I might be crazy, but I have a feeling cameras will still be able to work after the graduation. There's no reason why he can't set up a photo session with all 3 girls on another date.

You made a decision... good for you... now don't let him make you feel guilty about it. Sounds like you guys feed off of each other in this toxic relationship.

I think that was a reasonable compromise. A 9 year old requires a lot more direction supervision than a 12 year old. Your DH sounds like an easily distracted person who doesn't necessarily pay attention to details. I'd have nightmares about his leaving her unattended at that pool.

It's not like this was a once in a lifetime trip to another continent. You each get a child. Each child gets one on one time.

And I agree with DisneyFan - cameras will still be around after graduation. I just hope the 12 year old isn't too horribly bored.

My DD23 just graduated from her masters program (brag alert - and has a job in her field $41,000 a year)and if he got just an announcement, there is probably no ticket for him and DD. I hope he communicated with his daughter before he headed out.

:jawdrop: I just read that ONLY DH's name was on the invitation. I know it's too late, but that is a MAJOR gamechanger for me! No way would I have sent my children there if they weren't specifically invited. And I don't think it was implied that they were invited--if so, was it also implied that you also were invited? When my SSs graduated from high school and when oldest SS graduated college, the outer envelope with the invitation was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. _____ & family and on the inside the invitation's actual envelope had all our first names, ie., Dad, SMto2, DS1 and DS2. Had it not been that way I would NOT have gone. That is such a slap in the face. At least you do have one of your DSs there with you. And I totally disagree that she should have to miss her field trip for her Step-sister's graduation.

DH will surely have to scalp for tickets in the parking lot. I can't believe he never called SD to ask about tickets, he's is NUTS! (and then to claim he got 4 of them and never showed you? riiight...)

The only thing BD9 lost was a hideous boring weekend.

Whoever thinks that Elizabeth's DH was just looking for a family bonding moment ought to read each and every single blog of hers for the last, oh, ten years.

Her DH is a sociopathic deviant that is in an emotionally incestuous relationship with his oldest daughter from his first marriage/relationship.

He cares not a whit for Elizabeth and his younger two daughters. He is all about appearances trying to make himself out to be FOTY. He never voluntarily spends any time with his younger two children, but is very content to spend his wife's earnings on child chasing his oldest, mediocre, crass kidult; all the while imposing his bombastic will on Elizabeth and his younger two with a breathtaking impertinent double standard.

Clear enough for the assorted johnny-come-latelys?

Hmm. So interesting, the whole issue takes on a different slant depending on the ticket-policy that the college may or may not have!

In my case, I have experience with 2 high school graduations. First, my own, which I didn't attend but a friend picked up my diploma for me - no cost to attend, walk-ins from the street were welcome. Second, my cousin's, to which she was provided with 2 tickets and additional tickets were available for $5 ea on a first come - first served basis.

I have attended one college and one university. Both required you to pay an extra fee to graduate, an extra fee to attend your own graduation ceremony, an extra fee to rent gowns etc. For one, the ceremony is always held outside (in Vancouver, where it never fails to be crazy-freezing in June and also super-foggy, and often raining), and you had to have a ticket as someone would check regularly. I don't know how much as I didn't graduate from there. The college was much smaller and as far as I know, they would have had to rent space for the ceremony, so I'm sure tickets were not only required but would been sold (vs provided).

My much younger sister was around the age of your daughters when I finished undergrad. I was the first person in my family to even go to college much less graduate - most did not finish high school so it was a big deal to me at least. I asked her what she remembered about my graduation - all she could remember was that it was boring and awful.

I cannot imagine any 9 or 12 year old child that would be excited to sit through a horribly boring ceremony.