WWYD re having MIL to stay?!

[CocktailQueen]

First of all, hi :) I am new here - have been lurking for a while and loooove some of the posts so here goes - My MIL has just discovered rising damp in her house and has to have the entire downstairs replastered and a new damp proofing thingie put in. She can't go in her lounge/dining room while this is being done - 7 days. Am thinking we shouuuuulllld ask her to stay with us for the week - else she'll bei living in her bedroom and the kitchen - but the possibility is doing my head in!! DD is at school all day. DD2 is at preschool 3 mornings. DH works looooonnng hours. I am a SAHM, so the onus would fall on me and me alone. That would be a LOT of time just me and MIL. She is 86 and frail so can't walk far so we can't get out and do much. I'd hear the same conversations every day for the week too as she can't remember what she's just told me. The kids play up while she's here (tho they'd like to see her). Arggghhhhhhh. We get on OOOKKKKK but I have to bite my tongue a lot with her as she is v critical. What to do?? She lives with dh's brother, age 60. If that's relevant!! WWYD?????
Help!!
Am trying to be unselfish but it's hard... would mean not being able to relax for the week - and having a lot of

so she wouldn't be able to use the bathroom in the house she shares with dh's brother's whilst the work was being done?

Its only a week , surely you can cope for a week

you couldbe doing a major spring-cleaning offensive whilst she is there. She might be happy to just relax, she is quite old.

Where would your BIL be?

Would she ever go home?

Can your DH take a few days holiday to be there with her?

Where's bil going? If he's going to a hotel then she could go with him; it sounds to me like she might be very mildly senile in which case she'll be more reassured by having bil around.

Do you have lots of room? Could you move stuff around a bit so that she has a bedsit in your house so she can sit in her own room with a tv/radio and only come out when she wants the kitchen?

On the other hand, it is only a week.

I'd ask the BIL what plans are in place, he might have already arranged something. If he is going to be out during the daytime, she might be uncomfortable with having people working in the house while she's there (or on the other hand, she might need to be there to let them in).

If she does come for the week you'll just need to explain that you'll have to carry on doing your normal jobs/ school runs, but if she would just be sitting reading a book in her front room at home then she might be more comfortable doing the same in your front room, even if you need to go out. Don't rise to criticism.

Thanks all - think we have decided to ask her to stay. No idea what BIL's plans are. He usually lives in his bedroom so will let him carry on - not inviting him too!! BTW Mil would have been able to use her bathroom - I'm not so heartless as to let her live in a house wihtout bathroom facilities for a week!!!!!