How to Get Along with Your Family in Law
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You’ve had the wedding of your dreams and apart from amazing gifts you have also gotten a whole new family. You’ve known your own forever, but how do you get along with the new one?
1. Team up with your spouse
Yep, you actively have a person on the inside, who can help you manoeuvre through the vivid land of new people, who is now effectively your family. Furthermore you should never bring your spouse in a position where you are making them take sides between you and his/her family. Should conflicts arise, start by discussing it with your spouse and then together handle it with their family.
2. Set boundaries
Again we’re back at working together with your spouse. Grandparents has a strange knack for sneaking candy into their grandchildren. Which may not be wise either before mealtime or just before bedtime. Work together to make it clear that you should be asked before the candy start raining down.
3. Clear communication
Using a mediator or third party as a mean of communication can result in a message getting twisted or blurred, so if possible try to avoid this. Of course situations can arise where there’s no other possibility than to use a mediator. In that case choose someone who are as impartial as possible.
4. Don’t take offence easily
Probably nothing harsh was intended, but the tone in your new family is just different from the one you’re used to. If you feel like an offence was intended, don’t bring it up immediately, but wait til after the visit is over and confer with your spouse and get their take on it.
5. Don’t criticize
You should never criticize your partner’s family. Rather than make critical comments you should ask for an explanation, if there’s things you don’t at first understand. It will always be the best approach instead of speaking words that might be perceived as hurtful.
6. Be kind
We know it’s the most obvious thing, but sometimes you can get irritated, and it can be hard to grind your teeth and keep smiling. But it’s almost the most important thing. No matter what, never be unkind or speak without thinking it through first.