Page 46 of 500 First Editions (The Romantics #3)

BOND

It can be easy to fall into the routine of prioritizing your relationship. Honestly, you should. Your partner is now your priority.

Family can be a precarious element to add to the equation. Everyone’s relationships with their parents, siblings, and extended family can differ wildly.

Before we jump into this week’s topic, allow me to extend this caveat: if you or your partner are no-contact with your families, that is an individual decision that should be respected by everyone involved.

Entering into a new relationship—or hell, getting married—is not a reason to break no-contact.

Introducing your partner to your family in order to show them why you are the way that you are is not a reason to break no-contact.

Your partner wanting to meet your family “because they’re your family” is not a reason to break no-contact.

This is not an exhaustive list of reasons, but I think you get the general idea.

If you have a strained or severed relationship with your family, spend this week talking to your partner about it. Unpack it. Tell them what happened. Talk about what it felt like in the past, how you’re dealing with it currently, and how you think that may affect you both in the future.

Now, if those things do not apply to you, get ready for the great big family reunion.

Understanding your partner’s family is the tip of the iceberg into understanding your partner, and vice versa.

By this point, you may have already met your partner’s family and they have met yours. If not, there’s no time like the present.

Spend time as a couple with your families. Establish a rapport with them that will set you up for success in the future.

Personally, I don’t subscribe to the notion that you also marry the family of the person you wed, but—for better or worse—they will be around.

Put in the effort to be fully present and get to know them. Love the people that your person loves.