Family ... they sure are a love, hate relationship! (woman, hubby, kids)

[tet tea]

I've heard that blood is thicker than water, but sometimes I really do wonder. I am quickly becoming very aware that extended family are the worst. Also, those "family members" who technically are not family need to pull their lips over their head and swallow! Plus, the communication skills between some family members are like two dead cell phones trying to call eachother.

Please, someone tell me I am not alone in thinking this!

This holiday season has left me completely dumbfounded. People who supposedly love one another are biatching, piddling and moaning over the most stupidest of things. They gripe about stuff behind people's backs, then don't say a word or act as if everything is peachy. Why? Get it out in the open. It was probably a miscommunication in the first place.

This is really all a first for me. I have never encountered this with my own family.

Have you been knocked for a sixer this Christmas too?

[nicolepsy]

get it out in the open? ARE YOU CRAZY?!? the police would have to come then!

oh, no, you are not alone!

[Twinkle Toes]

Nope, you are not alone. I hate the holidays. Starting next year me, hubby and the kids are going to leave for the two weeks to some exotic locale. We agreed this would be the last time we would be bored for the holidays. We spend the holidays with my parents. My dad is glued to a TV set 24/7. I hate having a TV on. Especially during the daytime. I hate the noise from the TV. I hate all the old cop shows he watches and has probably seen 5000 times before.

This Christmas after we all opened our gifts we went for a ride for a couple of hours (hubby and I pre-planned this). When we got back to the house dad flipped on the TV set. My mom and I left again to go window shopping. My husband, feeling like it's rude to just leave my dad in front of the TV stayed behind to keep dad company. The kids left to go out and do some off-roading.

Next year we agreed to forego the whole gift giving situation and take a trip and do something active. This will be our gift to ourselves. We may go to a tropical place or we may go to Vail or somewhere to ski. But we will not be cooped up in a house in front of a TV set.

Oh yeah, don't even get me started about Thanksgiving!!! I hate eating a full-on dinner at 1:00 in the afternoon (then sitting around while the TV is blaring!!!)

[tet tea]

Hmmm ...

Tropical location v Family Feud?

Ok, I'm done thinking about that one! Heck I'll even take two weeks of ice fishing.

[nicolepsy]

hmmm, somebody really hates the tv doesnt she?

Originally Posted by Twinkle Toes

Nope, you are not alone. I hate the holidays. Starting next year me, hubby and the kids are going to leave for the two weeks to some exotic locale. We agreed this would be the last time we would be bored for the holidays. We spend the holidays with my parents. My dad is glued to a TV set 24/7. I hate having a TV on. Especially during the daytime. I hate the noise from the TV. I hate all the old cop shows he watches and has probably seen 5000 times before.

This Christmas after we all opened our gifts we went for a ride for a couple of hours (hubby and I pre-planned this). When we got back to the house dad flipped on the TV set. My mom and I left again to go window shopping. My husband, feeling like it's rude to just leave my dad in front of the TV stayed behind to keep dad company. The kids left to go out and do some off-roading.

Next year we agreed to forego the whole gift giving situation and take a trip and do something active. This will be our gift to ourselves. We may go to a tropical place or we may go to Vail or somewhere to ski. But we will not be cooped up in a house in front of a TV set.

Oh yeah, don't even get me started about Thanksgiving!!! I hate eating a full-on dinner at 1:00 in the afternoon (then sitting around while the TV is blaring!!!)

[Rita Mordio]

Oh My God. My hubby's mom decided to become the Queen of the Drama Queens over Christmas.

We had Pre-Christmas at her place - night before. Nice dinner and opening present afterwards. Well, my daughter got really cranky after dinner, so I explained that she would need about a half hour nap.

So, I took her to the back bedroom and let her sleep next to me nice and comfortably. Well, 5 minutes later, his mother knocks on the door, "Are we opening presents or not?" to which my hubby and I answered "as soon as she wakes up".

Well, every 5 minutes, she knocked and asked the same question, even proclaiming that we had our daughter take a nap just to spite her. Now, every time this woman knocked, it woke my daughter up. She got so hyped up that she needed her albuterol inhaler.

She won't even talk to us right now because she honestly thinks we had our daughter take a nap after dinner on purpose.

[Rita Mordio]

Originally Posted by Twinkle Toes

My dad is glued to a TV set 24/7. I hate having a TV on. Especially during the daytime. I hate the noise from the TV. I hate all the old cop shows he watches and has probably seen 5000 times before.

With my Hubby's parents, his dad is always glued to World of Warcraft while having the TV on something HE wants to listen to. He didn't even eat dinner at the table with us because he was busy on the game.

[nicolepsy]

i heard through the grapevine that my idiot sis-in-law (who is also a drunk) ruined a perfectly lovely family game of monopoly last night by annoying her 18 year old daughter so much that the daughter (my niece) threw her to the ground, jumped on top of her and started pummeling her in the head!

[jeffmal]

Nope, you are not alone. I hate the holidays. Starting next year me, hubby and the kids are going to leave for the two weeks to some exotic locale.

Agreed .. I tried this three years ago .. and guess what .. the inlaws (4 of them) fanangled their way onto coming on the trip to Florida with us - I was pissed to say the least. Now atleast I can "enjoy" having them sit around for 3 weeks doing nothing .. in the comfort of my own home.. amen for computers.

[Jaxson]

I am sorry but I got a little chuckle out of this one. I quit being around my family 4 years ago because of all the drama or fussing over things we (me) did to each other when we were growing up! My kids still go over to my sister's for the gathering but I refuse. At first it was I was being a 'brat' but I could care less we don't spend time together during the year so why put the uneasy feeling on everybody during the holidays? I much prefer being at home alone Christmas Eve to finish my wrapping or cook something for my family dinner the next day. DS will probably not go anymore as my DD got lavished with things he didn't. I just don't get that, how do you buy for one child in a family but not the other when you always have?

Norman Rockwell only exists in his painting folks. Well mostly. Actually when I "dropped out" of the getting together with my family our holidays are much more meaningful because I am making the memories for my kids.