When dating someone new, meeting their family is always scary and nerve-wracking for me. I overthink it and put way too much pressure on the situation. For some reason, I turn a holiday dinner into a job interview and suck all the fun out of it for myself. I want to leave a good impression and even on my best behavior, I know that’s barely possible.
So here we are, It’s Christmas dinner at my girlfriend’s moms house. Her entire family and extended family are there, everyone is excited to see each other and all is good.
Then it’s time for dinner. The small talk is over and now it’s time to break bread with these people and try my best to not make a fool out of myself. My goal was to just blend in.
Blending was going well until it was time for a prayer before we ate. In the middle of the prayer, when everyone is quiet, focused on praying, my girlfriend’s 4-year-old cousin stands on her chair and yells “WHAT’S HE DOING HERE?! I DON’T LIKE HIM! BAD BOYFRIEND!”
I was shook, I didn’t know what to do. Yes, we were in the middle of a prayer, but I felt the need to defend myself…My honor. So without thinking I looked that devil child in the soul and told her “I don’t like you either and I’m here because I’m forced to be”.
Needless to say, I could have handled that better. A few people giggled but I know they were just sympathy laughs. That little girl just slayed me in front of the entire family. The rest of the dinner I starred at my plate and drank heavily.
I spent days overthinking a family dinner with my girlfriend’s family. I went through every bad scenario in my head but I definitely wasn’t prepared for a 4-year-old little girl to throw me off my game.
Touché kid. You won that round but I’ll see you on Easter for round 2.
