Did you at least get verbal 'thank-you' from any of them?

My adult kids always say 'thank-you' but it rarely comes in the form of a written formal note. I get lots of thanks in person at event, calls, texts, that type of thing, but none of them (or their spouses/offspring) have ever failed to say thank-you and shown appreciation.
As for gifts at Christmas, we draw names on adults (money is different from household to household for my family) but there is always the little thinking of you symbolic gestures of helping before/after get togethers, food carried in that type of acknowledgement. While my DS32 did not have my name, he sent a Happy New Year gesture of a trip to my favorite salon with a note of 'a treat for you from me'. So yeah, it's a mutual give and take between the kids and I, the love is there and we share it in our own ways through out the year.

Sorry about your home being ruined, but right on a new redo, all fixed up and better than ever, and best part maybe it'll all be done (mess clean up/renew work and hassle) by the time you fly home. I was just commenting to the husband this morning about being time for a new kitchen floor, but I don't want to deal with the mess and hassle while it gets done. Think I'll wait until summer when I'm not in kitchen as much and spend more time outside before I get serious about a new floor.

sorry about the house.

17 and 22 might not be in a position of buying gifts (still in school, have no money?). DD21 got me a present, actually a good book, but i would prefer she got me nothing because she is in college full time and works many hours just to support herself, i told her please do not spend any money.

Older children certainly could do somehting unless it is not your family tradition. We do not send formal thank-yous but we do call and email each other.

If children are trully upset i am not sure if it was worth it to go to Florida. But oh well, too late now. I think i would prefer DD directly tells me if she is hurt, just get it in the open.

maybe you should ask your and stepkids if they are hurt and what can be done to mend it. Don't want any bottled up feelings, do you?

MMm, no I don't think you deserve anything for going to your FL home for Xmas, I'm with you on that one!

Plus you invited them all down if I remember correctly. But hey you get to remodel_yea!

My DS called me & DH both seperately to thank us for his gifts, nothing written but he was very appreciative. SKids thanked DH while they were over. I don't really expect a written thank you from any of them, its not a wedding or grad gift.they (SKids) chipped in & got us a cert for lunch out, DS got us each a small gift. He is a poor college student so I wish he hadn't.

-Cat

No Money - No Excuse
A piece of paper and a writing implement can actually turn into a card - throw in a pair of scissors, cut a snowflake, insert a paper clip - hey! It's an ornament. I think you get my point - no money is no excuse.

In regard to a verbal thank you from ANY of them - not a word, although I wasn't with the fiance' when his kids opened their gifts. Maybe they thanked him. LoL!

As for *next* Christmas ... just want you all to know ... we'll be commuting Toledo - St Louis - Toledo. ;)

Well Skids never thank "me" but that's fine as long as they appreciate their dad I guess. I don't know, Florida still sounds most appealing to me. I'm thinking of a cruise next christmas.
-Cat

terenick,

Thank you notes might be asking for a slice of the moon but verbal thank yous are a minimum demonstration of appreciation and respect that they should have learned as toddlers.

My adult SS actually complained about the various gifts I've given him and his kids so my wallet is closed.

And no, the flooding at your house isn't "what you get" unless you mean a remodeled house on the insurance company's dime. It's tough, you need your own life but you are still accomodating some pretty ungrateful adults. (although I'm not sure your skids, like mine, are all that different than people's biokids at those ages.) I mean, I never sent my parents a thank you note for anything ever but I did say many thank yous!

My DH gave his oldest son, SS30, a ream of movie passes for Christmas, the best of the Christmas leftovers including a completely new and fresh Honeybaked Ham, gumbo loaded heavily with crab (one of my personal faves now gone) and other things plus of course gifts for the kids. No thank you of any sort, verbal, e-mailed, thank you note, text, you get it. All I could do was shake my head at the cleaned out refrigerator and his hurt feelings.

Do you have another bedroom at the Florida house so we can come too? Just kidding, well, not really :)

lamom OP's biokids also never said thank you or got anything for their mom/dad, I find it hard to believe that all of the kids are simply ungrateful and self-absorbed. all 5 of them?