frugalone
10-13-15, 6:00pm
I have an uncle who is raising his three grandchildren because their parents are drug addicts. Bless my aunt and uncle, but they did a lousy job with their kids and are doing another lousy job with these little girls. They are bratty, out of control, spoiled, etc. I will state up front I am not a "kid person"--I don't enjoy being around children, I don't have any of my own.
The last time I attended one of these parties was two years ago and I swore it was the last time. The food was perfectly awful, the children were awful, the house has some sort of mildew/mold problem and you could smell it everywhere. In the meantime, my uncle has become very ill. He has had pneumonia, congestive heart failure, several heart attacks, diabetic and overweight. My DH has told me numerous times that he will probably not live another five years, and that if I want to spend time with him, there's no time like the present.
My uncle just got out of the hospital for a foot infection the other day and he is insisting on going through with a joint b-day party for the girls this weekend. My mom keeps telling him he should not be on his feet (doctor's orders) but he insists it's too late to cancel. Neither my mother nor I want to attend said party. DH will probably go along with whatever I decide. My mom has a dental appointment on Friday and may need serious work, and she's thinking of using this as an excuse to call off.
Why do I feel obligated to attend s/thing I really, really don't want to attend? I feel like DH says the above like a guilt grip sometimes. As for himself, he's always saying he's going to drive up and see my uncle, or call him, and he never does.
My aunt and uncle, on the other hand, put in perfunctory appearances at family gatherings, and it's always like, "oh, hey, nice seeing you for an hour, but we have somewhere else where we're expected."
Why don't I just make up an excuse that I'm sick or something since I don't want to go to this event? The closer it gets, the more hellish I'm anticipating it to be.
Any advice?
P.S. Neither of my siblings are going. They have legitimate work or family excuses. I feel like since I have neither I "should" attend the party.
The last time I attended one of these parties was two years ago and I swore it was the last time. The food was perfectly awful, the children were awful, the house has some sort of mildew/mold problem and you could smell it everywhere. In the meantime, my uncle has become very ill. He has had pneumonia, congestive heart failure, several heart attacks, diabetic and overweight. My DH has told me numerous times that he will probably not live another five years, and that if I want to spend time with him, there's no time like the present.
My uncle just got out of the hospital for a foot infection the other day and he is insisting on going through with a joint b-day party for the girls this weekend. My mom keeps telling him he should not be on his feet (doctor's orders) but he insists it's too late to cancel. Neither my mother nor I want to attend said party. DH will probably go along with whatever I decide. My mom has a dental appointment on Friday and may need serious work, and she's thinking of using this as an excuse to call off.
Why do I feel obligated to attend s/thing I really, really don't want to attend? I feel like DH says the above like a guilt grip sometimes. As for himself, he's always saying he's going to drive up and see my uncle, or call him, and he never does.
My aunt and uncle, on the other hand, put in perfunctory appearances at family gatherings, and it's always like, "oh, hey, nice seeing you for an hour, but we have somewhere else where we're expected."
Why don't I just make up an excuse that I'm sick or something since I don't want to go to this event? The closer it gets, the more hellish I'm anticipating it to be.
Any advice?
P.S. Neither of my siblings are going. They have legitimate work or family excuses. I feel like since I have neither I "should" attend the party.