Courtesy of Terri Peters
- I’ve been bonding with my teen son over our shared love of horror movies for years.
- Now, he’s in his first serious relationship, with a girl who also loves scary movies.
- Sharing my teen’s interests is fun, but it’s also allowed me to bond with his girlfriend.
I grew up as an only child in a house that catered to my every girlish whim, so when I found out my first child was a boy, my immediate response was nervousness about how I’d fare in the world of superheroes and monster trucks. Turns out, I’ve done just fine, and I was especially delighted when my son hit his teen years and became interested in something I’d always loved: movies.
Even better than comparing our film rankings on Letterboxd or staying up late to watch the Academy Awards? Not only does my son love movies, but my son specifically inherited my appreciation for horror movies.
As soon as he was old enough, I walked him through a syllabus of classics like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and newer gems like “Black Phone.” Then, something happened that wasn’t on my radar: My son entered his first serious relationship with a girl who also loved horror movies.
It shouldn’t have surprised me that my son wanted to date someone with the same interests, but it did.
Courtesy of Terri Peters
Raising teens — I also have a daughter — is mostly about learning as you go, and since my son is my oldest, that’s been even more true with him. It hadn’t occurred to me he’d date someone who shared his interests until the first time he mentioned his now-girlfriend to me. He’d watched a new-to-him horror movie because she suggested it. My ears immediately perked up, and a few months later, when their friendship turned into something more, it was unsurprising.
My husband and I go on double dates with my son and his girlfriend.
Courtesy of Terri Peters
Now, they’ve been an official couple for several months, and my husband and I often go with them on double dates to grab dinner, then see a new horror movie at our local theater. The ritual has provided us grown-ups with a fun way to get to know our son’s girlfriend better, and it’s a win-win for all of us (except my husband, who doesn’t love horror movies but is a good sport). Without this shared interest, I’m sure we’d still occasionally do things together, but the hang-outs would happen less often, and they might not be as fun.
I love getting a chance to bond with the person my son cares about so much.
Courtesy of Terri Peters
My son had dated previously, but had far less in common with the person. As a parent, I saw that quickly brought an end to the relationship. Now, I’m thrilled to see him in a relationship with someone he relates to so deeply — yes, in their love of movie genres, but in lots of other ways, too. As parents, we just want our kids to be happy and healthy, but there have definitely been some unexpected perks to my son’s girlfriend sharing interests that I care about, too.
We’ve also traveled together for horror events, and it’s so much fun.
Courtesy of Terri Peters
In addition to dinner-and-a-movie date nights, we’ve traveled together to attend horror events like Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort and Scaradise, a fan convention for horror enthusiasts. Whether we’re planning our outfits for a spooky event or deciding which restaurant to meet at before a movie, the shared interest has given me something to connect with my son’s girlfriend over, and it’s been incredibly fun.
I’m constantly amazed by the cool people my teens are becoming, and I love that my son picked an equally cool girl to date.
Courtesy of Terri Peters
Both my 17-year-old son and my 15-year-old daughter are pretty amazing individuals. When I held them as tiny babies, I remember worrying about time passing quickly and them growing into teenagers in a blink.
It’s gone fast, yes, but new-mom-me was unprepared for how my heart would swell with pride when observing the incredible almost-adults my husband and I have raised. I often say having teens is even more enjoyable than raising babies, and I truly love watching my kids grow up.
While I’m still their parent, I see my kids turning into grown-ups that will one day be my friends, and it’s truly a thrill. I wasn’t prepared for how much fun it’d be for my kids to start dating, but seeing them build relationships with equally cool people that I also like to spend time with is like gaining more kids — an unexpected perk of raising teens.
There are a million reasons I’m grateful for my son’s girlfriend: she cares about my kid, is talented and kind, and has helped him grow more mature as he navigates his first serious relationship. But beyond that, I love having another scary movie buddy to drag along with me to movie theaters and scary events; it makes life even more fun to bring her along.
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