if you extended family / inlaws are travel distance away - how do you use your vacation time?

[Anonymous]

Our parents all live relatively close to each other several hundred miles from us (full day’s drive). We visit every Christmas and either spring break and/or summer— so 2-3 times a year (DH usually just 1-2 times due to work). Other than long weekends, it’s rare to take a trip somewhere we just want to go, because there’s not enough PTO left. Two kids.

But we have started trying to take such trips again. We bring along at least one grandparent so we get to travel other places but also spend time with family.

One grandparent does complain/whine about us not coming more often, despite knowing that school & work make it not feasible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they complain tell them that they’re free to visit you and then change the topic.

+1

It makes no sense they don’t visit you more. You have three kids to manage on any trip, and they have none.

You have limited vacation and two families to see. They have unlimited vacation.

You are already generous to spend two weeks every year going to the same two places to see family.

We were in the same boat. Grandparents traveled to Europe and Asia and could have visited here more if they had wanted. Their choice. We visited once a year.