The big day has finally arrived.
Your girl comes up to you and says ‘baby, I think we should go meet my family tomorrow’ to which you might reply ‘I was thinking the same.’
‘Aww’ right?
Well, not really.
Meeting the girl’s parents is a major step in any relationship. You obviously want to be on your best behaviour, try and say all the right things and leave a good first impression.
Here are a few things which all guys must do if they really want her parents (read: father) to remember your name or call you the ‘some guy’ who takes his little girl out for dinner and to the movies.
#1. Dress well.
It is the first thing they will notice. Our clothes speak a lot about the kind of people we are. You absolutely do not want to go to her house in your regular T-shirt, jeans and chappals look. The best way to get them to take you a little bit seriously is a nice cotton shirt, crisply ironed trousers and leather shoes. Also, do not forget to put on a belt and wear matching socks. A tie is optional. Don’t go overboard by suiting up. Do it only if it is absolutely necessary.
#2. Your watch.
So do you still have your Casio digital watch that has a big dial and all those flashy light buttons? Yeah? Well then it’s time for you to buy a new watch. You can NOT wear digital watches to go and meet her parents. You need an analogue watch that is either in metal or leather straps. An all time classic is the Timex Expedition (and it is light on the pocket too!)
#3. Your haircut.
You have just one option here: get a proper cut; comb your hair, and do not ‘spike’ them up. You do not want them to consider you a hippie. You want your appearance to scream nice and sophisticated. The minute they see your hair standing up like an antenna on top of your head, they already don’t approve of you.
#4. Your fragrance.
Gone are the days of deodorants. We all have seen the advertisements where the super-pretty girls smell the deodorant and come running towards you. Intoxicated by your ‘manly fragrance’. Do not believe them. They just want to make money by selling useless stuff to guys who just don’t think this through or take it seriously. Make sure you put on decent cologne before you go meet them. Too much of a good thing is bad. Make sure they dont ‘smell’ you coming from thirty meters away. Controlled use is the best.
#5. Shave.
Yes. You have to do it. They don’t care if you are a bass player for a top band and can shred your guitar into a million pieces on stage. You must shave. If you don’t want to shave it all off, try a moustache. Keep it simple. No fancy business. Old school is the trick here: Either shave it all off or pull off a moustache. Keeping a stubble will not help your cause.
#6. No touching! No.
Do not try and get all lovey-dovey with your girl in her own house. Not in front of her parents. That is going to knock off major points for you. Try and keep the physical contact to a bare minimum. You need to be on your best behaviour. Try and imagine yourself meeting the Queen of Great Britain. It should be formal. Keep it in your pants.
#7. Do not accept alcohol from her dad!
If her father has his arm around your shoulder and says to you ‘Son, we should have a beer together and watch the football game. Get to know each other a little better.’ Do not fall for that. He’s just testing you. Decline politely, but make sure you sit with him and talk sports or politics. Dad’s love either one of them or both in most cases. Do your research beforehand. You must ask your girlfriend what sports her dad enjoys or which political party he supports. Background checks are important and help ensure smooth sailing.
#8. Compliment her mother’s cooking (if you manage to survive till dinner).
Women love compliments. It’s an open, out-there kind of a fact. Make sure you compliment her mother’s cooking. Tell her that it was a wonderful meal and it was really nice to eat with all of them. Do not go overboard and say things like ‘that was the best butter chicken ever. I could eat that every day of the year.’ Cheesy bollywood-like lines will not get you very far. They’ll see right through it. Also, make sure you don’t eat like a savage. However hard it may be for you to hold yourself back; eat modestly.
#9. Do not brag about yourself.
You might be the captain of the football team, you might be a bright student who aces the exams and you might also be a musician; just make sure you don’t brag about yourself. Being honest about your achievements is a good thing. Make sure you stay humble and calm. When they ask you about your hobbies, don’t lie about stuff you don’t even know how to spell. They are smart people. They will see right through it.
#10. Show them that you are responsible.
All those things like not accepting that beer, being humble about your achievements, having a plan for your future, dressing well and being well groomed etc, will all portray that you are a responsible guy. Someone capable of taking care of their daughter. It is the biggest compliment you can get if your girlfriend tells you that her folks found you to be a ’responsible and a quite charming young fellow’. If you hear words like that, the ‘battle’ is won. You have their blessing.
Finally…
The last ‘tip’ is a very simple one: Be honest with them about the way you feel about their daughter. For them, she will always be their little princess. Make sure you talk sense. Choose your words carefully. None of the above will work if you go up to her dad and say ‘What’s up dude? Your daughter, is so freaking hot, I get a chubby every time I see her’. I can only imagine what will happen next: A baseball bat in the hands of a middle aged man, chasing a youngster down the street. Could very well be worse. Nah, definitely worse.
