Would You Let Your Parents Review Your Dates?

This week Britney Spears announced that her dad had pre-vetted her new man by running a background check on him. Is this the sign of a caring dad or an overprotective father?

In some cultures it is normal for parents to have a hand in their children’s love life, but in others parents usually leave it up to their children to make their own decisions about who they choose as their life partner.

The main thing is to let your parents know how much input you want them to have, so that they are clear of the boundaries.

When to let parents help

If you’re close to your parents, they are bound to want to be involved in your love-life to some extent, whether that’s ‘helpfully’ pointing out who is now single in the village or even trying to pair you up with their best friend’s child.

When it comes to online dating, you can utilise any interest that your parents have in your dating profile by getting them to point out your best qualities. If they are good at proof reading, that can be a helpful skill too – it is always tricky to spot mistakes in something that you have written yourself. Lastly, it’s also good to get a second opinion on which photos you should choose to display on your profile.

The middle ground comes when trying to decide if you’d like your mother to help look through people’s profiles with you. Some people may find this to be rather too intrusive, while others will welcome the support and second opinion from someone whom they trust.

When parents shouldn’t be involved

The most obvious time to stop parental involvement in your love-life is when it comes to meeting up with your new date. Having been invited to dinner at someone’s mother’s house on a first date I can assure you that it’s awkward and weird, especially if the mother turns out to be a better conversationalist than your date!

It’s a good idea to wait until you have had at least a few dates before you introduce your new love interest to your parents. However, when they do meet, it’s interesting to hear your parents feedback, even if you are in “la, la, la I can’t hear you” mode.

We’d love to hear what you think on the matter! Join us on Facebook to let us know how much you’d like your family to be involved in your love life.