Family boundaries and celebrations: Why exclusion from a dinner plan led to a difficult decision regarding a birthday event

Sean’s parents, Eleanor and Richard; his sister, Melissa, with her husband, Grant; his brother, Thomas, with his wife, Claire; and two sets of aunts and uncles.

A convoy of sleek black Mercedes vans was waiting at the terminal. It should have impressed them. Instead, Eleanor’s first words stepping off the plane were a complaint.

“I thought I’d specified continue reading …