What Not to Do when You Don't Approve of Your Child's Boyfriend or Girlfriend

Keep Your Opinion to Yourself

All parents dread the day when your son or daughter comes home with a new love interest. There will be many relationships that you know will not work out. And while you might be tempted to share your opinion with your child I would suggest you didn’t. One point I can’t stress enough is to never tell your child you disapprove of their boyfriend or girlfriend. This will only make them that much more attracted to them. If they ask your opinion you can say that the girl or boy isn’t the person you would have chosen for them but it’s their life and they have to figure that out for themselves. If you keep telling them how bad of a person their new fling is they could turn out to be your son or daughter -in-law. I know this from first hand experience, my mother hated my high school boyfriend, even forbid me from seeing him at times. All this did was make me want to see him even more. When my boyfriend and me would have disagreements I would not see that the relationship wasn’t working. I would only see that I had to make it work to keep my mom from knowing she was right about him all along.

I did not want to admit she was right when she said it would not work out, even when I had my doubts on my wedding day I still couldn’t let her win and be right. So three years later I found myself in the middle of a divorce. If I could of only swallowed my pride and admitted I was wrong things could have been a lot different. Boy teenagers can be so hardheaded and stubborn. This can also lead to trouble. Some girls might stay in a relationship that is abusive either mentally or physically just to avoid hearing I told you so from her parents. Arguing over boyfriends and girlfriends can cause a great strain on the relationship with your child and keep them from being open with you about other things.