Oh, I have no doubt nothing like that occurred. It's just this this family's dynamics lends itself more to family vacations and outings. I see by your remarks you have a large family. That's great. Yet being large, it doesn't lend itself as well to entire family extended vacations unless you have the wherewithal. Not many families do. The one I speak of is sufficient in that regard for its size.
And I think that's where the hurt feelings came from. They seldom do things like that together. Then when something comes up, the mom and two daughters are left out. I don't believe the mom's feelings were hurt, but the daughter's sure were.
I guess I look at it from the standpoint that as a dad, I'm responsible for my entire family's nurturing. If I can do something for one, I can do it for all unless it's specifically intended for that one individual. And in this case, it wasn't as far as I can tell. And it's obvious the other siblings feel neglected. Not that they are, but the feeling is there.
But it's the other implication you brought up that the neighbors were tuned in to. And no, I see no way that's in the cards.
Oh, well...
Because we’re homeschoolers, we’re able to go on vacations during others’ off-season. We’ve rented a lake house for a week in September, less than an hour from home, at a very nice rate; my parents-in-law may be able to join us. We’ve done some oceanside vacations on the same basis. The house cost is less than $1,000, and “survival” costs, food and so on, are no different from being at home. (More families should try this - declare an exposure to Mexican Flu if you have to!)
I think when the younger girls in the family you mention get their opportunity to travel with Dad, they’ll get over their envy of the older sister. As I said, teenage girls are Like That. My brother was in the Air Force when I went on most of my big trips with Dad, and Mom was happy to be rid of both of us! Dad has Alzheimers Disease now, and isn’t able to do many of things with his grandchildren that we had hoped he could, but on his next visit here, I plan to get out the pictures of our trip to the Big Bend to remind him. We made it rain there for the first time in a year!