Originally Posted By beamerdog >>ever try sharing 50 gallons of hot water for baths for six adults?<< Next time maybe suggest that 6 adults share the tub - at the same time! Wow, what horrible stories. My parents are gone now, but my DH always said that they were parents to him. They had their "ways" but I'm glad that DH liked them. On the otherhand, his mom, ah well, he always says that he's going to fix her up with Dr. Kevorkian. She's coming over Sunday for Hannukah. I've talked to her a couple times this week and she sounds okay, but she tends to be a lit cannon. She can be really nice or horribly obnoxious, embarressing to be around in public and very mean. It just depends on what side of the bed she gets up on. I'll let you know how things went after Sunday. Well, she doesn't like to drive in the dark, so I know that she'll only be here a couple of hours.
Originally Posted By gardenrooms I'm one of the lucky ones, too - fine in-laws. Hey, Kimrue, next year can your little ones tell you what they want to do for Christmas? Then, if they like to go to the in-laws despite the shabby treatment, you can go along with it, or if they would have more fun elsewhere, DH will just have to understand. After all, the ones who matter most are the children. The rest of us can pretty much deal with whatever is handed to us. Good luck! And Happy New Year, hope your little sweeties have the happiest Christmas ever in 2006!
Originally Posted By gardenrooms Dear ajsmommy, or should I say ajandhollysmommy - hope all is going well and Holly is coming home soon. We'll be thinking of you.
Originally Posted By Kimrue Unfortunately my daughter is ridiculed by the kids because they make her feel like she is a "included" but really what they are doing is making a fool out of her. Like when they are playing she's the "monster" and then they run upstairs playing a different game and she's walking around looking for them downstairs and they're up there playing with toys giggling at the fact that she can't find them. Then, being that she's only 3 1/2 she says they are her "friends" and they are "playing with her, now". She doesn't "get" that they are ridiculing her, and bullying her. I can't watch it anymore. When she gets older and can see what is really going on, I will let her choose to spend the holidays with whoever (or whomever? I never get that right...) she wishes.
Originally Posted By FaMulan I'm among the fortunate ones. My mil is a dear friend and my sil's are mostly tolerable. Now, I have some cousins on the other hand who I've given up on. The past couple of years I've tried to arrange a get-together around the holidays only to be met with either no response to my emails (this year one of them actually said they'd prefer a phone call when I have several people to contact, and email is much more efficient for contacting several people at once?!) or have the event planned out from under me. So, if they want to plan something they just need to inform me of the date, time and place and *if* our schedule allows, my husband and I will make every effort to be there. My sister gave up on this branch of the family last year. My sister and I make an effor to get together at least once a month, more often during soccer season, so it can be done and on the terms of the planner. ((((-em)))))
Originally Posted By JBStew The stories here are so complex. I guess that is just the nature of dealing with the people that fate makes us deal with (as opposed to the ones we choose for ourselves). Kimrue, it sounds to me like these kids are jealous of your child. I know that is probably little comfort for her, but it sure sounds like it to me. Ajsmommy, I hope your little one is well. You don't need this extra in-law stress right now. You were very, very generous to let them stay with you so long. The old saying that fish and visitors start to stink after three days is still very true! {{-em}} Wish I could give you a real hug. And I'm sorry you are faced with inlaws like this -- sound reminiscent of the family I married into the first time. Some were ok and I didn't have any MIL or FIL because they were already dead, but my SIL and her kids filled that role and then some. I'm not sorry to have left a great many of them 3,000 miles away. I miss one cousin and one aunt but not many of the others. Now I'm very blessed to be marrying into DlandDug's family. All of them that I have met have been so welcoming and nice and so good to my kids too. Sometimes you get lucky.
Originally Posted By Pixie Glitter Agreed. And sometimes you make your own luck, sweetie. Dug's family is very blessed to be getting you!
Originally Posted By beamerdog Well, Sunday came and went with my MIL slicing her palm (cutting bread INTO her hand which I warned her not to do), tripping, dropping a glass and a dish, and as an encore dropping a spoonful of sour cream on my best carpet. Knowing that every family dinner/lunch goes this way with her, we begged her to sit down and just enjoy the day, but she told me that the family was yelling at her and it was her right to decide whether to help or not. All in all it could have been (and has been in the past) much worse ;-)
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Yikes, beamerdog. Just hearing that story about your MIL made me tense. I can only imagine how tense your family must feel while she's around. ;-)
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom beamerdog try Chucky Cheese for dinner next time for dinner. I will have to sit down sometime and write about my New Years Eve Weekend with "my" parents in the boobytrapped house. Like the collapsing guestroom bed at 1 AM New Years Eve!( it literally fell apart) Both my parents were laughing the next morning because they knew exactly what had happened.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom My Dad was up so I decided to wish him a Happy New Year at midnight, while downloading ( dial-up) MSN anti-spyware and Spybot on their pc. So after running both and finding some threats I went to be around 12:45am. The bed collapsed at the corner and I didn't feel safe sleeping on it, and didn't really feel like fixing it at that time so took the bed apart and now my parents have a futon in their guest room.
