How do I get my very shy father-in-law to open up to me, he barely says a word to me
My father-in-law is in his early 60s and since I got married and moved in, he has not really made an effort to talk to me. Initially, I thought he just needed some time to get used to me, but it's been months now and we hardly ever have a conversation. The only time he talks to me is when he asks if I want to eat, that's about it. Over time, I have realized that he is not being rude, he is just really shy and hesitant, he doesn't know how to start a conversation. We live on the outskirts, so when he goes to the city, he does some errands. Sometime back, I mentioned to my mother-in-law that I love dark chocolate and it's hard to find blueberries here, but I really like them. I didn't think much of it, but now I've noticed that every time he goes to the city, he gets me some dark chocolate. And today, he got me a box of blueberries, he actually looked for them. Today, when I was leaving, I told him I was going and he said, very softly, I was really touched by what he said. It hit me that his silence was not because he didn't want to talk to me, it was just his way. I really want to build a good relationship with him, so for those who have been in similar situations, how did you handle it?
I'm so happy for you, your in-laws seem really sweet. To answer your question, try asking him specific questions about his childhood, what he likes and dislikes, I think that's a good way to start a conversation. Initially, you might get short answers, but eventually, he will open up. How does he talk to your husband and mother-in-law?
You're really lucky, my in-laws don't even treat me like a normal person. I've had a tough life and it shows on my face, so nobody from my in-laws side talks to me properly. So, even if your father-in-law is shy, you should consider yourself lucky
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You're really lucky, on weekends, try sitting with them and playing board games or uno, or ask if he wants to go for a walk with you. Share stories about your childhood and ask questions about your husband's childhood or his job. Don't try to do too much at once, it might be too much for him. If you cook, try making something he likes, I'm sure he'll appreciate it
I'm really happy for you
Your description of your father-in-law sounds just like mine. My husband told me that he has always been like that, it was a bit scary at first, but I got used to it. He's really kind and treats me like his daughter, but he's just shy and hesitant to talk. He buys me things I like
That's so sweet, I'm hoping for something like that to happen to me
I'm happy for you, but it also makes me a bit sad, I'm sure your family must be missing you too
I read that wrong, my mistake