MEETING A MAN'S ENTIRE FAMILY AND FRIEND CIRCLE....

[LivingDoll]

Big deal or not?

I've read different opinions regarding this lately.

I mean, a long time ago, it was a given that going to meet someone's family and friends was a big deal. Apparently, these days it's not as much of a big deal as lots of people take those they randomly date around their friends and families...

I was recently invited to a family reunion by my very close male friend (we aren't in a serious relationship but have acknowledged that we are working towards it ). His closest friends were there as well. All of his friends are married/coupled. I was his only female friend who was unmarried/unaccompanied.

My friends and sister believed that this was a big step, whereas, I thought he was just being nice and invited me because he considers me a good friend. I didn't want to make it something that it wasn't, you know? Anyway, afterward, he told me that I got "good reviews" LOL...and he did admit that it was a big deal to him. I was a little surprised.

What do you all think? Is it still a big deal for the most part?

 

[kismettt]

i think it depends. i'm less likely to introduce a man to my family/friends now unless i know he's going to be around for a while (or even mention him to family). when i was in college, i was more likely to.

my ex integrated me into his friends group immediately, which i though was interesting. i didn't meet his family until after we were no longer seeing each other (but there were a few reasons for that).

i think you'll be able to tell if it is a big deal or not (and he or his family/friends will probably tell you).

 

[LivingDoll]

i think it depends. i'm less likely to introduce a man to my family/friends now unless i know he's going to be around for a while (or even mention him to family). when i was in college, i was more likely to.

my ex integrated me into his friends group immediately, which i though was interesting. i didn't meet his family until after we were no longer seeing each other (but there were a few reasons for that).

i think you'll be able to tell if it is a big deal or not (and he or his family/friends will probably tell you).

That's exactly what my sister said..."at the very least, it means he probably plans to have you around for a while".

 

[kismettt]

That's exactly what my sister said..."at the very least, it means he probably plans to have you around for a while".

i'm not trying to hear, "what ever happened to XYZ?"

 

[LivingDoll]

i'm not trying to hear, "what ever happened to XYZ?"

EXACTLY.

 

[meesch]

its a medium deal to me but not necessarily a big deal.

like, i dont think bf would have introduced me to his family or regularly invited me to family outings if he didnt consider the relationship "serious." but i dont think its as big a deal where meeting the family means we're getting married.

 

[LivingDoll]

its a medium deal to me but not necessarily a big deal.

like, i dont think bf would have introduced me to his family or regularly invited me to family outings if he didnt consider the relationship "serious." but i dont think its as big a deal where meeting the family means we're getting married.

Great assessment. In my situation, I guess everyone but me saw it as a big step because it meant that we're getting closer to a more serious relationship...I'm of the school of thinking that you have to verbalize what you're doing and he's a nonverbal, action oriented type of person.

 

[Fine 4s]

I depends on who it is and how they view these meetings- For example, I dated a man whose close friends I met AND his family. THAT relationship never went anywhere and according to some threads here, one would say he was never into me lol

With my current SO, I already knew his brother and mother from work so that wasn't a big deal, nor was meeting his sister. However, meeting his FATHER was a big deal to HIM.

So to be safe, I wouldn't invest any emotions in meeting either the friends or a the family members. If anything it's simply part of collecting information and feel no one way about it.

 

[Keshieshimmer]

I would say it depends like most have said. I met this dudes inner circle immediately. I was all excited thinking he saw a future with me, but that did not go anywhere.

 

[nlamr2013]

Yeah it definitely depends on the man. Some men don't care who you meet. Some don't want you meeting their cat. :lol)

 

[LivingDoll]

Yeah it definitely depends on the man. Some men don't care who you meet. Some don't want you meeting their cat. :lol)

so true.

 

[Glamorous_chic]

i agree it depends on the guy. 1 guy to this day dont know if we were dating or just friends. he invited me over for thanksgiving, and i was surprised to find out it was at his parents house with his entire family and it was a formal dinner at that. that caught me off guard b/c i thought we were friends and hanging out. that relationship did not go anywhere either. while other men, you practically have to be engaged to meet anyone in their family.

 

[CarefreeinChicago]

Nothing is a big deal to me except legal paperwork. Meet every friend went on vacations with parents, dinner with parents every other week. Went looking at houses, you name it we did it, in the end it meant nothing. People say a lot of stuff only look at actions.

 

[RegaLady]

Yeah it depends. I know men who let women meet family members and had not intentions on marrying them, and then I have a male family member who got married to a woman who never really met his inner circle.

 

[LivingDoll]

Nothing is a big deal to me except legal paperwork. Meet every friend went on vacations with parents, dinner with parents every other week. Went looking at houses, you name it we did it, in the end it meant nothing. People say a lot of stuff only look at actions.

I hear that!!!