text: No, you are not a bad hostess.  If one has the luxury of hiring a cook and a babysitter for the party, then the hostess can devote herself solely to the guests, but most of us must do as you did--make introductions then try to juggle the cooking and the children.\n\nTo my mind, it's the job of family guests to make friends feel welcome--and I place in-laws in that category of family.  Your in-laws were the ones who failed by acting "clannish."  When people are insecure and refuse to interact, they are indeed being rude, but they will never admit it.  \n\nThe remedy takes a lot of time.  The in-laws simply need to see the friends enough times so that they will begin to consider them familiar faces, and hopefully then, they will be willing to accept them into the family "clan."