Do your parents and in laws hang out?

[thedreamisnotthereality]

I was thinking recently how in an idyllic situation I would love my parents and in laws to spend time and enjoy time together (sadly they dont have a lot in common and just tolerate each other and also live very far away from one another)
Am I too idealistic? Does anybody elses get on and spend time together or just the usual obligational gatherings?

Yes.

Yes mine see each other, our mums sort of knew each other before we got together. They are very different so not best mates but they do have lunches and go to evening events as it’s local to all of them.

It’s a blessing and a curse!

Married 25 years. DM met PIL once, that was at our wedding.
They lived nearly 3 hours away from each other.

My parents are no longer with us, nor is FIL, but they used to all meet for Christmas, Easter, bbqs, as well as the usual weddings/funerals. Quite different people but it seemed to work.

My parents and in laws lived in different countries and only met once at our wedding but next generation down we have a good relationship with our son’s in-laws, were out for dinner with them last week, I have coffee or lunch with DIL’s mum once every few weeks. We all live within 20 mins, both sets of grandparents do a day a week childcare and swap to suit and we all spend Christmas, Mothers Day, R

Both sides are dead.

They lived a few hundred miles from each other, and while they got on OK and we come from similar backgrounds (Irish Catholic working class made good) there wasn't a close relationship between them. My dad died a couple of months after our wedding....I don't know if this a bit uncomfortable for my inlaws.

My parents weren't particularly close to any of their children's inlaws, to be fair (though my sister's husbands parents died long before they met and he has no contact with his brother). They got on well when they met but only saw them at family events.

no, imagine if there was a falling out. Mine & DH's parents have never met & we've been together 16 years

Posted too soon! Easter etc. together so nobody has to choose. We are very different people but make it work for our kids.

Nope. Husband and I have been together since 2008, married in 2011 and our parents have met twice, in the lead up to and then at our wedding. No other reason than they live 45 minutes apart, my in-laws don't drive and they're just different people without much in common.

My two sets of grandparents were the same, don't think I can recall a time when they would have been at the same event apart from probably mine and my brothers christenings 40 years ago.

Not met since our wedding in 1986

Nope. They live abroad and really don’t have much in common 😆

Not really. Big occasions only. But I know families where the two sets of parents became good friends, big fall outs occurred impacting on all the families concerned.

Nope, they’ve probably met two or three times in thirty years. They have zero in common so probably best this way.

My parents and DHs parents are very different but every time my parents visit us, we go for a meal or walk or whatever together. They've been to big birthday parties for each other, send flowers when someone dies on either side etc. Also see each other at DC events and every 3 years will spend Christmas all together with us.

Not even at your wedding?

My grandparents used to go on holiday with each other. It was lovely and I had no idea how rare.
Sadly my PILs have both passed so no chance for them to develop a relationship although my DPs did meet my now MIL a few times and I think they would have got on.

My inlaws don't spend time with each other, let alone my DP. They're all nice people and get on OK on the rare occasions when they are all together, but I don't think that's happened in over 10 years.

To clarify, in laws are separated.