Definitely not dead, lol, but I do know what you are talking about, and also been one of those told "I don't need you to "insert genuine chivalrous gesture." Also coming from someone that I had already established a dating relationship. The standing up with family issue thing is tough. I've been put in these situation multiple times, and either reaction just spurs more turmoil it seems. You want to stand up and say it, or hold ground, but there is this age old notion of parental obedience, and honestly, sometimes, parents want to be heard but will respect your actions as an adult and still be your parents. So, easier for the couple to just march on doing themselves, and not letting a narcissistic judgmental attention trap spur more tension in the relationship itself. I also get wanting to feel stood up for to the other side of the family, but do we have to pit the relationship against the blood? Unless total subversion from the family unit is okay, it's kind of along the lines of getting tilted at windmills as my mother likes to tell me. Parents have their opinion and that's it, only your actions would change them, and that's up to you. So to get offended and stand up to them doesn't do much. They are doing what they believe is correct by parenting in the way they think is right, you know what I mean? Showing them they are wrong works better, probably because their kids standing up for them selves in a real way, not just verbally, by being independent confident citizens not tripped up by someone's opinion, is probably their point all along. I know I rambled their for a minute, and I don't mean to directly disagree, because I get it, but coming from a man that was raised in the South and holds true to that age old notion of chivalry, the battle against the family seems to end poorly every time. It's like picking battles with children in a weird way. Anyways, point is, some of us are still out there trying to keep it alive, in the most respectful way possible. Sometimes, gals make the situation as precarious as possible without even knowing it. Honestly, fits right into one of our human paradoxes. They say look at the way a man treats his mother to see how he would treat you as a woman. Then y'all want us to stand up and go rouge on that same mother. Again, not saying this is some intentional manipulation, while it may be sometimes, I still give you ladies the benefit of the doubt, naturally of course, lol. The lawn mowing thing is a solid point. If your lady wants something done, just do it, lol. That coming from someone that generally lives in a comfortable environment, not necessarily one with everything put in it's place and trimmed back, ya know? Point is, I'm not a lawn mowing fan, per say, but if it appeases my ladies in any way, I'll add it to my list. Good post, hope it spurs some good convo! You now have a new follower. Cheers!