One of the hardest parts about starting a long distance relationship, is telling your parents.
There’s no right or wrong way on how to tell your parents that you’ve decided to do that crazy thing called ‘long distance’. It’s most likely not going to be easy, as most people don’t really understand long distance unless they’ve experienced it first hand.
So, here’s some advice on how to break the news to your parents!
Something I’d highly recommend is not doing it through text. The biggest reason for why I think it’s better to tell your parents in person is because they’ll be able to see your emotion and let’s be real – everything is better in person. But, if you think you’ll be more comfortable doing it over text or email, go for it!
So, the first step in telling your parents is figuring out exactly what to say…
Don’t just walk into their room and say “hey mom and dad, I’m dating someone who lives in a different country, ok bye!” – I can almost guarantee, they won’t be happy!
Think of how you’re going to word it (this is important!) – You need to assure them that you know this person. Not know-know, but know… does that make sense? Let me break that down.
Before telling your parents, you need to make sure this person you’re talking to is real, not a catfish. Get to know them on FaceTime or Skype. Whatever you have to do to assure yourself that you can have an actual relationship with them.
Now that you know they’re a genuine person, it’s time to tell your parents.
Start off by explaining that you’ve met someone that you have (or are thinking about having) a relationship with.
Start telling them the qualities of your boyfriend or girlfriend and really show how you feel. If they make you really happy, show that! If they are motivating and have inspired you to start trying new things, mention that. Basically mention everything about how good of a person your significant other is!
The next step (after you explained how awesome they are) is mentioning where they live.
Okay, here comes the hard part. This can go one of two ways… Either they’re excited and intrigued or they don’t like the idea.
There’s a bunch of different long distance relationships, maybe your partner lives an hour away, 20 hours away, or even more! Regardless of how big the distance is, ensure your parents that you’re making the right decision. At the end of the day, all your parents want is for you to be happy. If the topic of money comes up, it would be best to already have a plan. Explain how you’re going to afford the relationship comfortably as that’s usually one of parent’s biggest concerns when it comes to relationships. This is the step that you’re going to want to be most prepared for.
At the end of the day, regardless of what your friends or family think, this is your relationship – so, if it makes you happy and it benefits you, then GO FOR IT! Your happiness is just as important as theirs.
Hopefully everything will go smoothly during your talk…
Yes, it’ll probably be a little awkward, but it’s something that you have to be honest about with your family.
Tell us if you’ve already had this conversation, or if you’re getting ready to.
Wishing you the best of luck – You got this!
