Being a parent, you always want what’s best for your children. That includes wanting them to find happiness in their relationships. And when my oldest son found a smart, ambitious girlfriend who made him incredibly happy, I couldn’t have been more pleased.
But things took a turn when they got engaged. During a nice dinner, she pulled me aside with a serious demeanor. I instantly felt concerned, wondering if something was wrong. However, to my surprise, her tone quickly changed as she began making demanding requests for changes to the entire wedding plan.
Now, compromise is an important part of any relationship, but her demands went beyond that. She wanted everything from the venue to the guest list completely overhauled. And she didn’t ask politely; it felt more like she was giving orders.
I was taken aback by her audacity. I had been open-hearted, welcoming her into our family, and yet she was already trying to bulldoze her way through everything. I tried reasoning with her, explaining that we had already made arrangements and that it wouldn’t be fair to everyone else involved to change everything at the last minute.
But she wouldn’t listen. Instead, she persisted in pushing her demands, becoming increasingly aggressive. In that moment, I realized that this was not an isolated incident; it was a pattern with her. I couldn’t allow her to continue walking all over us.
So, I made a tough decision. With firmness and politeness, I told her that I couldn’t accommodate her demands. I made it clear that if she couldn’t respect our plans, she might not be the right fit for our family after all. She was shocked by my response, but I knew I had to stand my ground.
Of course, this decision caused some tension between my son and me. But at the end of the day, I have to prioritize what’s best for my family. If that means setting boundaries with my future daughter-in-law, then I firmly believe it’s the right thing to do.
