Premarital Counseling with Chana Pfeifer, LCSW in Long Island, NY – Relationships with the Family & In-Laws
Your relationship with your partner’s parents and family may be one of the most significant relationships in your married life.
It is important at the outset of your marriage, and in the first years of your marriage to understand these relationships and what blessings and also difficulties may be ahead for you and your spouse.
Below are a few important relationship aspects to think about before getting married:
1. List a few character traits / attributes about your partner’s parents that you really like. Why do you like these attributes?
2. What kind of involvement do you expect and / or want from your in-laws? Do you like over-involvement (closeness) more than under-involvement (distance) as a general rule (or visa versa)?
3. How do you feel about your spouse’s relationship with his / her parents?
4. What kind of relationship do you think you have with your in-laws? What kind of relationship do you want?
5. Do you look at your in-laws as mostly a help or a hindrance in your upcoming or current marriage?
6. Do your partner’s parents generally respect your boundaries?
These are just a few things to think about before getting married. In premarital counseling, you and your future spouse will go through everything you feel is important so you both feel secure knowing that you are marring the right person.