My in-laws ALWAYS invite the whole family over whenever we visit them, and I find it very overwhelming.
We don't spend any one-on-one time with anyone, we just spend long meals together as a group (2-3) hours.
Since it always seems to be someone's birthday or a holiday, there are always "We love you" and "Our family is so special because..." speeches.
I feel like everyone is going to join hands and sing Kumbaya, or something!
On the other hand, people almost never ask each other "How are you?" or "What's new?", because they are focussed on the family as a whole, not on the individuals within it.
I feel like a participant in a cult, where the members don't matter, only the cult. It grates on my nerves -- am I wrong to feel this way?
How often do I have to visit them each year? How often do YOU visit? I know that this varies depending on distance and culture, so please state your country or culture (if you don't mind) and how far you live from your in-laws.
2006-08-23
23:44:31
·
21 answers
·
asked by
Victoria
6
in
Family