Is it normal to feel really awkward around my boyfriend's family?

Some context before I begin, he was with his last girlfriend for about 5 years and I gathered from Facebook investigation (don't judge me) that his mother quite liked her, they went to the same church, the mom ran her youth group etc. We are also both 20 year old college students and still live with our parents.

He started pestering me to meet them after 6 months, telling me his mom was unsure about me after seeing large love bites I put on his neck. The first meeting wasn't too bad, just very tense. I went to his house for dinner and it started silent, then they started asking really painfully forced questions about my journey there, whether I had siblings etc with really long heavy pauses after every response I gave. There was only one comment on the biting though.

It got much worse after the second visit. It was my boyfriend's birthday and he invited me over to his house to have pizza with his family, or so I thought. I get there and realise his ex girlfriend's family are also there, and his mom is best friends with her mom. They were all talking endlessly amongst each other whilst I sat there, ignored for most of the night, feeling like the elephant in the room. So I started drinking wine to pass the time. Lots of wine. So much wine I woke up the next day in my boyfriend's bedroom with him asleep on the sofa downstairs. Apparently I fell asleep on him whilst "we" were all talking in the lounge.

Both these meetings happened in January and he's been pestering me to see them again but in all honesty I don't want to. I feel like I make faux passes every time I see them and I'm just flat out not wanted. I'm the socially awkward, bite-leaving, drunken, reminder that his relationship with Little Miss Perfect bit the dust.

So people of IIN, am I over-reacting? Did any of you have issues with your partner's family? Any (serious) comments and/or advice will be very much appreciated.

Voting Results
89% Normal
Based on 19 votes (17 yes)
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Comments ( 11 )
  • matthewkoehler

    This sounds like a movie you sure you didn't make this up.

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    • No, unfortunately it's real. It might seem a bit dramatic as I had to cut a lot of boring detail and get straight to the meat to stop it being too long.

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  • RoseIsabella

    Ugh, sounds like an utter nightmare!

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    • Tell me about it! Any advice on how I should handle it?

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  • Shackleford96

    Yeah, under those circumstance, it would be really awkward... The only way it would be worse is if his ex-girlfriend herself was there.

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    • I suppose, it sort of feels like her presence is there even though she's absent, like a haunting.

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  • mysistersshadow

    If he really wants to be with you he should be defending you to his family. If he won't then move on.

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    • Wow, fast response thanks. The issue is that they're not outwardly rude, they just harass him to invite me over and act awkward when I'm there.

      Do you think I should ask him what's going on with his ex's family and what his mum thinks about her? Or would that be weird?

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      • mysistersshadow

        I can't really say I don't know any of them. I would talk to your bf and let him know how uncomfortable the situation is for you. I'd be very concerned if he acts like he doesn't get it or know what your talking about. I think ultimately its about your relationship with him he shouldn't let them disrespect you. In a relationship if 1 person has a problem then they both do and if doesn't agree then you don't have much of a relationship.

        If you want this to be long term and they won't treat you with respect then either he needs to minimize or cut ties with them or you'll need to move on. You don't want the rest of your life with him to be like this.

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        • Ok, next time he brings up meeting them I'll have a serious talk with him about how uncomfortable they've made me feel, you make a good point that it's his problem too.

          Thank you for your advice.

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          • mysistersshadow

            np. I'm here to help.

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