Have Your Parents Ever Opposed Your Relationship but Later Accepted It?

Hi everyone,

I (20F) am in a relationship with a man (38M) who I deeply love and trust. I know there’s a significant age gap, and I understand the concerns that often come with that, but I truly believe in him and in us. I want to build a life with him, and I know in my heart that he’s the right person for me.

That said, I’m struggling with my parents—particularly my mom. She was okay with us being friends initially, but everything changed when she realized we were dating when I was 19. At the time, I was still living with my parents, and the tension became unbearable. She told me I was choosing a man over her, said really hurtful things, and made me feel like I was the worst person in the world. It caused a lot of turmoil in my relationship because I allowed her words to influence me, and ultimately, we broke up.

Now that I’ve moved out and started a new chapter in a different city, we’ve rekindled our relationship. He’s such an incredible man, and I genuinely feel like my parents would love him if they gave him a real chance. I also feel like they’d be missing out on someone who could bring so much positivity to all of our lives.

I know some people might see me as “too young to know what I want,” but I’ve always felt more mature than my peers. My parents were in their late 30s and early 40s when they had me, so I grew up feeling like I could connect better with older people.

My question is: Have any of you been in a situation where your parents were completely opposed to your relationship but eventually came around? If so, how did that happen?

I plan to wait at least another year (until I’m 21) before sharing my plans to live with him. But I’m afraid my mom will react the same way—blocking me, refusing to talk to me, saying she’ll never help me again, and creating a lot of drama. Should I try to get her to understand, or should I accept that she might never approve and just live my life with him?

I’d love to hear your experiences or advice.

Thanks for reading. ❤️