How often do you visit out of town relatives/grandparents?

[tiggerlover]

We are a good 8 hours from family so when we go we have to go for a few days or more. Last time we were home was for Christmas and we don't plan on going home again until Thanksgiving, unless there is an emergency. Last year when my dad was sick and passed away we were home a lot due to circumstances, so this year it will be only once. But now that we live near the beach our family will come visit us more.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Well, for us 4 hours is a short drive. We go to the IL's several times a year. They also come visit us quite often. I have them all over in December for Christmas.

My parents now live 8 hours away (used to be 14+) We will probably see them 3+ times a year now. My Sister and Brother live in KY and MO so I haven't seen them in a few years, but my Brother is supposed to be visiting here tomorrow. I am seeing my Sister in June when we visit my Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins for a wedding. I haven't seen any of them in 4 years.

ETA-I like my IL's which is why we see them so often.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

When your kids are young, it is hard to travel with them. But as they get older and involved in activities, it gets harder because they have games, etc on the weekend. I would encourage them to visit you. Explain that your son has a game and he'd love for them to see him play.

I've never expected my in-laws or my parents to stay in a hotel, but we have room for them in our home. And even when we had a small place, we were willing to make room for family.

Hopefully they will visit and have a good time and it will work out better for you.

 

[Katy Belle]

We've always felt it important to visit the relatives! Since our oldest son was born we always lived a 16hours car ride away, but we always made the trip 4 times a year. We had 2 more boys and continued that. Usually my In laws and my parents would come see us once a year and usually one sibling may come once a year. It is irritating that the road runs one way...but I do think its important for the kids to know their Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins. Now that we are overseas we go twice a year. Its a 24 hour day of flights, its painful. The kids and I stay in the summer for several weeks. Christmas is about a 2 week visit. Its not always fun, but in the long run worth it. I sure do hope my boys come visit me when they are grown up! It also helps us that our parents live only 15 min apart from each other.

Katy

 

[Hannathy]

I've always felt it was important for kids to see their grandparents and I would love to be only 4 hrs away that is so close!! that's not even our first rest stop. Our families are 12 and 18 hrs away and when my folks were alive we went 5-6 times a year and to my MIL (18hr) 3-4 x a year. The 18 mos my Mom was terminally ill it was about every 6 wks. My folks would come and visit and my sister does but my DH's family is another story. If we were only 4 hrs away we could go for all the minor events like birthdays and anniverseries,dance recitals, etc that we miss or even just for a day. It wouldn't take our entire vacation budget just to visit relatives. Kids learn by example and if they see that we are to busy to visit their grandparents they may repeat that when they are adults.
We have lived these distances for 15 yrs.

My Mother would come back and haunt me if I ever made family stay in a motel!

 

[Blondie]

Not as often as I'd like.

 

[Chipperdini]

We live about 650 miles from (most of) our families. Normally we try to visit at least once a year, if not more. We used to spend all our vacation time visiting family. Having said that, our last visit "home" was for Christmas 2000. DH has seen some of his family and mine a couple times since then, and he intends to visit family this year over a weekend in early August. We're undecided at this time about Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.

 

[disykat]

We live 450 miles from family. We've settled into twice a year, once for a long weekend in the summer and once between Christmas and New Years. My parents come up once or twice a year. Dh's parents don't feel comfortable traveling. Dh's sister and her family come once a year. We have also occasionally met family members part way for a weekend at the beach.

When the kids were babies and toddlers, visiting family was our vacation and we went a little more often. Once everyone was out of diapers we started finding ways to arrange our visits so it didn't use up all our vacation time.

 

[DVC Sadie]

We use to fly to see my dh's family up in Maryland at least 3 times a year. I wish we could stay in a hotel! We always stay with my MIL and visit. The last two times my dh went by himself for 5 days while I stayed home with our dogs. Now that my MIL is getting older we will be going to visit a little more often.

 

[delilah]

My in-laws and brothers live in Florida, so, that is a built in excuse to meet them at WDW at least twice a year. I much prefer to do things on my trips rather than just "visit". My in-laws just want to "visit" and not do anything. Whenever they come to Orlando, they want to just go to a restaurant and talk for a few hours. My husband's cousin's son has gone to MK with us, and we paid their admission. MIL lives in a NH in Tampa, so, one day while we are at WDW DH makes a side trip to Tanoa to see his mom. If I am attending a conference at WDW, then DS visits GM. She is really in the end stages of Alzheimer disease, and I am not sure how much DS gets out of the visits with her. (She is 87). So, other trips, he stays with me and my brother's family to be on vacation in Orlando.

My cousin lives in NW Indiana just outside Chicago. They are another group that doesn't really want to do anything. My cousin's wife got really angry with us when their daughters were young because we wanted to take them to the zoo or one of the museums downtown. So, now, quite frankly, we visit with them for a few hours either on the way to Chicago or the way home, and, our last visit to Chicago, we stayed at a hotel downtown within walking distance to the Museum Campus. We usually go to Chicago about once a year, usually at spring break.