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500 mile round trip for a dinner - we're not mad are we?

601 replies

Decisionsdecisions1 · 20/10/2025 08:19

It's MiL's 80th birthday - she is lovely, a really kind, positive person. She lives 250 miles away unfortunately - DP's extended family (also lovely) suggested doing a dinner in a nice restaurant with everyone to make it special. We don't usually see MiL on her birthday as we only really travel down in school hols.

So we'll be travelling Fri evening, leaving Sun morning. Will be around 5-6 hours each way. We haven't planned too much during the day Saturday as MiL gets tired and isn't as mobile as she used to be.

The problem is dd(13) is in a sulk as she's missing a friends birthday party and rehearsal for a dance show and is moaning that there will be nothing for her to do and no young people to talk to. (All her cousins are away at uni and not coming).

My instinct if I'm honest is to tell her to suck it up, life is about giving not just taking etc. But I'm now worried she'll be monosyllabic and sulk all weekend. I can make her go - I can't make her be chatty etc. And I'll then be annoyed with her for not thinking of her GM.

Or are we mad travelling all that way for 36 hours.....dd is making me doubt myself...

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 23/10/2025 09:10

cardibach · 22/10/2025 10:55

If you had read the OP’s recent post you would know it wasn’t. The teenage party date has changed and now clashes with the grandmother dinner which has been planned for months.

Page hadn’t refreshed properly when I replied

in this case then as teen party changed date , its granny’s bash she goes to

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