Dear Prudence,
My husband and his brother have been almost entirely estranged since their father died more than three years ago. There was no will, so my husband was tasked with managing all the ins and outs of the estate. Their childhood home sold for much less than hoped (poor upkeep, and a surprise reverse mortgage that came to light in the 11th hour), and my brother-in-law blamed my husband for his subsequent financial woes.
Fast forward to today: My mother-in-law is planning a joint family trip for us all. She wants to take all her grandkids to Disney World “before it’s too late.” That’s right - Disney. With all of us.
BIL has said he’d “put differences aside” to make MIL happy, but … it all feels fake. It IS fake. I don’t think there’s any reality in which they can work out these “differences,” let alone in time for a vacation later this year. I know this trip is a bad idea, and general advice would be to avoid it altogether, to not spend time with people pretending everything is “OK…” But this trip is happening whether I like it or not. Sending the kids solo with grandma is not an option, so, how would you suggest I handle it all? What’s the best way to shield my kids on a trip that will likely include obvious fighting and drama?
—Trip Trapped