Welcome back, DateSpaces faithful. And to those of you that are new readers? We suggest you start studying our archives to catch up with the rest of the class.

This week’s short and panicked question arrived from Scarsdale, courtesy of Brendan. “I’m going to meet her parents this weekend. What do I do!?!?!?”

Brendan, you have nothing to worry about. We’re going to give you a quick list of do’s and don’t’s that will assure an easy meeting and a perfect first impression:

Do make your first meeting short and sweet. This is going to sound strange, but it’s great advice: think of meeting the parents as a “dating” process of its own. They have to get to know you slowly and you don’t want to give yourself completely away on the first meeting. Tell your significant other that you want to stop by the house for a few minutes – let’s say a half an hour – before you go out on a date of your own. That way, the parents get a peek at what you’re like. It’s low pressure for both parties. Which brings us to our next one…

Do remember that they’re as nervous as you are. They’ve been prepped not to embarrass her in front of you and they’re not sure what to expect. All they know is that you’re important enough to her to introduce to the ‘rents. What does that mean? You’re in control and you dictate the pace. After the usual introductions, take charge immediately: ask them what they’re up to for the evening. Great! Now the ball is in their court and you look confident (which, by now, you should be!). If they ask questions, just answer them simply. Parents really do want to know what you do for “a living” and where you actually live, not because they’re interrogating you to check for flaws. In fact, this meeting should be similar to the first time you meet your date’s friends, which we talked about in a previous Ask Our Staff column.

Don’t be left alone. With all of that said, make sure your significant other sticks around. She’s the failsafe in this meeting. If there’s an awkward pause or two, she’ll jump in and speed the conversation up.

Do some research beforehand. This is a great tip from Askmen.com in this article.

Don’t pull a Screech Powers. Remember on Saved By the Bell when nerdy Screech meets the rich, WASP-y parents of his girlfriend, Violet M. Bickerstaff? For those of you who don’t, here’s the recap: he gets all of these tips from his friends, including telling Violet’s mother she looks like a movie star (he says she looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger). It’s a total disaster. Anyway, the point is this: don’t bring a gift, don’t kiss up, and don’t do anything that seems unlike you. The answer to your question, Brendan, is a cliché, but it’s true: they’re going to like you because your date does. It’s simple.

Any other good tips for Brendan? Post them below.