"My life partner and I built and moved into our dream home together a few years ago. We have a decent-sized family and a reasonable number of friends with whom we like to socialize. We are very intentional about whom we invite over and when. Some friends get along with anyone, and others are better off with their own invite on a one-on-one."
"Inevitably after a holiday weekend or some time where we had a larger gathering, these separate friends start asking questions about who was there. They end up insulted and actually ask why they weren't invited or if they are ever going to get invited to one of our parties. We are totally willing and able to be honest with them and explain why we don't include them with the larger group activities."
Be honest with friends about invitation choices and the reasons for preferring smaller, one-on-one interactions for some people. Prioritize relationship maintenance by asking whether everyone is okay rather than centering wounded feelings about being excluded. Set and communicate boundaries clearly and kindly, and offer alternative individual plans to show continued care. Call out pushy or intrusive behavior as a factor in invitation decisions. Maintain calm, direct explanations to reduce guilt and prevent resentment, ensuring that social groupings reflect comfort levels and preserve long-term friendships.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]