Mom invites family to 6-year-old's music performance, gets disappointed when none of them show: 'One hour before, her aunt, uncle, and grandpa canceled'

What kind of message does it send to a child when they can't depend on their family?

Time and again, we hear that the best thing to do for kids while they are growing up is to keep being present and engaged with what is happening in their lives. This may be most important from parental figures, but it is also something that other family members should think about. The more that the village seems present, the better.

Admittedly, sometimes other life priorities get in the way, and more distant relatives are not always going to be able to be there for every single milestone or achievement that a child celebrates. 

As a general rule, though, consistency is important, and they should show up when they said they would. Children tend to remember when adults betray their trust, and if somebody does it enough times, that person is not as likely to be somebody that they will choose to be around when they get older. The phenomenon of no-contact is only getting more popular and less stigmatized. While nobody should be too hard on themselves for the occasional letdown, a pattern of this behavior only reinforces a poor familial relationship.