Man Storms Out of First Time Meeting Girlfriend's Parents After Dad Belittles Him and Interrogates Him Like a Job Interview: 'You look like you don't do much manual labor'

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Dec 24, 2024 4:00 PM EST

Welcome, internet-surfin' sisters. The pressure to make a good first impression on your partner's parents can be incredibly overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. All around the world, there are different social norms and expectations that suitors are supposed to meet in order to be deemed a suitable partner by parental figures. Most parents, at the very least, expect the potential partner show up to a first-time meeting clean and to demonstrate basic manners and social intelligence. In some cultures, it is essential to bring a gift or to offer to pay for the meal if you go out to eat. In other cultures with strict social customs around honorifics, you may be expected to refer to your potential in-laws by specific titles until you grow closer. 

However, some parents can only be satisfied with their daughter's boyfriend if he plays into their unique, narcissistic rituals — which the protagonist of our story today did not do. After enduring hours of belittlement over his "unmanly" design job and being made to prove his proficiency with a tool box, he finally snapped and walked out. Get all the details of this crazy experience down below. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    Things got worse when he asked me to help him in the garage. I thought it was just a small thing, but then he handed me this ridiculously heavy toolbox and said, "Let's see if you can handle it."
    via cstar55
  • 02
    r/AITAH u/Few Individual_9683 • 14h AITAH for walking out when my girlfriend's dad tried to test me like some kind of job interview?
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 03
    So, I (30M) have been seeing Maya (27F) for a little over two years now. Things are good between us, but her dad... he's not exactly my biggest fan. He's one of those guys who thinks he needs to "test" me to see if I'm worthy of his daughter, and honestly, it's getting old.
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 04
    This weekend, Maya invited me to her parents' house for dinner. I didn't want to go at first, but Maya really wanted me there, so I agreed. It started off fine, but then, as usual, her dad started with the comments. I'm a graphic designer, and he's always saying things like, "Is that even a real job?" or "What do you do, just move things around on a computer all day?"
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 05
    I was trying to brush it off, but things got worse when he asked me to help him in the garage. I thought it was just some small thing, but then he handed me this ridiculously heavy toolbox and said, "Let's see if you can handle it." I told him I wasn't dressed for it, but he just smirked and said, "Figures. You don't look like you do much manual work."
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 06
    It was like he was waiting for me to do something wrong. When we went back inside, things didn't get any better. Her dad made this comment about how I probably don't even know how to fix a flat tire, and her mom joined in saying, "Bet you're the kind of guy who orders takeout every night, huh?" The whole table laughed, and Maya was just sitting there, kind of giggling along with them.
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 07
    At that point, I couldn't take it anymore. I snapped and told her dad, "I'm not here to prove anything to you. If I loved fixing cars, I'd be a mechanic, not a designer. I don't need a 'test' to show I'm good enough for your daughter."
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 08
    The room went de d silent. Her dad got all defensive, saying I was being too sensitive, and Maya got upset with me too. She said I should've just gone with the flow and not made a scene. I couldn't handle it anymore, so I just grabbed my things and left.
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 09
    Now Maya's barely talking to me, and I feel like maybe I went too far. But I just don't get why her dad can't respect me. AITAH? ها 14.4k 5,859 4 D
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 10
    WhosSaid What Now • 14h Are you really going to want to continue with this relationship?.. Reply 6.1k
    via u/WhosSaidNow
  • 11
    Square-Minimum-6042 12h That's a future with her awful family. 1.7k
    via u/Square-Minimum-6042
  • 12
    Lipglossandletdown • 8h And an awful gf/fiance/wife if she thinks what he dad does is funny and doesn't want to stand up for OP. ... ← 719
    via u/Lipglossandletdown
  • 13
    TheSixth Floor ⚫ 3h She was groomed into thinking the behavior of her narcissistic father is acceptable. She's probably stood up to him in the past and he retaliated in some neglectful way and she was traumatized into never going against him again. That being said things won't get better with her, and she will not set boundaries, until she realizes herself that her dad is constantly crossing the line. At this point though staying with her isn't going to help anyone. ← 141
    via u/TheSixthFloor
  • 14
    transguyatschool · 14h NTA, your girlfriend should have stood up for you Reply 11 16.4k
    via u/transguyatschool
  • 15
    angryusername • 8h . I'd be disgusted with my family if they treated my partner that way, they are TA, but so is she. ← 82
    via u/angryusername
  • 16
    Few_Individual_9683 OP 14h I don't understand her either, or I guess shes still in shocked of what happened ← 1.3k
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 17
    Leavelnteresting3290. 13h She was laughing with them, she's only shocked you finally stood up for self. If you stay in this relationship it's not going to get better 2.9k
    via u/Leavelnteresting3290
  • 18
    uSofineUblowMYbrains • 14h NTA. It's weird that dad's do this with their daughters boyfriends. Especially considering you're a grown adult with a career, and either way, he's being super disrespectful to you and his own daughter by acting this way. ... Reply 13k д
    via u/uSofineUblowMYbrains
  • 19
    Emergency-Twist7136 • 11h My dad would never have done anything like this. But then, he respects his daughters and is secure in his own masculinity. 258
    via u/Emergency-Twist7136
  • 20
    Astyryx • 10h But then, he respects his daughters and is secure in his own masculinity. This exactly. OP is in for a baaad time, since gf's dad is going to be using proxies to fight with his own lack of sense of self. Life's to short to be an NPC in someone else's psychodrama. ... 95
    via u/Astyryx
  • 21
    Few_Individual_9683 OP 14h • As a man, I want prove to my self that I'm worthy of her daughter, I don't want to impress her dad by saying like this like that, or doing what her father want I want to do it with my effort not only for words 673
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 22
    lonewolf369963 • 11h Let me tell you something, you don't need to prove anything to her father either by words or by actions, especially when he's looking for an AH son in law who's just a big POS as him. 3 251
    via u/lonewolf369963
  • 23
    childlessmilff · 14h NTA but your gf and her family is. I would've left too! ← Reply 472
    via u/childlessmilff
  • 24
    Few_Individual_9683 OP 14h • I don't want to make a scene that's why I left before things got worst ... 159
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 25
    Far-Albatross-2799 · 14h • You should have said "Why do I need to do manual labor if I can pay someone like you to do it?" Reply 4 1.4k
    via u/Far-Albatross-2799
  • 26
    Far-Albatross-2799.14h Or ask him if he even knows how to use a computer. 439
    via u/Few_Individual_9683
  • 27
    redditafterdark2 • 14h NTA she sat there while you got humiliated and then she was upset when you stood up for yourself. You tried to remain respectful and I think you did the right thing. Reply 1949
    via u/redditafterdark2
  • 28
    Few_Individual_9683 OP 14h • yes man, that's the best thing that I can do 353
    via u/Few_Individual_9683

Tags

boyfriend toxic fatherhood reddit story relationships parenting girlfriend couples dad love reddit thread red flag daughter Reddit interview dating Father
Scroll Down For The Next Article