Navigating family dynamics is rarely simple, especially when personal relationships don’t fit traditional molds. At the end of the day, something that feels like a reasonable compromise to one person can feel restrictive or unfair to another, leaving everyone unsure how to move forward.
Today's Original Poster (OP) shared that their sister who was is in a polyamorous relationship wanted to bring her girlfriend to their family trip. While the rest of the family requested discretion around the kids, it didn't sit well with her.
More info: Reddit
Non-traditional relationships are increasingly visible in today’s world, but acceptance within families hasn’t always kept pace
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The author's family planned a group vacation, including parents, siblings, and young children, with the author and their husband being in charge of organizing it
Image credits: tdyuvbanova / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The sister, in a polyamorous relationship, insisted her girlfriend be included in the trip, even though she wasn’t initially invited
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The family agreed to let the girlfriend come but requested no public displays of affection and that she be referred to as a "family friend" around the kids
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The sister rejected this compromise and threatened to skip the trip, leaving the family torn between accommodating her and maintaining comfort for everyone else
Planning a vacation for one household is already a puzzle, but this situation involves multiple families coming together under one roof. The OP shared that their family was going on vacation this summer and to make things easier financially, everyone agreed to pool resources and rent a beach property for a week.
The group included their parents, their husband and kids, their brother, his wife and their their kids. Their sister and her husband were also invited, however, things shifted when the sister asked to include her girlfriend in the trip. Now, it is important to note that the sister is in a polyamorous relationship, something the family doesn’t fully understand but has tried to respect.
Wanting to be inclusive, they agreed to invite the girlfriend on the trip on condition that there would be no public displays of affection in front of the young children. They also planned to introduce the girlfriend as a "family friend" to avoid complicated explanations. While intended as a middle ground, this suggestion didn’t sit well with the sister as she felt it invalidated her relationship and made it seem like something to hide.
The sister threatened not to attend the trip under those conditions, and at that point, the rest of the family were emotionally drained and ready to move forward without her. Meanwhile, the OP was stuck in the middle as they were torn between supporting their sister and respecting everyone's boundaries.
Image credits: Jose Calsina / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Planning group trips, especially with family, can be surprisingly stressful, as Squad Trip notes. Conflicts often emerge when people bring different expectations, personalities, and priorities, turning small disagreements into bigger tensions. Logistics like dividing costs, coordinating schedules, and planning activities can create friction, particularly when contributions are uneven.
According to licensed marriage and family therapist Kaycie Crossley, families often struggle to accept polyamorous or non-traditional relationships, even as these become more visible. Traditional norms around monogamy can make relatives see these relationships as inappropriate or unstable, leading to tension, disapproval, or pressure to keep partners hidden.
Experts cited by Romper reinforce this point, noting that children thrive in diverse or non-traditional family structures when adults communicate respectfully. Very young children, however, can be confused by public displays of adult intimacy, struggling to differentiate between general affection and romantic behavior.
Netizens sided with the OP who set boundaries around the kids, emphasizing that it’s reasonable to limit public displays of affection to avoid confusion. Others disagreed strongly, arguing that asking the sister to hide her relationship was unfair and unnecessary. Would you ask a family member to limit public displays of affection around your kids, or is that crossing a line? We would love to know your thoughts!
Netizens were divided on the situation with some saying that the family's condition was reasonable, while others insisted asking the sister to hide her relationship was unfair and unnecessary
