Urban Thought Collective

I’m real picky when it comes to introducing the women I date to my parents, especially my mother. Not because I’m ashamed of the women I’ve dated, I just feel Moms only needs to meet the ones with serious wifey potential. It really makes no sense to introduce every chick that I go out with to the family. Everybody has to stay in her own lane.

Plus, my mom is horrible with names and I would hate for feelings to get hurt when she calls you Shanica when your name is Blythe. ‘Cause I’m not correcting her more than once. I’ll never forget the time that one of my female friends came to pick me up to go get some ice cream and after being introduced to her my mother says, “Oh, so you’re Tasha, the persistent one that calls every night!” If you could have seen the look on the poor girl’s face. I felt bad for her. She can’t say I didn’t warn her though. My mom has no filter; whatever comes to her mind…comes out. Because of that, my mother has only met three women that I’ve dated: my ex-wife, the crazy ex-girlfriend, and recently, The Cookie Lady.

One of the tenants of the 90-Day Rule is that to get a better perspective of who you are dating you should meet their friends to see how they interact. It doesn’t say anything about going Ben Stiller and letting them meet the parents. Who else (other than little kids) is a better judge of character? I promise you that mom told me about every single shady friend that I had long before they showed their true colors. I wish I had listened when she pulled me to the side and told me that my ex-girlfriend was “in the right church but at the wrong pew.”

Maybe I should value her opinion more than I do, but something in me won’t let her have such a powerful voice on who I date. I think it has something to do with all those nights I spent laying in bed listening to her and my father go at it like Ike and Tina. Not really trusting her relationship resume. However, it is still important that she likes my significant other.

As I was writing this, I tried to remember the number of women I’ve dated that introduced ME to Mommy and Daddy. The answer is ONE! Wow…that really blew my mind. Maybe I’m putting way too much emphasis on this or I’ve been playing the chump for women who really did not care about me.

Okay, I need a minute to regroup.

I guess women do not consider introducing their mates to the parents until wedding plans are being made…

So dear readers…

At what point do you introduce your mate to your parents? Should your mate take that as a sign that the relationship has reached a major milestone? How important is it to you that your parents like who you are dating?

Let’s discuss…

Vincent Slaughter is writer from Atlanta who describes himself as grown-ass man. loving son. faithful mate. flawed. occasionally funny. southern gentleman. humble, yet cocky. gemini. sometimes selfish. forgiving, but not forgetful. thankful. optimistic. thinker. doer. believer. reader. writer. a work in progress. learner. Above all, human. His thoughts on love and relationships also featured on www.skoolboisplayground.blogspot.com.