Convincing the Parents
By: Prahlad Sankrti
Dear Prahlad,
After weeks of planning to win over my crush, I finally found the nerve to ask them to the movies (with a group, obviously. I’m not that bold). The only remaining hurdle? I have to clear it with my parents. How do I bring this up to them?
Please help,
Romeo
Dear Romeo,
So, your parents have a strict no-relationships policy. Luckily, there are a few ways around this. Here are some tried-and-tested ways to persuade them to let you hang out with a (potential) significant other:
Dishonesty: They don’t need to know all the details. Simply exclude you-know-who when talking about who you’re going with, and fudge the answer to any related queries.
E.g. “But who’s that other one?” “Uh, not sure, I think Joe brought a friend.”
Bargaining: One of the oldest tactics in the book, where you’ll have to give something up or do something extra in order to gain permission.
E.g. “I’ll help you wash the dishes next week, I promise.”
Guilt-tripping: A slightly more sophisticated method, where you’ll have to be a little angsty to show them why their rules are just so oppressive.
E.g. “But you never let me go out or do anything I want! I’m like your slave in this house!”
And if all else fails, there’s always that wholesome appeal to reason and common sense, gently getting them to see your point of view.
Here’s to keeping Mom and Dad in the dark about your relationship-to-be, which will probably last for all of two weeks. And then, of course, the cycle begins anew.
Sincerely,
Prahlad.