The parents are always in the picture. My S.O.'s Mom and Dad know when I eat, sleep and shart. They know when I've been bad or good with more consistency than Ole St. Nick, himself. They are probably reading this article right now, although they're not supposed to know I'm even writing for this site. What do I do about it? Nothing, because I love their daughter.
 
And their daughter loves them. They do everything together. They give her as much as they can. Sometimes, they even tell her what to think. This can get a little annoying, especially when it comes to what to buy, where to eat and what to wear. I've even gotten in trouble because her parents (yes, both of them) criticized my attire. My girlfriend, who, before the conversation, enjoyed my wardrobe, now insists that I buy all new clothes in a style I not only dislike, but swore I'd never wear.
 
So, should I stay or should I go?
 
I'm staying, and here's why.
 
My girlfriend's parents mean a lot to her. They mean everything to her. She has spent the better part of her life with them and they know her better than anyone. If I truly love this woman, why would I want to take that away from her?
 
Of course, this doesn't answer the question of why I'm staying, which leads to my next point. As troublesome as her parents are, they MADE her. I'm not just talking about the biological act of reproduction; they nurtured her into the person I fell for. Everything about her that makes me smile, sigh, and shake my head in amazement that I even know this person was, quite significantly, sculpted by these two people. I owe them too much to walk away from this relationship because of them.
 
And that lead me to a final realization: maybe I should get to know them. Now I call them. Now I know everything about them. Now they are probably sick of me, but I don't care. All I know is that when you date a girl seriously enough, you also date her family; you gotta love â€~em or leave â€~em and THAT'S the bottom line.
 
All I know is that they better not pull My parents into the mix. That would be annoying!

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