I spent Christmas with my in-laws this year, and I can tell you that it was the other side of bizarre.
Paranoia and fear drove just about everything from discussions about disasters to fizzing interactions where tears, drama and dysregulation was never far away.
Oh wow, Moselle! Were you at one of my family get together's from a few years back? Lots-o-fun
How do I respond to this?. My children were fixated by these attractive, successful, generous (well certainly in a material sense) people. To give you an idea, my daughter came to me today and asked me to put up a new shelf in her room becuse she doesn't have any space left for all her Christmas presents from these in law's. It feels like they are trying to buy my children's hearts and souls
Just keep being your awesome self! If it's any consolation, I think it's pretty normal for children to be attracted to shiny new things; yay presents! Would it be possible to donate some of what's old in your daughter's bedroom, things she's no longer really into, to charity?
The in-laws can try to buy their love until the cows come home,
parents are who children naturally look to for guidance.
