Dear Carolyn: I’m a dentist and am lucky to make really good money. My boyfriend works at a blue-collar job and makes considerably less, which doesn’t bother me. We’ve been dating for about a year, and I know he has a great work ethic. He is an amazingly kind man and treats me with care and respect. I’ve feel very blessed to have him in my life, and I know he sees marriage in our future.
He met my parents a few months ago. We had a lovely meal, and things went well.
I thought.
My parents talked to me privately afterward and made their disapproval clear. They called him immature and brought up the disparity in our salaries. I really thought they wouldn’t have an issue with my boyfriend because they both come from working-class backgrounds.