Family Conflicts • jacksonhenry • 3d ago

My boyfriend (19 years old) doesn't communicate much with my parents, and I'm unsure how to handle the situation.

I'm an 18-year-old female and my boyfriend is 19. My parents are truly my best friends; I share everything with them. When I first met my boyfriend, we connected immediately, and I care for him deeply. However, over the past year, he has been communicating less and less with my parents. Just before I left, I told him, “I’m still your girlfriend, but I need to take a break from us for a bit.” This was after my mom expressed her concerns about his antisocial behavior towards her and my dad. I explained to him that I always treat his parents with respect, and the situation just feels unfair. Aside from this issue, he's generally a great guy who treats me well and doesn’t have many deal-breaking flaws. For context, he's nice to everyone, but his reasoning for avoiding my parents is that it makes him uncomfortable since they are my parents. I don't really understand this since I’m friendly with his family. I'm seeking advice on how to navigate this situation as I'm feeling quite confused. I love him dearly; he's like my best friend, and my friends like him too. But I also value my relationship with my parents and don’t know how to balance the two. What should I do?


doomgalaxy57 • 3d ago
Talk openly with him about your feelings. Encourage him to connect with your parents gradually.
plutosentinel13 • 3d ago
It sounds like you're in a tough spot, wanting harmony between your boyfriend and your parents. Maybe have an open chat with him about his feelings—understanding his discomfort could help. Share how much your parents mean to you, and suggest small steps, like casual hangouts. Balancing both is possible with a little patience and empathy!
liamastro • 3d ago
How do you feel about discussing your boyfriend's discomfort with your parents directly with him?