A Respect Lost For Not Knowing The Difference Between Screwdrivers
“Growing up, I didn’t learn about fixing household things or using tools in general (thanks dad). One time my girlfriend’s father was working on fixing a washing machine. I offered to help him to ‘demonstrate my value’. He gave me the job of keeping track of screws and tools. After a few minutes, he asked me for Phillips screwdriver. I did not know what that meant and didn’t want to seem useless. So, I started looking at the labels of each screwdriver to hopefully find ‘Phillips’ label on one. Seeing that, he leaned forward and took it himself while giving me that look. I think the man lost respect for me ever since.”
The Moment The Unemployed Boyfriend Decided To Prove Himself
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“My wife died whilst giving birth to our daughter, so naturally my daughter and I are very close. From a young age she would spend her spare time volunteering to help children who were ill or dying, and as she is a musician, she would also teach the children at the hospital I work at how to play the piano and guitar. Along with her kindness, she is the most beautiful young woman I have ever laid my eyes on. She has the sweetest smile and her mother’s big blue eyes.
When she brought home this scruffy looking guy who hadn’t done well in school, who was unemployed and trying to make his band successful, I didn’t like him at all. I’m very sorry if I offend anybody but I just couldn’t understand the attraction she had to him and hoped it would fade into nothing. She could do better.
About a year into their relationship, my daughter discovered that she was pregnant. My heart sunk, not because I didn’t want a grandchild, but because I knew she hadn’t planned it and I knew she was too kind to ever consider an alternative to keeping it.
Her boyfriend approached me one evening shortly after the pregnancy was announced and asked if we could talk. I accepted the offer and we sat down. He confessed that he was scared to have a child but how he had already started saving money and how he’d started looking for a job. He explained how he knew that he wasn’t good enough for my daughter but that he loved her with all of his heart and wanted to support her in her choice — even if that meant throwing away his music dreams.
I will admit, we both got ended up getting along well. This boy I had first judged was actually a very nice, warm gentleman who simply wanted the best for my daughter and their future child. That was good enough for me, so I invited him to live with us and got him a job working at the same hospital I work for.
Today, I have two grandchildren and my daughter and future son-in-law are getting hitched next weekend.”
Bonded As Eagle Scouts
“My father-in-law was really touchy around me, and you could see he wasn’t really sure about the interloper in his daughter’s life.
I took him to a baseball game, and we got along alright, but he was still edgy. Afterwards, we were talking in his office when I noticed he had an Eagle Scout badge framed. I asked him what he did for his Eagle project. We started talking, and I mentioned I was also an Eagle Scout. You could see his whole idea of me change almost instantly. He put in his Christmas letter that he approved of me dating his daughter and we’re now married with two kids and a third on the way.”
Kid Is Just Looking For Some Money
“Asked my dad if he ever hated any of my ex’s and why. He told me one of my ex’s would always order the most expensive thing on the menu when we all went out to eat and my dad was paying. My dad and mom turned it into a betting game after a while of which of the two most expensive dishes will my ex order.”
The One That Got Away…From Dad
“I raised my sister as my daughter.
My little sister has dated some serious idiots in the past. She actually had to break up with one because he literally had no personality. None. That’s the only reason she broke up with him; after a few months she found it creepy that there was literally nothing special about who he was, and she always finds something.
So I really hated almost all of them.
Except Ricky.
Ricky was like a 1950’s greaser that just bopped into modern day. He even played Kenickie in Grease at their high school. He wasn’t just a handsome young man, he was beautiful inside and out, and he was sensitive. My sister had never been with a truly sweet kid before. He cared for her like no other human could. They were just instant. The first day they were together it was like they had always been.
Ricky isn’t going to live to an old age. He had lime disease or something for several months as a kid before his terrible dad finally took him to a doctor. He’s okay now, but neurological problems are going to happen when he gets to about 50, so he doesn’t feel like he has time to waste on trivial relationships. He was honest with me about it, because he was thinking about a whole life with my sister so he wanted me to know what that meant.
He built his own car from just a VW bug shell and chassis, and when he finished he built one for my sister. It was a 1969 white convertible bug. So beautiful.
I already liked the kid as a person, I mean, I invited him over to my house as much as my sister did. I considered this young kid to be my friend. I was sure that even though they were just finishing high school, they were going to be husband and wife within the next few years and I was thrilled.
Then my little sister was assaulted.
It was at a party he couldn’t go to that night because he had schoolwork.
It was so hard. He blamed himself. They never recovered from it. He stayed by her until the very end, but she went into some heavy depression. She started getting into the party life and she cheated on him. A lot. My little sister wasn’t the same.
He forgave her for everything. Every time. He knew it was her dealing with the trauma (which is true), but she couldn’t forgive herself for what she was doing to him and ended it.
He was heartbroken, and I had to talk him out of ending his life. My sister was his world.
I still have Ricky’s number. I gave him a car recently that I knew he could fix and sell. My dog cried when she saw him and wouldn’t leave his lap while squealing with happiness (she’s a German shepherd, so she isn’t little) after about six years of his absence. I think she liked him more than even me.
I don’t expect that they’ll ever get back together (too much pain that wasn’t either one’s fault), but I’ve contacted him about cars a few times. I’m actually going to be seeing him soon since I missed his 21st by a few years. His liveable life is halfway over, and last I saw him I noticed a tremble in his hands.
He’s still Ricky. He’s still amazing. He still loves my sister.
I still miss him. All the time.”
A Part of the Family After Bonding With Son
“My youngest son has a type of congenital myopathy that makes him very weak. While he can walk, he can’t run or jump and falls down a lot. Needless to say he finds this very humiliating (he is 16).
We were at a restaurant and my son was standing next to me with untied shoelaces. Unfortunately, he tripped and, due to his weakness, could not catch himself, crashing heavily to the ground in the middle of a crowded restaurant. My daughter’s boyfriend, without missing a beat, immediately lay down next to him on the floor and asked him ‘how is it going down here’ and otherwise made some small talk to ease some of my son’s embarrassment.
He has always treated my son like his little brother but that selfless act was unforgettable.
Needless to say I have loved him like a son ever since.”
Uncomfortable Conversation Leads To Bonding
“After only dating a couple months, my girlfriend and her parents went on a group vacation with my family due to a couple dropping out last minute. After only a few interactions, I find myself eating oysters with her father on a beach in the Dominican. He comes right out with, ‘I hope these oysters aren’t putting too much lead in your pencil since you’re sharing a room with my daughter.’ I’m obviously flustered and at a lack of words. He follows that up with, ‘Don’t worry, I know she is a sexually active woman. She gets her looks from her mother and her sex drive from me.’ That is followed up with a 30 minute conversation of his many ‘conquests.’ I think he likes me?”
Helping Her OId Man With Car Repairs Is Always A Winning Idea
“I’d say my GF father likes me, the first time I met him I was driving over to pick up my GF to go to the movies. I roll into the driveway and the garage door was open and inside was a ’69 Mustang, parts strewn everywhere and a oil covered, greasy, and thoroughly upset off man underneath said car.
He was trying to get something unbolted but was struggling to hold the part and operate the ratchet at the same time. I made note of said struggle and jumped underneath to help him. I figured I would give him a hand, then get up and meet my girlfriend and head out. But, we ended up getting along pretty well and I had lost track of time and before I knew it 2 hours had past. During this time, my girlfriend came out to find me working with her dad underneath this car and she just let it be and brought us some sandwiches and sweet tea. She was more than happy to skip the movie date because she saw I was enjoying myself and her dad was enjoying the help. Im gonna marry this girl and hopefully one day that car will become ours!”
Good Words To Dad Mean Good Feeling For Boyfriend
“Not a father, but my dad absolutely adores my boyfriend. Purely because whenever my boyfriend and I have a fight or he makes me mad, I never bad-mouth him to my dad. Therefore, he has never done wrong in my dad’s eyes.
Also, he calls me out on my sass, which my dad enjoys greatly.”
How To Win Over The Redneck Dad
“Not the father, but I think this story will fit in here. 7 years ago I dated a girl who brought me home early in the relationship. This was in Georgia, and her entire family was stereotypical redneck. Camper and Harley I’m the driveway, rebel flag on the pole in the front yard, gun case in the living room, etc. When we get there, I find out he’s prepared something special for my arrival: an unexpected visit from his even more redneck brother. The two of them spent the entire evening tag teaming me with jokes and insults, just to see what reaction I would have. I decided the most appropriate response was to throw it right back at him, and we spent about 5 hours insulting each other. Before leaving, he said something I don’t think I will ever forget: ‘I like you boy, tell you what, I’m gunna do you a favor. You see that gun cabinet over there?’ I nod. ‘Why don’t you go pick yourself out one of them. Any one you want.’ Not sure what to expect, I get up and walk towards the cabinet. About half-way to it, he follows up with ‘cuz that’s the one I’m gunna shoot you with when you mess this up.’ We left shortly after, but I already had a plan to win him over.
About 3 weeks later, we go to his house again for his birthday. I made sure to hide my gift until he had opened all the others, and then handed him a bright pink, sparkly bag. He opened it, and pulled out an air soft pistol from Walmart and a jar of plastic pellets, and a note that said ‘I choose this one.’ His face lit up like a kid on Christmas, as he spent the rest of the day shooting his teenage nephew who lived with him.
Flash forward 6 months, his daughter and I had split up, but he still called me up regularly to come over, and even invited me to do odd jobs with him like laying hardwood, paying me for hanging out and learn a skilled trade. I guess I won him over.
I have since moved out of state, married a beautiful woman, and had an amazing daughter of my own. And thanks to my ex’s dad, I have the perfect dad-test.”
Caring For The Sick Is As Honorable As It Gets
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“Just the daughter though. My dad recently died of cancer but he loved my boyfriend… in his final year. I think it’s worth mentioning because of the two years prior to that when my dad saw boyfriends (specifically this one) as only an obstacle to his daughter’s eventual White House run… or Best selling novels.. (dad had high hopes for me).
My boyfriend:
Came over to hang out with him every day after work to give me, stuck at work until 5, peace of mind.
Surprised me by shaving dad’s head after I’d been commenting that the chemo was making his hair do crazy things.
Helped me get dad down the excruciating stairs and to appointments daily.
Helped me weigh the decision of hospice or keeping him at home with me alone when it was getting to be too much. Supported my decision to keep him at home even though he felt hospice would be better for me.
Was the first one there to help me when my dad could no longer control his body and would have accidents. Helped me with that without even blinking.
Kept track of how much I was sleeping and came over insisting I go nap regularly.
Called me any time he was with my dad and he was having a more lucid moment and I couldn’t be there.
Assured my dad constantly that I didn’t need anyone ‘to take care of me’ after he was gone, but that he would watch after me for him forever.
Recorded himself asking my dad for permission to marry me and insists I only get to listen to it on the day of our wedding.
Held my hand during the funeral, helped me learn how to live a normal life again.
My dad was so worried about leaving such a young daughter behind, but he told me he felt a little better about it knowing I’d have a guy like that to watch out for me in my darkest times. And it doesn’t get much darker than losing your best friend to cancer.”
Her Boyfriend Has A Dynamic, And Helps Her Depression
“My daughter has depression. She’s always been the black sheep of the family; the one daughter closer to me than their mom. She’d rather lay around and listen to Metal than go out with her sisters, and would rather go on a hike than shopping. Still, sometimes she does and wants things that I just don’t get. I think a lot of the quirks come from the depression and that’s just hard to deal with sometimes. And it means she has needs and it takes a special kind of person to deal with that correctly. She’s my little girl, and I want only the best for her.
So then here comes this scruffy-faced, long-haired kid. When you talk to him you feel like you’re talking to Plato in the flesh, but his school performance is less than stellar. He has a terrible work ethic, as far as I can tell. He was smart, but I just felt like he was destined to have no real-world success whatsoever. But I paid attention because my daughter’s not stupid, and I figured that there must be some reason she chose this guy.
Soon it became very apparent why. He gets her; it seems supernatural sometimes. She can be having a very bad day with the depression, but not long after she’s with him she’s laughing. And it’s obvious he loves her just from the way he talks to her and looks at her — not in a lustful way, but in a caring way. I asked ‘Why him?’ and she explained to me that for some reason, around him she feels calm and happy. She said that even when they first met, she could talk to him for hours and hours without getting tired at all, like she did with most people after a few minutes. They have this ‘dynamic’ about them as well. She’s practical and straightforward, with her feet on the ground. He’s thoughtful and abstract, head in the sky. Together, they seem to keep each other in line. In fact, the whole way they operated reminded me of an old married couple.
And there’s something just so darn likable about the guy. You get a sense of honesty, integrity and a healthy dose of idealism when you talk to him. He talks about how he wants to make the world a better place, and just by the way he says it you almost believe that he really could. So maybe against my better judgement, he got my seal of approval. My daughter wouldn’t be happy with a someone practical, really. She needs someone like that, he makes her happy, and I think that’s best for her.”
A Father Conflicted
“He’s 26 and my daughter is 18. I don’t like that. But he fashioned me a wooden desk and painted my office. That, I like.”
“Hard to hate a boy who does the chores.”
“The boy did chores without being asked. Hard to hate a boy who does the chores.”
Father Respects Boyfriend’s Treatment Of Daughter After Her Trauma From Assault
“Boyfriend here, but my ex’s dad told me why he liked me.
Well about 4 months before we started dating, my ex was gang assaulted at her school. Since she was a minor at the time her name was kept secret, but my mother knew the mother of one of the guys involved and my mom found out the girl’s name. Turns out it was a childhood friend of mine. That hurt, but no where near as bad as what she went through.
4 months later a friend of mine posted a pic on Facebook and in the picture was that girl. I ended up getting her added on Facebook. We got to talking and I admitted that when we were children she was my first crush. We laughed and she said she used to like me to. Well after a few weeks of talking we realized we were both still attracted to each other and ended up dating.
So here’s the thing, I didn’t tell her I knew right away. We took things very slow. I let her lead, she wanted to cuddle she initiated. I let her see that she was safe with me, after about a month she told me about what happened. She said she felt guilty not telling me since I treated her so well and I didn’t push her for anything, she was worried she’d hurt my feelings by not being open emotionally or physically.
I just told her that I knew the whole time and that I didn’t care that she had trouble opening up emotionally or that she couldn’t handle sexuality. I knew that going at things wouldn’t be normal, or easy. I know it was a risk not telling her since that could be seen as lying and I know that could have hurt her more. At the time, I was 16 and dumb, though.
As we kept dating I continued to let her lead things physically and her family accepted me pretty well. Turns out her dad had figured out I knew but didn’t know how to approach me and her mom was glad she had a male outside her family and her pastor that she could open up to.
Her dad pulled me aside after a meeting we had with the pastor (they are Christian; I’m agnostic but I went to the same church as a kid) and told me that he appreciated me helping her, being gentle with her, being a safe place, but also not treating her like she’s a broken doll that needs to be protected from the world since tiptoed around her. He said that they thought they were going to lose her after what happened, because she didn’t talk outside of church and all she did was sit at home on the computer, until we started talking. He said that he hoped one day, hopefully not anytime soon, he could call me son.”
Turning It Around
“Well…I’m actually the boyfriend that the dad didn’t like.
When I first my met my girlfriend’s dad, he had a long weekend. We didn’t want to disturb him, so we went and watched movies in her room. Me, knowing dad worries, left the door completely open. We watched movies until maybe 10:30, at which time her dad called her into the living room.
It was apparently time for me to leave, and she said he put it somewhat sternly. I put on my shoes, headed out, but he was already off to bed.
The next weekend, they were having a water carnival in their town (a yearly event), and I show up. I saw him again and said I was sorry. I lost track of time, I wasn’t planning on staying so late and it wasn’t my intention to disrespect him. I asked if here was anything I could do to make it up to him.
The look on his face changed, he smiled a bit, and said ‘you can help me make the burgers for all these folks.’ And we did.”
Step-Dad Throws Step-Daughter Under The Bus…And It’s Worth It
“My ex-girlfriend’s Step-Dad is probably one of the best people I know. He welcomed me into their family when I was struggling with finances and working two jobs.
They were upper middle class with a bit of disposable income and they fed me pretty often so I always wanted to help where I could. Chores, moving, watching the house, Errands… it’s a family of four very emotional females and him. Gotta be stressful.
He was a networking engineer and knew my love for computers. Also a huge nerd like myself. Weird movies, video games, a whole lot of things his four female housemates didn’t share a passion for. He’d invite me to his work to talk and even tried to get me hired with him. Ultimately, he is the reason I went back to school.
The relationship didn’t work out. One night he picked me up to talk. He convinced me not to go back to her and dropped a lot of information on me about who she really was. At this point she had already cheated on me but for him to open my eyes about his stepdaughter so that I could move on in my life and find someone better was amazing.
We still meet. She has no idea but we play destiny and halo when we can online. I move into my own place in a week and I honestly am wrestling with the idea of inviting him over for a break from that hellhole to watch Volcano High.
The biggest thing that told me he cared about me was this: ‘You care about her. We see it every day and she couldn’t care less. Nothing will be enough for her and I don’t want that torture for you. You deserve to be happy and appreciated. I’ve been trying to tell you for a while she isn’t going to work with you.'”
Young Man Connected With A Reformed Father, Even When His Daughters Could Not
“Not a father, but I apparently won my father-in-law over by listening to him.
His family is all girls (3 daughters + wife) and apparently he was a verbally abusive alcoholic when he was younger (since reformed, doesn’t even drink during special occasions), so they all basically treat him like he doesn’t exist because they resent him so much.
Anyways, during one of our first meetings he mentioned that he really liked Age of Empires II. So, for Christmas that year I gifted him (through GOG.com) a copy of Empire Earth. He teared up when he realized that I’d remembered what his favorite PC game was.”
Bonding Over Hiking Mount Doom, Literally
“Girlfriend in question here: the two of them climbed Mount Doom together.
As an only child, my parents have always been cool with me bringing friends on holiday with me. We were going to New Zealand for a week when I was 19, so my SO came with us, even though it wasn’t long after we started dating.
My dad is the really athletic type. My mother and I really aren’t, so normally on family holidays dad would be off mountain climbing and bike riding and stuff like that on his own. He always encouraged me to go with him, but it wasn’t really my thing.
But my SO is really athletic – so on this occasion, they went climbing up one of the local mountains, which some of the Mount Doom scenes were filmed on. They got on really well together and my dad really liked having the company of someone who enjoyed it as much as he did.”
Boyfriend Knows Just The Right Gift
“He bought me the perfect gift for my birthday after dating her for only a couple of months.
Now I’ll explain why that’s good. It showed that he had already realized family is important to my daughter, that birthdays are important in our family, and that a gift was something that would be appreciated. That suggested he cared about what she cared about. They’re married now and I’m happy about that.
He gave my wife something similarly nice the next month for her birthday.”
Relationship Hopper Settles Down, And Dad Is Happy About That
“My dad gets along great with my boyfriend even though I had this relationship hopping issue before we met. He and my step-mum placed bets on how long this relationship would last. I think Dad had his at about six months. Nearly six years later we’re still together. My boyfriend got me to mature a lot, he makes me laugh, and he can hold a conversation with my Dad about just about anything technical. Plus I have a five-year-old half brother and my boyfriend is amazing at looking after him. There’s never been a question of my Dad not liking him.
Of the twelve boyfriends I’ve had in my life, he’s only liked two. My first serious boyfriend and my current one. All the rest in between he thought were scumbags.”
Landscaping And Games Bring Them Together
“My Dad would always tell me ‘You should really try to meet new people at school. You never know if you might find someone better suited for you.’ Then one day my boyfriend approached him about working with my Dad landscaping for a summer. My boyfriend proved himself to be the strongest worker and now my Dad calls him his right hand man. Also, my boyfriend bought my Dad Fallout 3. Now they’re inseparable, and my boyfriend and I have been together for 5 years.”