Best thing my wife and I ever did (and we are approaching a quarter century of a nearly flawless marriage) was to maintain a comfortable distance from the families we came from. The closest family member is about 30 miles away and most of them are at least a time zone away. We only see them on special occasions.
Now that's a recipe for marital bliss.
I would suggest you butt out and let your grandkids make their own decisions.
Can't agree more.
I'm sure as the sun will come up tomorrow my mother in law (now on her third divorce) lived anywhere near us our 30 year marriage would have be a living hell with her butting in every day.
Still after 30 years and raising six kids she warns my wife I might leave her so she better be prepared (whatever that means)
Thankfully she lives 2,000 miles away.
...and it only took me 15 years to convince my mother I'm not a doctor or lawyer became I married her. She actually sort of likes her now....sort of LOL
Reason a lot of marriages fail is because busy-body relatives insist upon interfering with and being overly involved in other people’s marriages.
I agree with this. I have seen this a lot. The best decision a newly married couple could do is move at least one state away (30 miles worked but I would suggest with immediate family members one state).
Sorry to disagree with you, it's not the "interfering, busy-body relatives" that is the "problem," it's either one or both newly weds who don't understand (or can't) that their marriage depends on them putting God first, each other second.
When that is the rule in their marriage, there is room for family even ones who may not respect the total commitment of the couple to one another (a woman usually needs the help with her female family when she bears children.)
Yes, it can present the situation you envision but if either the wife or the husband turns to others when the going gets tough, and it will get "tough," it matters not whether it's a close friend, sister, brother or parent (even magazine articles, Oprah or Dr. Phil) who is influencing one or both members of the couple.
Dragging your husband or wife half-way across the country to avoid family is usually a substitute for insecurity of one or both members of the couple. Not the recipe for a quality marriage.
Now my parents live across the city and it is fine but for the first few years while we were figuring this whole marriage business out they were on the other side of the globe. I think that was best.
Now my parents live across the city and it is fine but for the first few years while we were figuring this whole marriage business out they were on the other side of the globe. I think that was best.