When you first start dating someone, it's all about your connection, your chemistry, and your bond. As time goes by and things start to get serious, the scope begins to widen and you start forming relationships with their friends and loved ones. When things really start to get serious, and you start to think your partner might be ~the one~, then bonding with their family becomes increasingly important. Because these people may be your family too, and before you know it, you'll be thinking of ways to bond with your partner’s dad if they're an important part of your partner's life. The prospect of developing that relationship can be a little daunting — especially if you don't click with him automatically — but that doesn't mean you can't help the process along.
This is especially important if your partner is really family oriented and close to their parents. Besides, wouldn’t life be just that much easier if you had a happy and friendly relationship with both of your potential in-laws? To help with that goal, I reached out to Caleb Backe, a Health and Wellness Expert for Maple Holistics, for his advice on how to get closer to pops. Here is what he said will help you form that bond.
One of the best ways to start getting closer to your partner’s father is to be more present in family traditions, like joining them for the family dinner. “A necessary right of passage for any partner is that of eating dinner with the family of their significant other,” Backe tells Elite Daily. “In a home environment and with a home-cooked meal, you and your partner's father will have the opportunity to meet and chat in a controlled and quiet environment when comfort and familiarity can be established.”
Want to bond with your potential future father-in-law? Backe says to make yourself useful. “Moving furniture, mowing the lawn, fixing the car — everyone needs help around the house from time to time,” says Backe. So, the next time your notice your partner’s father needs some help with a chore or task, Backe says offer him a helping hand. “You and your partner’s father can bond while you're working together, and he'll certainly appreciate the gesture!”
If you want to bond with someone, whether it’s your partner’s family or not, a small, thoughtful gesture can go a long way toward bridging the gap. Backe says to, when appropriate, consider giving your partner’s father a small gift. “Everyone appreciates gifts, and even more so when some thought goes into them," Backe explains, adding, “Get to know your partner's father, learn about what they do and don't like, and settle on a great gift for his birthday or a holiday.” This works, he says, because “not only will a thoughtful and personal gift prove that you're trying to build a relationship and that you care, but that you've been paying attention to your partner's father and that you are genuinely thoughtful.”
Opening the door to a bond with your partner’s family isn't so intimidating after all, is it? Backe does have one last bit of advice: “If it's important to your partner that you be close to their family, then it will be important within the dynamic of your relationship. [However,] if your partner doesn't have a good relationship with his or her family, you should follow their lead accordingly and not push to become close with your partner's father.” Backe is right — family can be tricky, so be sure to follow your partner’s lead and respect their wishes when it comes to developing relationships with their loved ones. Who knows? Before you know it, you might be them "Dad" too.
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