NBR: Can I vent about my Bro & SIL?

KAmandaK · December 2011

I have not seen my brother in at least 8 years!! He lives in OK and I live in NJ and our mother lives in AR. His only defense is that he was in the Air Force and has spent a lot of time overseas. However, every time I make a trip to AR (usually 2x a year) I ask for him and his family to come too since I would like to meet my 6 yr old nephew and for him to meet his nieces. He or his wife always have an excuse. It wouldn't be so bad but they are able to make trips to CA to see her family at least once a year.

The reason this is irritating me so badly right now is that he retired from the USAF this past month and I'm making another trip to AR on Thursday. I asked them last month if they could make it. He said he thought he could since he would no longer have military things going on. His wife has not had a job in several years. Well, fast forward to today and they aren't coming because his wife wants to work on Saturday and their daughter has a choir concert on Sunday night. WTF?? You have never met three of your nieces (my other brother has an 8 yr old they haven't met) and you can't meet me half way?? They never come visit my mother either and also don't invite her to come visit.

We all have perfectly nice email/phone exchanges so it isn't like there is bad blood. I just do not get it. I guess I should be thankful that at least I didn't plan my trip around them for them to cancel last minute. Yeah, that happened last time.

Okay, vent over. I'm glad I got that off my chest before I exploded on them.

KAmandaK · December 2011

Maybe my nephew will want to meet me when he is an adult. At this rate that's when it will happen!

angel2288 · December 2011

If it were me, I would point out how they never vist to really get them to see. And let them know how you want to meet your nephew and have them meet the other kids in the family.

babyAutumn · December 2011

Sounds familiar. If I wasn't the one making the effort, my kids probably wouldn't see their cousins either and they only live 2 hours away. I agree some people are too self-absorbed in their own lives and sometimes can't be bothered meeting you half way. What I find sad is that my brother used to be so family oriented and now we rarely see him. My parents have only seen my niece twice and they only live four hours away...they always have excuses of why they can't visit. So sad but a reality we have to live with.