Anonymous wrote:You stopped talking to your own brother for 6 years because of a nastygram email? How about talk about what happened and try to fix it.
I didn't grow up around cousins and I sure missed it, stop holding a grudge.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I never had a good relationship with my only brother, we didn't care much about each other when we were kids. A few years ago I was getting married, I decided "what the heck, I'll invite him to the wedding. Sure, we only talk on each other's birthdays, but what the heck?"Now our invitation said "no children" and my fiance and I really meant "no children." Brother and SIL threw a huge tantrum, saying that I was mean and I was only excluding their three children. Who, may I add, at that time were all under the age of 5. DH's nieces and nephews also were "excluded" but no one had a fit and parents were very understanding. This was a destination wedding, relatively small. They ended up not coming, sent me a really mean nastygram via e-mail, so I blocked them from our lives.
Couples months ago DH and I had our first child. For whatever reason, my parents told my brother. Out of the blue, SIL writes me this very sugar-y e-mail saying how much she has missed "us" and that the children cannot wait to meet their new sibling. No apologies whatsoever for the nastygram they sent us. Now I haven't talked to these people in 6 years. We did a good job avoiding each other at family gatherings. Their children don't say hello to me when I visit my parents. So I am trying to understand the mentality of "why now? why do you want to meet my child?" Who are these self-entitled people?
Sorry for the vent.
Honestly, it sounds like you are all a bunch of children. Grow up.
Anonymous wrote:I have relatives like this. Some changes for the better, some didn't.
They want their children to have relationships with their cousins.
Tbf a destination wedding where immediate family kids are not allowed really sucks. Were they supposed to leave their children with strangers?
Of course the nasty gram was unwarranted, but I wouldn't bring it up. Keep your expectations very low and if they cross a line, leave.
Anonymous wrote:I never had a good relationship with my only brother, we didn't care much about each other when we were kids. A few years ago I was getting married, I decided "what the heck, I'll invite him to the wedding. Sure, we only talk on each other's birthdays, but what the heck?"Now our invitation said "no children" and my fiance and I really meant "no children." Brother and SIL threw a huge tantrum, saying that I was mean and I was only excluding their three children. Who, may I add, at that time were all under the age of 5. DH's nieces and nephews also were "excluded" but no one had a fit and parents were very understanding. This was a destination wedding, relatively small. They ended up not coming, sent me a really mean nastygram via e-mail, so I blocked them from our lives.
Couples months ago DH and I had our first child. For whatever reason, my parents told my brother. Out of the blue, SIL writes me this very sugar-y e-mail saying how much she has missed "us" and that the children cannot wait to meet their new sibling. No apologies whatsoever for the nastygram they sent us. Now I haven't talked to these people in 6 years. We did a good job avoiding each other at family gatherings. Their children don't say hello to me when I visit my parents. So I am trying to understand the mentality of "why now? why do you want to meet my child?" Who are these self-entitled people?
Sorry for the vent.
Anonymous wrote:She's offering an olive branch. You can choose to accept it, or go on living with your grudge.
Frankly, when I'm going to be seeing people again and again over the course of the next few decades, I try to mend fences. It makes the experiences more enjoyable.
Anonymous wrote:Perhaps they are just relatives whose views have softened with the passage of time.
OP, you only have one family, and you only have one shot at the life you have. As a favor to your own family, and to your brother's family, why not try to bring them into your life?
Now our invitation said "no children" and my fiance and I really meant "no children." Brother and SIL threw a huge tantrum, saying that I was mean and I was only excluding their three children. Who, may I add, at that time were all under the age of 5. DH's nieces and nephews also were "excluded" but no one had a fit and parents were very understanding. This was a destination wedding, relatively small. They ended up not coming, sent me a really mean nastygram via e-mail, so I blocked them from our lives.