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Elderly parents

Is it unreasonable to think we have a life too

58 replies

Happyhappy011 · 12/08/2019 21:33

Help!! I really need your honest opinions as I am beginning to think myself and DH are complete horrors. MIL and FIL live about an hour and half drive away. So when visiting it really takes up the whole day as 3 hours in car alone. One SIL lives two and half hours away and the other SIL lives in the doorstep. Myself and DH work 6 days a week each. We are not rich but not poor and have a fairly ok lifestyle due to the fact we work hard (we have to) I sometimes work 7 days a week. MIL wants us to visit every Sunday, our only day off. At the moment we go every other week and have one week where we can lie in, go shopping, lunch, see my parents, our grandchildren etc. MIL also wants DH to take annual leave to visit and makes him feel very guilty. Honestly, should we go every week on our day off? Are we being completely selfish and unloving by wanting some down time and ‘us’ time. Local SIL is unemployed by choice and visits most days but is literally a stones throw away

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 13/08/2019 17:22

How old are they and how capable are they?

JontyDoggle37 · 13/08/2019 17:19

Boundaries. Boundaries. Boundaries. I’ve just lost my mum, but she was a terror for wanting me always available and expecting I basically existed to sort her life out. I pushed back hard, she grumped and got over it.

fedup21 · 13/08/2019 17:19

SIL is now saying that when we visit we have to stay most of the day rather than just 2 or 3 hours!

Again, she can say whatever she wants, but that doesn’t mean it has to happen. Say no.

fedup21 · 13/08/2019 17:18

They can want it to happen, it doesn’t mean it will though.

What does your DH think?

Happyhappy011 · 13/08/2019 17:17

So sorry to rant but I really need to get this off my chest! SIL is now saying that when we visit we have to stay most of the day rather than just 2 or 3 hours!

OP posts:
Happyhappy011 · 13/08/2019 17:16

Unfortunately Skype is out of the question. They do not have internet access and wouldn’t know how or even want to do it. We do phone every single day, often twice. And they have help in that Carers go in 4 times a day plus SIL goes in most days with shopping, cooked dinners etc. They just feel that my DH, there son, has a duty to visit at least once or twice a week and say things like “can’t you sacrifice your Sunday” or “we looked after you growing up”. I just feel like a really horrible DIL by saying it is not physically possible and we do need our own quality time. They also want DH to take annual leave from work to visit!! I am banging my head against the floor as I write Grin

OP posts:
MereDintofPandiculation · 13/08/2019 11:44

No, you can't maintain that. Even one day a fortnight isn't enough downtime for you both. You'll end up resenting them. and that defeats the object.

Could you perhaps skype or send a letter once a month, and visit once a month?

Just as a comparison, I used to visit my parents once every 2 months, although that was for an entire weekend. Then when my DF came to live 1/4 mile from us, I started with a weekly visit supplemented by daily emails, and never got further than 3 times a week (although I would have visit more if I could just "pop in", but I never managed to get away in less than 2 hours).

thesandwich · 12/08/2019 22:14

It is not unreasonable!!!
You deserve your own life. What does she need? If it’s things doing, support her to get help to do it. Protect your boundaries.
YANBU!!!!!!!!!!!!🌺🌺🌺

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