Overview

It’s been said that when you say “I do” to your spouse at the altar, you’re also making a commitment to your spouse’s family. But that may be more than you bargained for.

As Les and Leslie Parrott convey in their articles “Help! I Can’t Shake the In-Laws,” “My In-Laws Hate Me,” and “I Dread the Holidays” from MARRIAGE PARTNERSHIP magazine, managing relations with your in-laws can require a combination of firmness, love, and tact. What does it take to leave the parental authority you’ve been under and build a new life together? How do you protect your privacy from well-meaning, but intrusive, parents? What does a healthy relationship with in-laws look like? This study explores these questions in greater detail.

Table of Contents

SCRIPTURE: Song of Songs 1:2–4; Proverbs 5:15–19; 1 Corinthians 13:4–7; Ephesians 4:25–27

LEADER'S GUIDE

• Identify the Current Issue

• Discover the Eternal Principles

—Teaching point one: The importance of becoming a new family unit.

—Teaching point two: Establish clear boundaries from the beginning.

—Teaching point three:Pursue harmony with in-laws when possible.

• Apply Your Findings

• Additional Resources

ARTICLE FROM MARRIAGE PARTNERSHIP

• Help! I Can’t Shake the In-Laws, My In-Laws Hate Me, and I Dread the Holidays by Les and Leslie Parrott

Total number of pages – 11