Gettyimages.com/Young happy university students sitting at the table and talking about upcoming exams.
When you’ve been with someone for a long time, his family sort of becomes your family. You’re part of the inner circle—you are let in on personal information about the family, you sit witness to their arguments, you’re included on the holiday card, and you’re invited on their vacations. It’s a really beautiful thing, to be welcomed into the fold like that. And, it can mean you even get some additional siblings. But your relationship with your partner’s siblings is not exactly like that with your own, blood siblings. It can come close but there will always be some lines you cannot cross. It’s best for everyone if you are always on good terms with your partner’s siblings. If you aren’t, then the rest of the family—regardless of who is right or wrong in your fight with that sibling—just sees you as combative. They’ll always take their blood child’s side. Here are ground rules for dealing with sibling-in-laws.
Don’t get involved in fights
Do not take sides when your partner and his sibling are fighting. It doesn’t matter if your partner is totally in the wrong—taking the sibling’s side makes you look like you aren’t a good partner. It doesn’t matter if the sibling is totally in the wrong—taking your partner’s side makes the sibling dislike you. Just stay out of it.
