere else. Instead turn it off or on silent. If you think you might be tempted to take it out leave it in the car or at home. 
-keep your elbows off the table. 

4. Be respectful. 
This is a really big one! respect there wishes. If they want to pray go along. Use your manners. Engage in conversation. A big thing is to remember to find a balance of talking about yourself and talking about them. The purpose of the night is to learn about each other. You don't want to constantly be talking about yourself, but you also don't want to be always turning the conversation away from yourself.