roundy77 et al, my bro-in-law is equally a POS, and although i firmly agree with our impolite neighbors to the north, i know that me and my wife are the one stable anchor in this world for their three kids (they are at my house at least every other weekend). if not for us they would not have a sense of what a real family is, what it is to care for someone unconditionally, not to mention warm clothes in the winter, or new bunk beds etc. i am not saying i am mother-freakin-Teresa; but i love those poor kids as i would my own, there is nothing more rewarding, heartwarming, terrible and heartbreaking than hearing a 2 year old say, 'i want to live at unca bill's he is funny'. so while it is incredibly tempting to say $#@!'em, unfortunately it is truly the kids that suffer. now do you have to go over and be nice, oh hell no. my bro-in-law knows full well the only reason he is walking the earth is that it is illegal for me to remove him, and that if there is ever a mark on his kids (in the past he has been physical with my sis-in-law who in typical low self esteem fashion did nothing about it) that i will have his kids removed from his presence at the very least. my two cents, take them for what they are worth; but i'd bet you do more good close than far away.
