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Original poster

Help me make their visit special

13 replies

Izzwizzo · 15/08/2022 18:36

Please help me to be a good host lovely mumsnetters. My sister and BIL are due to visit from abroad for the first time since 2019. Due to COVID and having a baby (now toddler)and moving four times in the last two years I'm seriously out of practice at hosting. I'm so excited to see her and want to make her visit extra special as they are using the vast majority of their annual leave to basically visit all the relatives and my parents are making zero effort (a whole other thread in itself). So far I have

Cleaned the whole house
Cleaned the guest room which has its own bathroom
Put out our flufffiest towels for them
Freshly ironed bedding
Bought lots of snacks and booze
Put fancy travel toiletries in their bathroom
Tried to put some manners on the dog (mainly failed as he's an over excited arsehole but they love dogs and have their own so hoping they'll let this pass)
Loosely planned meals/activities but with plenty of flexibility for their preferences

What have I missed? They are spending their last week with us so I want them to feel that they've had a bit of luxury/relaxation/holiday rather than having spent three weeks in elderly relatives living rooms making small talk Grin

OP posts:
Cruisebabe1 · 15/08/2022 18:37

Sounds wonderful!!

yonce · 15/08/2022 18:37

To be honest this sounds absolutely fabulous already!! You've done every single thing I thought of after reading your first few sentences, I can't think of anything to add at all 😊

NerrSnerr · 15/08/2022 18:46

Sounds good. When mine were toddlers the best thing you could have done is ask about meal times as we visited some people who were really rigid about food and got offended when my 2 year old who had been up at 5 was desperate for lunch at 11.45 (I never expected anyone else to eat or prepare food but we were expected to all wait until about 2!) and if the toddler has been travelling and is all over the place with sleep/ tiredness/ grumpiness pretend that the 4am tantrum didn't disturb you!

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HSKAT · 15/08/2022 18:51

Sounds amazing.

Toddlers fave snacks? Mine was quite fussy at that age.

Write wifi and Netflix password down for them and put on drawer or something in room.

lastminutedotcom22 · 15/08/2022 18:51

This sounds absolutely fantastic
Maybe flowers in their room but to be honest what you've done already sounds really nice and thoughtful 🤔

When I have guests I make bread - never other times 😂 but the smell is amazing 🤩

Original poster
Izzwizzo · 15/08/2022 18:54

Thank you all. I think I'm panicking slightly as I'm so out of practice at having people to stay. Planning to feed the toddler separately when needed so that they are not starving at 5pm but no one else is ready to eat. I'm probably over excited as well as it's been so long since I've seen my sister and I've missed her hugely so I just want to make it special for them

OP posts:
TigerRag · 15/08/2022 18:59

Have you checked the foods they do and don't eat? As someone with allergies food can be a problem sometimes.

JubileeTissues · 15/08/2022 19:18

Can you get a babysitter overnight and book a table at a nice restaurant or tickets for something and have an evening just you and your sister/adults?

Toddlers are cute but not for a whole week if luxury and relaxation is what you're aiming for.

Original poster
Izzwizzo · 15/08/2022 20:31

Some great ideas. Flowers I can definitely do and writing down passwords is genius. The toddler is mine and I know my sister wants to spend time with her but it would be great to spend some adult time alone. My parents do babysit occasionally but as they've gone slightly insane over this visit (and not in an excited way) I suspect they would refuse on the basis that we would be having a nice time but they weren't invited! Confused. I might try to think of some nice adult things to do at home and my DH who gets on well with my BIL has offered to stay at home if my sister and I want to go out one evening so that might be a plan

OP posts:
JubileeTissues · 15/08/2022 20:47

Ask your parents to babysit anyway. If they're being weird and not wanting to make an effort it'll give them the perfect get out and you get child free time to catch up! Win win.

ClaryFairchild · 15/08/2022 20:59

Some toys? A friend of mine borrowed some toddler toys from the toy library when we visited. Meant I didn't have to keep carting toys to visit them when I travelled to my family overseas.

welshpolarbear · 15/08/2022 21:08

ClaryFairchild · 15/08/2022 20:59

Some toys? A friend of mine borrowed some toddler toys from the toy library when we visited. Meant I didn't have to keep carting toys to visit them when I travelled to my family overseas.

It's the op who has the toddler not the sister. Good idea though.

HairyScaryMonster · 16/08/2022 07:14

I'd put chocs on their pillows just for a laugh, perhaps fresh flowers in their room? And make up a little basket of those snacks and so they don't have to go riffling?

Depending on what time they're arriving I'd do a cream tea or afternoon tea if appropriate.

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