Have you ever caught yourself saying, “Age is just a number”? Well, honey, it’s true. Your attraction towards someone older is natural. It is all about preference and chemistry. However, it is understandable if you worry about telling your family that the man you’ve been seeing is more than 5 years older than you – or even more than 10 years older.
As someone who has dated older men myself, I know there is a deep worry when it comes to letting your family know about it. If they have never seen you with an older man, how will you tell them that you are now dating someone older? Here are some ways to ease them into it.
Mention his good qualities.
When you begin talking about this man with your family, start by mentioning his good qualities. You aren’t dating someone from another planet, so treat this conversation as you normally would if you were dating someone your age. Family dinners at home are usually a good place to start as you have your parents and siblings there (if you want to get it all over and done with as quickly as possible). Give them a little bit of a background on him—mention where he is from, what type of guy he is, and what kind of work he does. Throw in the brownie points for him even before you introduce him.
Let them know he makes you happy.
If you have been dating him for a while now and feel like introducing him to your family has to be part of the plan, then it’s time to build on his image even more in your family’s eyes. Make sure they see and know that he makes you happy. Tell them anecdotes about how he always makes sure you get home safe, how he always takes time out of his busy schedule just to see you, how he always brings you your favorite comfort food when you’re down, or how he lets you choose the movie that you’re going to watch next (and willingly watches chick flicks if needed).
Casually reveal his age.
If the age difference between you and the person you’re dating never bothered you, then you should never make him or anyone else feel like it is a big deal, either. Age is something we cannot control. However, it may still shock other people, so don’t be surprised if you get mixed reactions. The best way to approach this is to just casually reveal his age. Since you have already built him up with your family, let them know that the only reason you are mentioning his age is because you want them to be comfortable with it, as well.
As Filipinas, we all know how much we value family and how important it is to us that our family likes whom we’re dating. If he’s a real catch and you think he will get along with your family well, then age really shouldn’t matter.
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