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[quote=Anonymous]I agree with the PP saying be sure to schedule some decompression time for yourself afterward.

Also, does this involve an overnight stay for your family? If so, is it possible to do it in a hotel and not in a relative's house? If you're already set to stay with a relative and can't reasonably do a hotel instead, be sure you have a reason to go to bed a bit early (and then watch something on whatever device you bring with you--a distracting movie in your own room with headphones on, if everyone else is up and yakking to all hours of the night).

If you do get to stay in a hotel and your family, like some families, wants you back in the reunion fold bright and early the next day for breakfast etc., just plead that your son isn't an early riser or whatever, and don't rejoin the group until after breakfast.

If this is a one-day affair, so you're not overnighting, will there be any activities at all during the day/evening? Is it just sitting around talking or does someone have anything organized--a trip to a local site of interest, a meal out that's not at someone's home, a game, throwing a ball outdoors, even a family walk--? Activities are a good distraction and let you focus your own attention, and draw others' attention, to things outside the normal "I've got money, I bought this, Kid did this amazing thing" conversations. It's hard to jaw about that stuff if everyone's touring someplace.

If it is indeed a day of sitting around and yakking, I wouldn't meet them with snark or sarcasm. That only lowers you and it might be fun for a time but will quickly turn the whole group against you. Just nod a lot, practice saying "Mmm-hmm, that's good news" or whatever works, and offer to get your conversation partner a drink or snack; that lets you walk away at least for a  few moments and provides a natural break after which you can return and introduce some neutral topic.

You have my sympathies, OP. Since you really do have no beef with these folks, but they are tediously self-centered, it doesn't hurt to turn up and maintain some contact with them this way. They might be OK in other ways, or might be there for you someday. My own sibling is pretty self-centered, but I've learned that if I nudge the conversation toward other people we mutually know, and I have some news about how they're doing, he turns out to be pretty understanding, and will start asking questions about others rather than just talking about himself. It's shown me over the years that he can get off the topics of his house, his income, his business, connections, etc. if nudged.[/quote]

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