Letting Go of Family Time When Family Doesn’t Want to Be Together

The idea of inviting my family to spend time together is something I've cherished for a long time. Despite that, moments spent with my relatives in a group gathering have now become an awkward event where nobody can seem to find something to talk about and the conversation just seems to taper off quickly. Nobody wants to be there, which brings me to the question - should I continue to invite my family together when none of them seem to want to be around me?

There are several points of view to consider when trying to answer this question. On one hand, it’s nice to make the attempt to spend some quality family time together every now and then. This can be especially important if your family relationships are strained. These occasions can be an opportunity to catch up on each others’ lives, express feelings of love and appreciation, and create closer ties.

On the other hand, you will undoubtedly be aware when family members don’t really want to be together. This kind of awkward environment can be taxing not only mentally, but also emotionally. You have to decide whether it’s worth it to keep pushing yourself and everyone else to participate in these events or if it would be better to just move on without them.

It ultimately comes down to whether we should put our ego first, or the needs of our family. We need to be honest about our own motivations for wanting to spend family time together. Are we doing it out of the feeling of obligation? Or is there a genuine desire to be together? These are important questions to consider in order to make the best decision going forward.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that no matter how hard we try, we can’t make someone want to spend time with us. If our family members seem as if they don’t want to be together, maybe it’s better to accept the situation. There’s still hope that in the future, members of the family might be open to coming together, but it’s not something that can be forced in the moment.

We should take a step back and ask ourselves why family time is so important to us and if there are any other ways we can still stay connected to our relatives despite the current tension. Maybe through a phone call or video call with a specific family member or two, or sending a gift or meaningful message can still bring some closeness within the family without requiring everyone to be present in the same place at the same time.