Bring up the subject in a gentle, casual way.


“Do you remember me telling you about that guy I met at camp, Zack?”


“I know you’ve been wondering why I’ve been on the computer so much lately. It’s because I’ve been talking to this guy I met in a forum, Alex.”


Tell them clearly and directly that you have a long-distance boyfriend.


“We realized at camp that we really liked each other, and we’ve been going out ever since. He lives in Texas, so it’s a long-distance relationship.”


“I’ve been talking to him for a few months now, and we decided to start going out as a long-distance thing.”


Tell them a little about him and your relationship.


“He’s a great guy. We met at camp because he offered to help me out with a group of kids I was watching for the week. He’s really polite and sweet, and I think you’d like him a lot.”


“I started messaging him at first because of how funny he was. We have a lot in common, and we’ve even video chatted. I can tell he cares about me a lot.”


Show them that you’ve put thought into your relationship.


“I know it’s unconventional to start a relationship this way, and we both know that long distance can be really hard. But I feel really strongly about him and we both want to make this work.”


Ask them what they think.


“This is probably coming as a surprise. What do you think about all this?”


Try to understand their point of view.


“I get that it’s a lot to take in, and I thought you’d probably say that—that you’d rather I was dating someone that lives here. But he’s really special to me. I want you to trust that we can make it work.”


“I know you’re worried about my safety, getting into a relationship with someone I met online. But we’ve video chatted and he’s said that he’d like to talk to you too, when you’re ready. I’d also really like that to happen.”