Ugh….the in-laws.  Just the thought of in-laws makes every guy start to quiver in his boots.  Whether you are getting married to the girl of your dreams or simply dating someone special, you will inevitably come to the point where you need to meet her family.  Most guys dread this moment as much as they dread getting their teeth pulled with rusty pliers, but there are a few things you can do to help make this experience a little less miserable.  Or, at the very least, you might have a fighting chance of leaving a decent impression on the in-laws and preventing years of further torment from a mother-in-law that thinks you aren’t good enough for her little girl and a father-in-law who wants to kick your ass because he knows “what you really want.”

Follow these ten tips and you just might be able to have a civil relationship with your girl’s family.

Tip #1:  Go on a Recon Mission

Before you ever head over to the in-law’s house, perform a little recon by interrogating your woman.  She will obviously know more about the in-laws than you ever will or that you ever hope to know.  But, by taking some time to learn a little about the people you will be meeting, you may be able to discover some common interests or other ways you can connect.

Tip #2:  Learn More About Family Customs

In addition to learning more about what makes each individual family member “tick,” you should also find out as much as you can about family customs and how you should act around the family.  Is it a carnal sin for you to leave your shoes on after you walk in the door?  Is stacking dirty dishes on top of one another one of your future mother-in-law’s pet peeves?  Does your girl’s family have a true disdain for people who use foul language, or do they prefer it when someone is comfortable with getting down and dirty with them?  These are all things you need to know if you hope to make a good first impression.

Tip #3:  Be Respectful

Even if your girl’s family likes a guy who cusses like a sailor and knows how to have a “good time,” this doesn’t mean you can be disrespectful.  Be certain to show respect for her family members as well as for their home and other property.

Tip #4:  Use Some Basic Etiquette

No one is expecting you to walk around with perfect posture and to stick your pinky out as you sip tip.  Nonetheless, showing some basic polite manners will get you far when getting to know the in-laws.  At the very least, be certain to say “please” and “thank you” at the appropriate times.  This will make you appear friendlier and more approachable.

Tip #5:  Put On a Smile

Even if you aren’t really happy to be there, put on a smile and act like you are.  Chances are pretty good that your girl is faking it in the sack, so there is no reason why you can’t fake it when you go to her parents’ house.

Tip #6:  Come Bearing Gifts

No one can be rude to someone who comes bearing gifts, so try to bring something with you when you come to visit.  A bottle of wine or some dessert are good gifts to bring if you are going over for dinner.  Or, if you know your in-laws have a particular interest, try to bring something along that fits with that interest.  And, just as you better remember your girl’s birthday, the same holds true for the in-laws.  Make sure to acknowledge this special day in one way or another.

Tip #7:  Get Talking

If you have successfully completed your recon mission, you should be able to find plenty of things to talk about with the in-laws.  Try to find something that is of common interest and have a lighthearted conversation.  This way, you can get to know each other better without having to deal with any awkward silences.

Tip #8:  Avoid Conflict

Try to avoid topics of discussion that could potentially lead to debate or argument.  After you get to know one another, you may be able to discuss topics that are a little more “heated.”  While you are still feeling each other out, however, it is best to avoid topics that could lead to conflict.

Tip #9:  Try to Appear Comfortable

Even if you are feeling a bit nervous around the in-laws, try to make it appear as if you are perfectly comfortable.  If you look nervous, it will look like you have something to hide and the in-laws will become suspicious of you and your intentions.  Your nerves may also cause them to feel a bit offended, as they may interpret your nervousness to mean that you do not like them.  Even if this is true, you don’t want them to know it!

Tip #10:  Treat Your Girl Right

The last thing you want to do is to get in an argument with your girlfriend in front of the in-laws. This will instantly make you a member of jerkville and you will never be “good enough” for their daughter/sister/cousin/aunt/niece.  This doesn’t mean you should be pawing all over her, as this will make you look like some sort of sexual predator who only wants to get her in the sack.  Nonetheless, remember to be polite to her, to make nice comments to her while family members are within earshot and to act like a gentleman.  C’mon, you know how to do it – after all, isn’t that how you got her in the sack in the first place?

When it comes to getting to know the in-laws, keep in mind that they may be a bit nervous about meeting you as well.  So, don’t look at the situation as if you were a prisoner heading toward his execution.  Rather, try to relax and to make the situation as comfortable for everyone as possible.

We know you love your girlfriend or wife.  Or, at least you are infatuated with her enough that you want to keep her happy.  At the same time, there are many times when our women take things too far and want us to go with them to places where we really don’t want to go.  While there are certain to be times when you just won’t be able to get out of accompanying her to boring or uncomfortable places, you just might be able to get out of some of these situations.  Here’s a look at the top 5 places we men don’t want to go and how to get out of having to go.

The In-Laws

Whether you are married or not, the “in-laws” refers to anyone who is a member of your girl’s family.  In some cases, the term may even apply to her very close friends who she considers to be just “like family.”  Regardless of what you call these people, you simply don’t want to see them.  Or, at the very least, you would like to spend less time going to visit them or having them come over to your house.  But, how can you get out of these visits without pissing off your woman and sleeping on the couch?

What Not to Do: The last thing you want to do is to be completely honest about your dislike for your woman’s family and/or friends.  Telling her “I think your mom is a neurotic bitch and I would rather not spend 5 minutes with her let alone all day” is not going to win her over to your side.  In fact, it might give you your walking papers instead.

What to Do: Rather than telling her that you don’t like her family or friends, try telling her how much you love her and want to spend time with her.  Tell her that spending so much time with other people takes away from your quality alone time and that you would like to have more time with just her.  Or, try picking out those friends or family members you like and encourage her to make more plans with those people so there is less time left over to spend with those you really can’t stand.

The Work Function

Depending upon the type of job your woman has, you may find yourself being occasionally asked to attend special work functions.  If you are like most guys, the thought of spending an evening with a bunch of people you don’t know is really not very appealing.

What Not to Do: Don’t try making a deal with her such as “I won’t make you go to my work functions if you don’t make me go to yours.”  First, women tend to be very social and many don’t mind attending their boyfriend’s work functions.  Second, she might interpret this to mean that you don’t want the people at work seeing who you are dating or that you don’t want to spend time with her.  You will definitely be in for a long night of “talking about feelings” if you try this line.

What to Do: Believe it or not, being honest about how uncomfortable these functions make you feel may be enough to convince her to let you stay home.  Or, you can simply tell her that her work function is a time for her to shine and that you don’t want to take any of her much-deserved attention away from her.  After all, she is a strong, independent woman and she doesn’t need a man to complete her.

The Ballet

Despite popular belief, there are many women who are not a fan of the ballet.  Therefore, you may never have to cross this bridge.  But, if you are one of the unlucky guys who is with someone who is in love with the ballet, you may need to start looking for a way to get out of it.

What Not to Do: Don’t exclaim “I don’t want to watch a bunch of guys jumping around in tights,” as this will only result in being subjected to a speech about dealing with your homophobia and gaining a greater understanding of the beauty and artistry of ballet.

What to Do: Encourage her to make the ballet part of a “girls night out” and offer to buy the tickets for her and a friend.  Hey, a couple hundred dollars and the time you spend buying the tickets is well worth getting out of attending the ballet.  If she still isn’t entirely convinced, offer to attend a musical or some other live performance instead.  You still might not like it, but there are some musicals out there that won’t cause your testicles to retract in the way a ballet will.

The Chick Flick

Every guy subjects himself to going to a chick flick or two when he first starts dating a girl.  After all, it shows your sensitive side and increases your chances of getting a little action later.  But, after you have been together awhile, enough is enough!

What Not to Do: Whatever you do, don’t say “I already got you in the sack, so why should I keep going to watch these stupid movies?”  If you say that, you will be lucky to get any action even after you do subject yourself to another one of these movies.

What to Do: If she regularly goes to action flicks with you, then it is only fair for you to go to an action flick now and again.  Relationships are about give and take, remember?  If she’s not willing to go to your movies, use the chick flick as leverage so you can do a little compromising.  Or, encourage her to see the pink movies with her girlfriends, go catch the latest Bruce Willis flick with the guys, and see the movies you can both agree on together.

The Store

Watching your favorite lady model her bras in the bedroom can be a real turn on, but going shopping for them together is another story.  Things get even worse when she asks you to help her shop for clothes or shoes.

What Not to Do: Don’t tell her “Watching you shop for clothes and try on outfit after outfit makes me want to gouge my eyes out.”  She will take this to mean that you don’t like spending time with her and/or that you think she looks too fat in most of the clothes she tries on.

What to Do: Tell your lady that she has great taste in clothing and that you like it when she surprises you with new outfits.  This may still lead to her modeling some outfits when she returns home, but that is better than following her around for hours while she tries to find the perfect shoes to match the pair of earrings she found on sale.  Besides, since you will be at home while she models these outfits, you might be able to help her back out of them.