Remember in high school, when your parents just would not leave you alone? Remember how they always had to know each of your friends and exactly where you were going? Remember how your worst nightmare was your parents and friends interacting because your parents were so embarrassing?

Luckily, my parents (loyal readers that they are) have never embarrassed me. But I hear some of my friends complaining about such moments.

Or, I should say, I heard them complaining.

Because this summer we all –– excuse me, they all –– had a change of heart. Maybe it’s because we’re inching closer to adulthood. Maybe it’s because our parents are recognizing our impending independence. Maybe it’s because we are realizing our parents are kind of great.

Whatever the reason, my summer crew loves hanging with the ‘rents.

We relaxed by spending our weekends going to our friends’ parents’ houses for dinner — or for longer. We dined together, we celebrated together and we had meaningful and rarely embarrassing conversations together.

One Sunday, six friends packed into a car to visit our friend Allison’s hometown of Cedarburg, Wis. It was the weekend of the famed Strawberry Festival, and while the festival itself was fun, playing home run derby with her parents and younger brother in her front yard was better.

Another weekend, my friend Maria invited me and two other friends to her family’s lake house in New Berlin, Wis. We spent the day on the lake tubing and laughing with her parents. Over lunch, we talked about our weekend and the week ahead, and only upon request did her dad show us Maria’s baby book and home videos.

Just last week, my roommate Ali turned 21. Not only did her parents have us over to their Wauwatosa, Wis. home for dinner on her birthday, but they also threw Ali a party on campus. We were able to spend a quiet night getting to know them over ribs just as comfortably as we were standing around the keg with everyone Ali knew the night before.

The longest trip was a visit to Northfield, Minn., a place of cows, colleges and contentment (according to the welcome sign), but also my friend Tom. Tom brought me and three other buds home to see the sights and a Twins game. After the long drive there, his parents treated us to a feast and a few beers. We were able to really get to know his family, and saw a glimpse of his life we otherwise might not have known.

The insight into my friends’ home lives and family has taught me so much more about them, but the knowledge exchange goes both ways. This past weekend, my friend Ben’s dad visited from Colorado. He pointed out that he learned a lot about his son from seeing who he spends his time with and how he interacts with them. Similarly, I was able to see a sneak peek of Ben as an adult after meeting his father.

This acute awareness of a new side of my college friends has been incredible. I spent the majority of my Milwaukee summer basking in the sun at Bradford Beach, porch sitting and playing campus golf with these people. Our group grew, and so did the strength of our friendships. The summer crew quickly became my Marquette family, so meeting their families only seems natural, in retrospect.

The real highlight of my summer, though, came over my birthday, when my parents and brothers drove up from Ohio to celebrate with me. My mom had never met my roommates or seen my apartment, and I was excited for her and my dad to meet all of my friends.

At the tailgate my parents organized, my friends had a good time. But I think my parents had the best time. Putting names to faces was huge for them, and seeing them talking to my friends and enjoying their company was huge for me. We were having fun together, and it was awesome.

When I was in high school, the possibility of my parents becoming my friends seemed entirely unrealistic. Throughout my earlier college years, they knew my roommates, kind of. They heard a few names regularly but had never met them. My parents actually being able to spend time with my friends was not only painless, it was fun.

It took me the first three years of college before I realized parents are people too, and hanging out with them is great, as inconceivable as it may sound. So get to know your friends’ parents. And have your parents get to know your friends. Chances are, the embarrassment factor has dwindled since high school.

And for the record, anytime anyone wants to have me over to their house for dinner with their parents, I will happily accept.