I don't know....this all seems like fairly mild gossip to me. So the SAHM puts her kid in an expensive extra curricular. So what? Yawn. I would be shocked if they could get much mileage out of that news. Just try to change the topic if it makes you uncomfortable. Go to be early and let them talk about you - "That Suzie is such a dear, but oh my! That new hairstyle she has is just awful." Eh, so what.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In some families, this type of chatter is the only "safe" way to converse. No one is nasty about it, but most of our family discussions are about who is doing what or where so-and-so went to college. If it weren't for this stuff, we'd probably be cleaning up blood because the Republicans and Democrats have such different views of world events. I'll take more gossip, please!

Doesn't sound as "safe" for OPs IL family...

Maybe. Or maybe not. My point is that the bitchy gossip may be the "safest" topic, considering the alternatives. Family dynamics are complex. If she wants to change the topic to Syria or Obamacare, thinking that world events would be more interesting and less destructive than the bitchy gossip, she may find herself in the middle of WWIII.

Anonymous wrote:In some families, this type of chatter is the only "safe" way to converse. No one is nasty about it, but most of our family discussions are about who is doing what or where so-and-so went to college. If it weren't for this stuff, we'd probably be cleaning up blood because the Republicans and Democrats have such different views of world events. I'll take more gossip, please!

Doesn't sound as "safe" for OPs IL family...

In some families, this type of chatter is the only "safe" way to converse. No one is nasty about it, but most of our family discussions are about who is doing what or where so-and-so went to college. If it weren't for this stuff, we'd probably be cleaning up blood because the Republicans and Democrats have such different views of world events. I'll take more gossip, please!