Some people I've spoken to are pretty overwhelmed by the amount of family that they already have. They go to family reunions and don't even recognize an entire branch of the family, can't keep up on birthdays and births, and certainly can't handle accruing the equivalent of the National Debt around Christmas or other holidays to make sure no one feels offended.
With Alvie getting married this last weekend (and all of us coming into town) it gave me a different perspective on how I would run a family reunion. Gigi (Alvie's new bride)'s parents found out a fun connection between their family and me, and brought me a gift when we met for the first time. That's right, my brother's in-laws made a connection not with my parents, but with me (they also connected with my parents--don't misunderstand). And that made for an even better weekend because I felt more attached to the family my brother was marrying into than I would have otherwise.
It doesn't take a gift, but what a neat connection that would be to follow up. What if siblings with their spouses and both sets of parents got together for family reunions? Parents would have a chance to connect with each other, and siblings with their siblings spouses when there isn't a wedding going on (which anyone who's been through can tell you is a hectic experience no matter how much or how little you plan).
Have any of you tried that approach? How did it go?
Are you a mother-in-law scratching her head over how...and why!...your most amazing child chose their spouse? Do you wonder where you went wrong in their upbringing? OR, are you a daughter/son-in-law trying to figure out how your delightful and much loved spouse could have been raised by that battle ax--er, your mother-in-law. Ask the experts how to handle the each other without tearing the family apart in the process.
No comments:
Post a Comment