Should I apologize? Or just let it go?

Question

My inlaws have been divorced for 20 years. They live on opposite sides of MN and haven't seen or spoken to each other since my wedding 16 years ago. So a couple of weeks ago my family went on a vacation, and on the way spent a day with my mother-in-law. The kids went swimming and I took some great pictures, which I emailed to both sets of inlaws. My husband thinks I was insensitive to send them to my father-in-law. In hindsight, it probably was. (We spend more time with the FIL than with the MIL and they all know it, so that's not the problem.)

So should I call or email an apology to my FIL and his wife for being insensitive, or just let it go? They haven't mentioned the pictures at all... I just feel like a jerk.

Answer 1

I think you have done a good job and there is no need to feel or say sorry as long as any one of two (in-laws) objects over it. Your intention were good and we all hope its results too came out good and both of them once again become one and the next time when you go on vacations then it should be a complete family.

Answer 2

yes

Answer 3

Mentioning it to your fil might not be a bad thing. Just tell him you sent him pics of the kids without thinking about it and you are sorry if you made anyone uncomfortable. If nothing else, you will feel better.

Answer 4

Next time you guys see your Father In-Law, bring your camera and take lots of family pictures with him included. Email these pictures to him as well. This will let him know that it wasn't anything personal, and that you just love taking pictures of your family, and it's just important to you that he gets to share them too.

Answer 5

I think what you were trying to do here was show your FIL the pics of your kids having fun. I don't think that you were intending on hurting him in any way. If he hasn't said anything to you you could leave it alone, or you could apologize and tell him you just wanted him to see the kids having fun.

Answer 6

Let it go. You father in law is a grown-up. He knows you have a relationship with your MIL. Why deny him the pleasure of viewing pictures of his grandchildren having fun? If the pictures included solo shots of MIL, that would be different but if the pics are of the kids only or the whole family (even if MIL is incidentally in the photo), I see that you have nothing to apologize for. To apologize just places you in the middle between MIL and FIL - a place where you don't want to be.  Just MHO.