https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:35:25 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560564 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:03:31 +0000 Aria 1560564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents and I live on opposite coasts.</p> <p>I usually see them once or twice a year, though lately I've seen my dad every couple months because he travels out here for business. </p> <p>When I go to visit I usually stay for a week. When they come to visit me it's usually a shorter trip, because they have to stay at a hotel and it gets expensive. </p> <p>I would love to see my parents at least once a month, maybe more often if I was able. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560549 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:54:06 +0000 chopsuey 1560549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we see my inlaws 4x a year. they visit for around 4 days. we visit for the same. </p> <p>we see my family around 4x too. they usually come to us and stay 5ish days. we're visiting them over the summer and staying 5 nights. </p> <p>wish I could see my fam at least once a month! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560546 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:51:59 +0000 Beehive 1560546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents are a 2.5 hour plane ride away, so not across the country. They visit about once a month, for only 2 days each time. </p> <p>My in-laws are across an ocean, and they visit us once a year, and we visit them once a year. Their visit last year was about a week, and our visits will probably be about the same (so we can get some of our own travel in, once we're there).</p> <p>I would love to see my in-laws more, I feel bad that they only get to see LO twice a year! I like the many short visits from my parents, they get to see LO in all his stages of development which I know is fun for them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560451 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:13:33 +0000 Myicitygirl 1560451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We moved from NYC to SoCal 18 months ago. Both sets of parents and all siblings are in the NY metro area. Lots of relatives on DH side in Toronto. We took the only grandchild with us (second due in a month), so we have some lingering guilt about that.</p> <p>[How often do you see them?] We have visited NY twice so far (every 6 months) and most close relatives have visited once. With baby 2 due shortly, most everyone is visiting this summer, and we will probably visit NY once a year, starting with his first birthday.</p> <p>[How long do you stay (or they stay)?] 2 weeks. When we visit NY we rent a short term vacation rental because I need privacy and no one has a baby safe residence. But mainly I don't want my in-laws or my parents in my face constantly. Plus we go out to see friends a lot when we visit and having our own place makes it easier to juggle seeing friends and family.</p> <p>[How often do you want to see them?] I wish I could see my parents more often. I am fine seeing in laws once a year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560166 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:55:51 +0000 Mae 1560166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My MIL lives far away (no direct flights so it usually takes like 6+ hours due to connection). Despite being together 7 years I don't feel like we have a set routine with her. We've gone as long as 2 years without seeing her, but have also seen her 2-3 times in one year if more stuff is going on (like the year we got married). I suspect once the baby is here she might be a bit more insistent on more frequent visits, but I wouldn't imagine we'll see her more than twice/year generally still. Visits are usually around a week, although she is coming for 10 days when the baby is born (save me). </p> <p>I think ideally we would see her 1-2 times/year but only for like 4 days. I have a hard time being with family for extended periods of time (any family). I get why it is always longer because if you are paying for a plane ticket better make it worth it... but a week+ is just really hard for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560165 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:55:37 +0000 mrsrain 1560165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: We have always lived a pretty significant distance from both of our families. In the past we have seen both families at least once a year. We would switch off between Thanksgiving and Christmas (one with his family the other with mine). Usually they would also manage to come out and see us at least one other time during the year.</p> <p>Now that we have our first child on the way, I am not sure what will happen. We will only be able to afford traveling for one holiday, so we may have to rely more on them coming to visit... or just see everyone a little less often. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560132 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:46:59 +0000 Torchwood 1560132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did until recently, and I was pretty much okay with us going home for Christmas and maybe one more time, not for more than a week. And I was fine with either no one visiting, or just long weekends. I don't really feel a strong need to see my family a ton. Honestly, being back home now has put more of a strain on my relationship with my mom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560121 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:44:55 +0000 Mrs. Bee 1560121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We fly to LA 1-2 times a year to visit my family and stay about a week. My mom flies out by herself to New York (my dad hates flying) another 3 times a year, usually only for 4 days.</p> <p>We fly to the Philippines to visit Mr. Bee's family once a year for two weeks. We can't go more often because it's so far away, and they are too old to make the trip now (3 flights, 2 days).</p> <p>I wish we lived closer to both sets of parents. I just don't want to live in Los Angeles. My mom would be SUCH A HUGE HELP if she lived nearby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560076 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:35:13 +0000 MamaMoose 1560076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in TN and my parents and my ILs all live in the Boston area. I would say we see my parents about 5 times a year and we see my ILs maybe three times a year? It sort of depends on what kind of events are going on, but in general my parents come to visit more, so we see them more. We usually do a couple of weekend trips a year to Boston, and then one longer trip (usually around Christmas, though this year's long trip will be for my SIL's wedding). When we are in Boston we stay at my parents house as much as possible because my ILs smoke and we don't like being there. When people come visit us it's usually for about 4 days. Though my dad came last fall for a whole week and it was glorious. He cooked for us every night, and picked the baby up from school early every day and took her for long walks in the park. My dad rules. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560066 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:33:49 +0000 looch 1560066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: Do you ever visit your MIL? Could you possibly do a trip around it, to minimize the togetherness?!?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560057 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:31:32 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 1560057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Parents are a trans-atlantic flight away, so we've been seeing them only about once a year. If they come to us they stay for a week or so. If we fly there, minimum 2 weeks to justify the flights/time change etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560050 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:30:09 +0000 sunny 1560050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: nope she just lives there for now! She moved there around 5 years ago. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560044 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:28:51 +0000 swurlygurl 1560044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're just a 3.5 hour plane ride away (seems like nothing compared to some of your plane rides!).</p> <p>I generally see my family anywhere from 2-5 times a year. It will probably start slowing down since all my friends are married off and I won't have anymore weddings to fly to.</p> <p>My parents come out here for a long week to come to the lake with us. I go home for Christmas every year for about a week. Other trips are usually long weekends when we can fit them in.</p> <p>I would like to see my family MUCH more often! We see my ILs every weekend (if not more), and I'm so sad I can't see my own family anywhere close to that often. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560040 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:28:25 +0000 skibobrown 1560040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in the middle of the country -- we need to take 2 flights (each 1-2.5 hours) to get to our family who are all in the Boston area. </p> <p>We see my parents typically 2-3 times per year. This year they are visiting twice, for 5-7 days each time. We are visiting once for 2 weeks, and we also took a vacation with them to Florida for a week. Two of those visits also included my sister, who lives on the west coast. I will my parents would visit us for longer chunks of time where they could help out more with childcare in the way that many nearby grandparents do. As it is, their visits usually involve us doing a lot of hosting and entertaining. </p> <p>We typically see DH's mom and dad (they're divorced) only 1-2 times per year. His dad doesn't visit us. His mom only has once, so we only see them when we go back to Boston. I think we spend about the right amount of time w/ DH's family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560023 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:24:01 +0000 looch 1560023@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: oh wow, my inlaws come from Switzerland as well! Is your MIL Swiss? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560019 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:22:39 +0000 BSB 1560019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our families are a 5 hour flight away, too. We fly home for the holidays and if we can swing it, we'll fly there for a summer trip. </p> <p>DH's family has traveled here but only my sister has visited us so far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1560002 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:19:06 +0000 looch 1560002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we lived abroad, we would see my family once a year, sometimes twice, but not usually. We would travel to see them, my brother doesn't fly and can't really be left alone, so my parents would have to come one at a time. Usual lenght of trip was 2 weeks.</p> <p>Now that we live abroad from my inlaws, we see them once a year as well, either with them visiting or with us visiting. I personally would rather have them visit us for ease, BUT when we visit them, our son gets to see his cousins and aunts and uncles.</p> <p>When my inlaws visit, my MIL cooks and does the ironing, my FIL takes care of the pool and yard and paints stuff around the house. So, we love it when they visit. Last visit was 10 days, this year will be about 12. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1559997 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:17:41 +0000 MoonMoon 1559997@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in the east, in-laws in the Midwest, parents in CA.</p> <p>In-laws drive here each summer for a week, and we go to them for xmas for a week.</p> <p>My mom and dad make it here once or twice a year now that we have LO, and we go to CA once or twice a year, staying 2-3 weeks.</p> <p>This arrangement is fine with me, I like the excuse to fly to CA, but I do wish my mom lived closer and could come by more spontaneously! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1559969 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:11:40 +0000 lamariniere 1559969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in Austria, my dad lives in the US, my ILs live in France.</p> <p>How often do you see them? Dad, once per year, ILs 3-4 times</p> <p>How long do you stay (or they stay)? Dad, at least 2 weeks, sometimes more, ILs minimum 4 days, usually up to a week.</p> <p>How often do you want to see them? I'm ok with the frequency. I would rather see my dad a little more often and my ILs a little less though :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-live-across-the-country-or-further-from-your-family#post-1559951 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:08:50 +0000 sunny 1559951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you live across the country (or further) from your family...</p> <p>How often do you see them?<br /> How long do you stay (or they stay)?<br /> How often do you <b>want</b> to see them? </p> <p>We live a 5 hour (direct) plane ride from my parents and we see them once a year and usually stay for 2 weeks. I'd love if they would come visit us too but for some reason they don't really want to come :-(</p> <p>MIL comes once a year from Switzerland and she comes for 3+ weeks. It would be nice if she stayed for 2 weeks or less. </p> <p>We see FIL when we visit him in Romania. So far it has only been 2x in the past 5 years and we have stayed 2.5-3 weeks. I think it would be nice if continued to see him every 2-3 years. </p>