In-laws have had a big row!

[Gearoidin]

ConcernCatholic:

If my husband and I go visit family when we know things will be uncomfortable, we try to visit other people as well. This way, we are not in the house as often but we also are able to put on a loving front. We fake it till we make it. Our SIL drives us crazy beyond belief. Because of health problems, we were able to avoid the trip this year. Before the health issues came up, we had planned to visit some friends and do some sight seeing to keep us out of the house as much as possible.

One other consideration is the family is really cordial and put on a good show when out and about. Use this to your advantage and try to keep them out and about as much as possible. This way they will avoid the drama because they wouldn’t want the public to get any negative ideas. Instead of having dinner at home, eat out as much as possible. Keep them in the public eye as much as you can. The less you stay in, the less chance there is of anyone trying to corner you. Also, keep reminding yourself that you only have to see them once a year and don’t have to live with them.

Just my two cents…I will pray for you. In-laws can be a source of much pain. If my MIL says one more thing about my husbands weight, I think I am going to have a conniption fit

Thank you for your prayers. That is good advice too. I guess we can have a sudden desire to visit lots of shrines over the New Year or something.
However, we usually go back for Golden Week (May 3,4,5) and o-bon (Aug 12,13,14) so this is a year round problem now.

Gearoidin

 

[Gearoidin]

Rebecca New:

I put this on my New Years list of things to do!!!

Also, our Faith has a Commandment to Honor Thy Father and Mother. That goes for FL and ML too. Just focus on that and you will only help the situation, not make it worse.

Thank you! Happy New Year!

Gearoidin

 

[BlestOne]

Gearoidin:

Shikoku, the smallest of the 4 main Japanese islands. We live in Kagawa, my in-laws in a neighbouring prefecture. It is a rural area (by Japanese standards) with lots of bamboo-covered mountains, irrigation ponds for the rice fields, orange and olive trees. It is like a different world to Tokyo. Much more relaxed but also more traditional and conservative than Tokyo.

Gearoidin

Gearoidin,
I definitely know what you mean about it being another world. I sounds absolutely beautiful!!! I live in a very small rural town in the middle of the US and people always think that all the US is like Los Angeles or New York. Small towns are so much more conservative and the lanscape is much much better! My co-worker has been going through major shock here because it literally takes 30 minutes to drive to the next town over, the only place to go shopping nearby. He was amazed at all the farm land here, and how cell phones don’t work everywhere out in the country. It has been alot of fun teaching him and his family about the area since they are city dwellers.
Best of luck with the in-laws (or as my family calls them, the outlaws)