https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:16:11 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2575009 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 21:01:30 +0000 sapphire 2575009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Comes with the territory...for me it's not usually spending time with people I don't like as much as having social obligations sometimes that id rather skip in favor of something else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574944 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 18:15:06 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2574944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: What you described is very close to what my friend explained. Except for her, large families are a cultural norm and because of it, she's more aware of the numerous social obligations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574936 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 17:57:08 +0000 MaryM 2574936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Even though his family is closer, I still probably see my family more often. </p> <p>DH's social circle is MUCH bigger than mine though. I have a few close friends and I'm fine with that. Quality over quantity. He has lived in the area his entire life and is still friends with a million people and (literally) their mother (and father). We still visit his friends' parents around Christmas...even though the friends have moved away. </p> <p>We can't have a small function. There were 300 people at our wedding reception (we invited 500), and we're hosting an open house tomorrow and close to 100 are coming. Our house is 1500 square feet. I was hoping for maybe 50? </p> <p>I don't mind the people as individuals, but I have social anxiety so it's uncomfortable to deal with that many people all at once. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574801 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 14:41:58 +0000 nana87 2574801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My dh is like the most loyal guy in the world, so is still friends with people he really has nothing in common with except their shared history... Some of his high school friends for example are good people I genuinely like, but there are def a few who it's definitely an obligation to see...! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574662 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 12:25:01 +0000 babynumber1 2574662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We spend a lot of time with both of our families. Each family has its annoying family members, for sure. We visit my grandmother every other Sunday, we have Sunday dinner with his parents every Sunday evening and see family most weekends. Its overwhelming at times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574650 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 12:17:05 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2574650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At this point we are all family. We still visit our own families separately. When everyone is together we each make the vest out if the situation. Heck, sometimes being around my own family is out of obligation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574615 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 11:44:36 +0000 Mama Bird 2574615@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I usually am on good terms with DH's family, but yes, being part of his family does often put me in situations I'm not crazy about. I'm just not a social person in general, while he's very close with his extended family. We see them, or invite them over, a lot. I admire that about him, that he's such a good son, brother, cousin, that he'll drop his other plans to go visit his elderly aunt when she's sick. But yikes, I really miss my alone time, and the visits really make it hard to find time for cooking and cleaning, and taking the kids somewhere that's not a social visit is impossible without weeks of planning and asking if maybe pretty please we can skip seeing the innumerable relatives that once. Of course my family is certified crazy and DH still puts up with them, so it's all fair... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574611 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 11:38:58 +0000 winter_wonder 2574611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I can I try to avoid BIL and SIL...but pretty unavoidable during holidays. MIL has been talking about how important cousin relationships are but I refuse to leave DD alone with BIL or SIL. I don't trust their judgment at all!</p> <p>BIL is also the smartest person in the room.....so that's annoying :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574598 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 11:24:45 +0000 snowjewelz 2574598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think yes. I don't have an issue with anyone in our families, so I'm thankful! But for example, I know my SIL really doesn't like her DH's brother's whole family, but of course they're all forced to hang out and see each other often. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574353 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 07:40:31 +0000 MOMTOLITTLEB 2574353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do like all of them. He had one friend I wasn't crazy about but they've lost touch. I liked his wife so that helped. I love my husband's family but sometimes it can still be a bit much, they're much more intense than my family. I appreciate the close relationships we have but the whole family caters to my SIL and sometimes I get tired of it because I didn't grow up with it like my husband did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574311 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 06:37:24 +0000 caterw 2574311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Members of DH's family are now my family, so even if they aren't my personal favorite person I still go with him for big family events. There are members of my family that I don't like all that much but I still see them... I can suck it up a few times a year so DD gets to know her family. Most of DH' s old friends are awesome- we went to the same high school so I am often friends with them too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/social-obligations#post-2574258 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 02:11:35 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2574258@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The other day, a friend of mine commented about the obligations of being married. The one thing that stood out to me was the idea of having to socially interact with members of the family you don't particularly like. This got me curious, so I added a poll. I think the question is as valid for relationships in general and I've expanded family members to "people" to include close family friends. Multiple votes enabled.</p> <p>Note: frequency isn't stated, so a yes vote can mean the once a year Christmas party, or it can mean once a week and everything in between. </p>