Sitting down at the dinner table with your parents and blurting out, “I want to get married young!” is one way to start a controversial conversation over dinner. Parents of young women are particularly skeptical of their daughters getting married young because studies show that the chances of the marriage lasting are slim.
Are you one of those girls that have told your parents “I want to get married young”? If so, there is a good chance that they weren’t quick to agree with your wishes. There are actually a few things you can do if you want to get it through your parent’s heads that you want to get married and it’s for all the right reasons.
3 Steps to Getting Your Parents to Accept You Want to Get Married at a Young Age
#1 Put Yourself in Their Shoes
One of the most important things you can do if you want to convince your parents that getting married at a young age is the best option for you is to put yourself in their shoes. Look at the situation from their perspective. They have this young daughter that they’ve spent the last two decades raising and now she wants to run off and get married to a guy that she hasn’t been dating for a long amount of time. You have to acknowledge that their hesitations and fears are legitimate.
After explaining to them that you understand why they feel the way they do, it’s time to explain all of the reasons that you believe getting married young is right for you.
#2 Prove Your Maturity
Obviously, if you’ve decided “I want to get married”, you probably are more mature than most people your age, or at least you should be. Do you consider your boyfriend to have a high level of maturity? If so, one of the best ways to convince your parents that you’re capable of getting married young is prove to them how mature you are. This is not something that can be done overnight, but rather something that takes time and effort.
Do things around the house to show that you’re a team player. Go out and get a job that shows you are capable of supporting yourself once you’re married. Tell your parents different ways that you’ve matured, as well as how mature your boyfriend is. Once your parents see that the two of you have transformed into mature adults at an early age, they’ll be closer to understanding why you want to get married young.
#3 Learn to Compromise
What did you parents respond with when you said, “I want to get married young”? Did they try and make a deal with you? Did they just give you a flat out “No!”? The best thing to do from here, especially if your chances of them letting you get married young looks slim, is to compromise. If they say “No”, come back with a deal. “Do you guys think you would be supportive of me getting married a year from now?” Talking with your parents and showing them that you’re mature enough to compromise might cause them to become a little more in favor of you getting married young!