The Role of Parents

When two people choose to make a major commitment to each other, their families are generally very involved. They will be sharing their lives with in-laws, and it can be a difficult adjustment for some of them. They might see the family of their future spouse as enemies, or they might find great comfort in being with them. The role of parents when it comes to getting married should be one of support, but they should also look for opportunities to help their children adjust to their new life.

The wedding day is a big one for many couples, and some of them put too much importance on it. They spend months planning how the day will go, but they put less thought into how they will live together after it has passed. The honeymoon should be their adjustment period, but some of them will find they need to begin the process much sooner than that. Learning to get along with in-laws is one of the first steps they will take.

When parents are opposed to a child’s choice, friction develops quickly. They might cause the pair undue anxiety, and it can mar the wedding. For those who are planning to live far from their parents, it might make little difference in the long run. Remaining in the area could cause the couple to begin arguing before their wedding day, and it might give one of them an excuse to call it off entirely. They could be making the biggest mistake of their life, and their family will eventually suffer the consequences of their unhappiness.

While parents are not always able to be supportive of the choices their children make, learning to gracefully accept them is a different matter. They should not cause them so much anxiety that they sever their relationship with their future spouse, and they should keep the lines of communication open between all parties for eventual happiness.