10:14 here - just saw your note about her mother. She's dealt with a lot in her young life. Just be kind and loving. She may really appreciate your son for the kind of loving family he comes from and enjoy being part of your family time.

I get your hesitation; we grew up simply and my parents worked in poverty-focused and faith-based organizations too, so my early exposures to extreme wealth were hard for me to understand/process. Continue to keep your son grounded, and treat her kindly. Try to incorporate her in your own family/home to the extent you're comfortable with that. She may really appreciate the dynamics of a lower-key family that has different kinds of dinner conversations. Not much else you can do.

Anonymous wrote:I don't know; I don't know folks like that. I just think it's funny that you said you went over to meet her house.

OP here and maybe that was a Freudian slip! It is an incredible house - like something you see in magazines. Girlfriend's mom passed away years ago - it is just she and her Dad.

I don't know; I don't know folks like that. I just think it's funny that you said you went over to meet her house.

Anonymous wrote:She is not rich. Her father is rich.

It's really not that easy. It already sounds like her father is freely sharing the money. Or her mother or both, who knows. And it is very very likely that she will be supported financially. And it's also very likely she will inherit her parents money. Saying it's not her money is rather naive and short sighted.

She is not rich. Her father is rich.

The obvious risk is that this young lady may be blissfully unaware of working class and middle class tribulations and choices, and may create envy and materialism in your son. You have already been made uncomfortable. Try not to let it show, and treat her as you would any girl your son dates.

Your son keeps at it, he'll never have to work.

well, encourage that relationship to last through college. He can marry into that rich family and have an easy life.

Your son is smart

I don't know why you think there are inherently any pitfalls, safe for the implied amount of independence for the girl if her father travels a lot (is there a mother around? Other supervision?)

I don't see what money has to do with anything.

OP, she is not "the rich girl". She is the girl your son is dating. One aspect of this girl is that her family has a lot of money. But it is not the only aspect. You know how non-rich people aren't all alike? The same applies to rich people.

OP, what are her parents like? Did you meet both of them? (You only mention her father)

That will tell you a lot.

DS, 16, is dating a very, very rich girl. DH and I were invited over to meet her house and the girl has her own "wing" (a two room suite on the opposite side of the house from her father's room with doors to the outside. Yeah, I get the possible pitfall in that one - DS being able to easily sneak into her room. Her father flies in private jets and has a driver (that kind of rich).

We are simple people. I am a SAHM and DH works in social services/faith.

What are the potential pitfalls in this situation for DS?