After meeting my daughters, every man I dated would leave me. So, I brought home a “fake” boyfriend to understand why.

It took me three short relationships to realize what was really happening. Each time, it was the same story: we’d have a great time together, everything would go smoothly, then I’d introduce my boyfriend to my daughters, and—boom! He’d leave almost immediately.

They already knew I had daughters, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise. I tried to find out what went wrong, but each one of them ignored my questions.

After the third breakup, I decided to ask a coworker for help. I invited him over for dinner and introduced him to my daughters as my new boyfriend. During dinner, I made sure to leave the room often, giving my friend plenty of time to interact with the girls. When I returned, he looked paler than usual and was gripping his fork with visible nervousness.

The next morning, I asked him what had happened. He pulled me aside and confessed, “Look, I don’t know how to tell you this, but your daughters are….intimidating. They were grilling me about my intentions, my past relationships, my financial stability—even my family background. It felt like I was being interviewed for a high-stakes job!”

I blinked, trying to process his words. “They… interrogated you?”

He nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. “Honestly, they were relentless. Your older daughter, especially, kept asking if I was really serious about you. She even asked if I’d be willing to move in and help with household expenses. And when I hesitated, she just… stared at me in this intense way that made it hard to say anything. It was honestly a bit terrifying.”

I felt a surge of both amusement and frustration. My daughters were protective, I knew that, but I had no idea they were going so far. Suddenly, it made sense why my past relationships had fallen apart after meeting them. I thanked my friend for helping me and assured him he wouldn’t be subjected to my daughters’ grilling again.

Later that evening, I decided to talk to the girls directly. After dinner, I gathered them in the living room and explained, “I know you both care about me and want to protect me. But the way you’ve been questioning the men I bring home is… a bit much. I need you to trust that I can make the right decisions for myself.”

My older daughter looked away, a little guilty, while the younger one mumbled, “We just don’t want you to get hurt, Mom.”

I took their hands, softening. “I appreciate that more than you know. But you have to let me figure this out. Relationships are complicated enough without turning them into an interrogation.”

They both nodded, and I could see they understood. From that day forward, our home felt lighter, and I felt hopeful that I could start fresh, this time without my daughters unknowingly scaring away anyone I brought into my life.

And when I finally met someone special a few months later, the girls welcomed him with open hearts—though I had a feeling they were still keeping a careful eye on him, just in case.