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Happily ever after

“I believe that Hussein will be the best companion in my future path, and my
family’s opinion in my future partner is quite essential,” Nouran, a college student,
says. While Nouran is confused about the best way to introduce Hussein to her family,
Hussein is concerned about the first meeting between him and his future parents-in-
law. He says: “I need to form a positive first impression of me during the first meeting.”
Have you ever faced this situation? This is the case of many youth who value the

Egyptian social norms that encourage the official form of relationships.
In the Egyptian society, relationships are not a bond between two partners, but they are
social bonds between two families. Therefore, the family interference in the relationship
of the couples is perceived as an important step to abide by the norms of the Egyptian
culture, and acknowledge the prestige given to the couples’ families. Family
interference leads to many different effects, and in order to maintain a positive finger
print for the families in the couples’ relationships, both partners must learn how to
smartly introduce each other to their families, and consequently strengthen the bond
that connects both families from the first meeting. This article will provide you with
some tips that will clear you confusion, and facilitate your task in introducing your future
life companion to your family.

1- Choose the most appropriate relationship The intervention of the family has many
phase for the introduction positive and negative effects on both partners
throughout their whole life together. Therefore,
the couples need to set together the limits of
In relationship coaching, there is nothing this intervention to avoid future problems.
called right or wrong because alternatives vary
as situations change. Therefore, the most ap- “The advantages of the family intervention
propriate timing to introduce your new partner in the couple’s relationship include financial ad-
depends on your analysis for the situation and vantage through helping them in the expenses
the expected feedback from your family. of their marriage,” Coach Hazem says. Also, he
says that the experience of the parents is quite
Relationship Coach Hazem Salah says: beneficial through giving some advices about
“Engage your family as early as possible to life, relationships, and career.
benefit from their experience, and easily Nagwa, Nouran’s mother, says that one
withdraw from the relationship with the least of the most memorable moments is when the
emotional damage possible if they are parents experience a mixed feeling between
dissatisfied with the relationship for rational happiness and sorrow knowing that their son/
reasons.” daughter will leave them, and start a new life.
According to coach Hazem and coach Hadil,
However, Relationship Coach Hadil Adam the feelings that the parents experience when
says that the best phase to introduce your they get introduced to the new partner trigger
future partner to your family is when you and one of the most disadvantages of the family
your partner have made your decision to get intervention which is jealousy.
married. She adds that the family role starts “Jealousy is derived from the parents’ feel-
when the relationship starts taking formal steps. ing of insecurity and fear from losing their son’s/
Hussein says that he has informed his fami- daughter’s love after getting married,” Coach
ly with his relationship with Nouran when he has Hadil says.
decided to propose to her. However, Nouran Concerning the most appropriate extent
says: “I informed my mother about my relation- of family intervention, Coach Hazem says that
ship from day one, and she introduced the idea sometimes the couples must engage their par-
to my father when Hussein wanted to propose.” ents in their problems because they have an ex-
2- Agree with your new partner on the perience and well-structured reference to solve
degree of both families’ involvement in your these problems. However, Coach Hazem warns
from involving the parents in all the problems
relationship because parents never forget a problem that
made their son/daughter feel pained.

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