Parents crashing honeymoons – what started as a quirky social media topic has exploded into a full-blown debate. Is this sweet family bonding or the ultimate intimacy killer? Let’s dive in.
Oh, and prepare for my unpopular opinion on parents joining honeymoons (I wrote about this in the past, but only how to choose the best honeymoon destination for YOU)!
The Viral Story Behind the Trend
It all began (as far as I see) with Fox News Lifestyle, which reported:
“Parents crashing honeymoons becomes a bizarre new travel trend for modern newlyweds.”
From there, Reddit threads and TikTok clips featuring moms lounging poolside next to honeymooning couples went viral. People everywhere are asking:
Is this the evolution of family travel – or a recipe for disaster?
Reddit threads quoted by MSN capture the extremes:
“I had a neighbour whose mother-in-law and father-in-law went on their honeymoon with them. They felt they could because they gifted the couple their honeymoon to Hawaii. Such a strange, odd, family.”
“I was five months pregnant on my honeymoon so we only went to the coast for a few days, but my husband invited his brother so they could go fishing.”
The comments range from supportive to horrified, fueling the trend’s controversial buzz.
There are also many people saying they do not want their in-laws on their honeymoon.
Expert Take: Why Boundaries Matter
Psychologist Thea Gallagher (NYU Langone Health) told Fox News:
“I think it probably depends on your relationship with your parents and your agreement with your partner.” “Obviously it would be important for both of you to be in agreement that this is the good choice.”.
She warns against:
- Feeling pressured to agree
- Letting intimacy slide
- Ignoring the need for separate spaces
Bottom line: Communication and planning are non-negotiable.
So these are the facts – the information online and if you already searched online, you saw that the topic is presented in many publications.
However, I do not see this as new. I mentioned unpopular opinion, correct? (and wait, there is more in a section below) I see the discussion on Reddit go waaaaay back. It may be trendy now – but it is something some people did in the past too. – now perhaps more people are opting for it. For instance, someone posted 4 years ago the same concept (she and her fiancé were ok for a part of their honeymoon) while other parents did their best to crash the honeymoon (2), but the couple…