To want to scream

[Pinkpinot]

It's half term
Mil is visiting from far away
Dh has gone on a trip
Dmil can't go anywhere far
Can't have ds's friends over to play, she can't deal with that
She also does not stop talking about everything.
Ds is so active, has cabin fever

I feel so trapped
Managed to fill the last 2 days, stuck now

Her underwear is hanging up in the lounge
And pantyhose hanging up in the shower

Leave MIL on her own for a few hours and go to the park/shopping/anywhere.

Tell her you need to take DS out, also give her advanced warning that DS will be having a friend round on x day. You could offer to drop her into town before hand or something.

Dear Lord - can you take your son for a walk around the block? Set up an assault course in the living room (cushions designated as lava, safe, melting etc depending on age)? Obstacle race in the garden? Scream into a pillow and start counting down the seconds until your husband is back by deciding what he will have to do to make it up to you?!

Can you drive? Go to a National Trust place - she stays in the café whilst DS plays in the play area

Pinkpinot Can't have ds's friends over to play, she can't deal with that

Why not? I can understand being accommodating for (eg) she can't walk far therefore we don't go out, but equally if she is visiting she has to accommodate normal events - eg kids visiting.

I agree Penny. OP your life needs to continue, visitors or not.
Put your foot down.
DS needs friends over, and to go out places when hes off school.

So she said she was going to walk to the shop, i said we were going to the park, next door
She wouldnt wait, so she was then too tired to go back with us
So I give up, we'll just have to do our own thing
Had to come back from park cos it was blowing a gale, then heavens opened.
Bloody weather

Will see if ds's friends can come over

Does she have her own room? Stick her in it with a pot of tea and a magazine and let DS have his friends downstairs.

The visit won't work on these terms. Set aside special family time for you together- get a nice meal ready for the evening when DS is in bed, prepare a favourite DVD or board game or cards or whatever makes her happy.

Share these plans with her. Then say calmly and firmly, "I am sure you'd like some peace and quiet. I am taking DS out to play with some friends, we will be back at 4pm"

She will probably be relieved if she is so tired.

She hasn't just arrived, she's been here for 2 weeks, I took here out for lunch and to the shops and out for coffee etc.
It's just ds being off that's the problem. She doesn't want to do anything that he wants to do. Refused to come to the movies yesterday, because she hates cartoons.
Took him to the park last week, she had to come home cos she was too cold, it was 19 degrees.
Yesterday he told her that its rude to interrupt, cos she keeps talking over him!!

We're watching a movie now, but i didnt want ds watching too much tv. she's doing a crossword in the other room
Will make plans for next couple of days!

Don't spend all day long together. It's really not necessary.

Why is she here if your DH is away?!!

"She doesn't want to do anything that he wants to do. Refused to come to the movies yesterday, because she hates cartoons."

Did she realise your DS would be cluttering up the place so annoyingly when she booked her trip?! She has to realise that it's your life (and DS's) and she needs to fit in. Otherwise: off to a hotel with you, MIL.

Dh had a business trip in the middle of her stay. unavoidable, allegedly!

She is spending some time with ds, they went to cafe down the road for hot chocolate, she has been babysitting so plenty of time for them together on their own.
I just can't drag her along to days out with him
Or to my friends houses, with kids
I can take her out for an hour it so and that's it

But ds really needs activities
I just got him to do some reading eggs stuff on computer and he told her to be quiet cos he couldn't hear the questions!!

I just want then to have a nice time together, but it's so hard
She's annoying him( and me) but really she's an old lady away from home, bored, incapacitated ( sore leg) and I think she's used to naps and doing her own thing

The last visit was like this
Could be worse, at least it's only 3 weeks, last time it was over a month
She annoys dh too

I have wine

So today, after ds's friend turns up to play, she tells me she feels guilty that she hasn't spent more time with him

Just to say you sound very patient and accomodating. That is a hard situation and 3 weeks is an age!! We have a very tricky older relative that comes to stay with us and it is similarly grim....never for that long though. Good luck this week!

Thanks lilac
I think I need a medal!!
I came back this afternoon, been out an hour, and she had been outside trying to fix a fence panel that has blown down!
Wtf is she thinking?
And she's just nearly had a coronary because I didn't bring milk home
We have a least 2 litres

I'm aware I might be talking to myself but it helps to rant !

3 weeks!!!!!

You deserve an array of medals woman!

Single nostril breathing and gin is the only advice I can give you

You're an angel! How much longer is she visiting for? Poor mil wants to enjoy time with you both, and vice versa, but it's so hard for that length of time!

One more day
I think I might just have ruined it though
I've just told ds off, he ignored me so I flipped and sent him to bed, cue lots of wailing and crying

And honestly it's all because he was showing off for her
I just want to cry now
And ds will now probably get up even earlier tomorrow, so I've shot myself in the foot there

Oh ess

Oh ess