Standby for family politics central......
My DH family ( parents & sister) are from the UK but moved to Spain 10 years ago. My SIL has an 8yr old son & is getting remarried this Summer.
DH has not had a good relationship with his family ( very different views & outlook on the world & his family are very set in their ways) & we normally see them once/twice a year & just grin & bear it.
By way of background his family have been very against my parenting style eg. Anti breastfeeding (they disapproved of me feeding my 3month old), anti baby led weaning etc etc. I have done alot of tongue biting for the sake of DH! Totally ridiculous arguments have erupted over things like the fact that I'm not a big drinker ( DH dad refused to buy me a drink unless it was wine & we had a standoff in the middle of a bar. Nice!)
Last Summer we went to stay with them & it was more awful than usual. It ended up with huge arguments between DH & family mostly around DS who they think has severe developmental delays, is autistic & needs 'medicated' for his tantrums. DS was not early hitting milestones but nothing extreme & is not autistic ( I took him to Dr after all the fuss & he burst out laughing!) For the record he has grown out of tantruming thank god!!
It was an awful traumatic experience & his family excluded me from most of the arguments. There were a host of following up e-mails from SIL not including me giving examples of DS 'medical issues' ( hilarious now but I wasn't laughing at the time). DH challenged SIL on why I was not included in any of these discussions & her response was it was 'too much of a sensitive subject'.
9 months or so on & DH & family have brushed it under the carpet, I believe DH had a vague apology. DH has not spoken to his mum since last summer & speaks to his Dad/sister once a month maybe. I have only briefly spoken to his Dad but struggle to look at him as its so false.
Should I go to the wedding this Summer???? I feel it's all a total sham & they have treated me terribly. DH admits there is no defence for them but wants me to go to keep up appearances. Odd to travel to Spain to a wedding when u haven't spoken to SIL in 10 months? HELP!!!! They have asked DS to be page boy......