To spend 50 weeks a year missing my mum and the other 2 wanting her to go home?

[AphroditeInHerNightie]

Feel free to flame!!!
We live in Cyprus and are currently 12 days into a 2 week visit by my Mum. I love her to bits - honest, and the kids adore her. But - blimey - she gets on my tits while she's here!
Doesn't help that she doesn't drive so we have to take her everywhere and she also doesn't "go off and do her own thing" so she's always around us.
I feel like the world's most ungrateful daughter as she's "very helpful" around the house, helps with the kids, has babysat a couple of times so DH and I can go out and had even offered to cook a few meals. But she's driving me nuts!!!
I just want my own space and the freedom to have a conversation with DH without my mother assuming I'm talking to her and hijacking the conversation. Also, how old do I have to get before she realises that I am totally competent in running a house and can do without her constant "suggestions" and "improvements" and the running commentary she offers. The woman has a degree in "stating the bleeding obvious" I swear.
I'm seriously at my wits end and I know that as I wave her plane off at the airport I'll be hit by a massive wave of guilt.

And how the hell do I avoid my kids feeling this way about me one day?

Thanks for letting me vent!

Sounds a very similar situation when my mum comes to stay ....

This visit, I have had my kitchen rearranged ('cos I haven't been able to find things and cook sufficiently well for over 18 months... ), she has questioned my recycling habits and basically bossed me arouind as if I was the 4 year old ...

I miss her and her company like mad, but sometimes ....

Just to let you know that whether you are unreasonable or not you are in good company

same here. unfortunately I think it's sadly inevitable that our kids will feel the same way about us.

Thanks everyone for making me feel normal!
Well, she left for home today (on schedule - not enforced!), so I'm embroiled now in the guilt / relief cycle!
Oh the joys!

Aphrodite i didn't know i had a sister...

Aaarghhh

At least yours has been and gone; mine's coming over soon. Sounds mean but Really i find it hard to be around her for too long. I'm reserved, she fills every (normal, relaxing) silence with what i can only describe as verbal diarrhoea.
Re the personal space...every time I leave the room to potter about, check the oven, come on to Mumsnet etc., it's "Where are you going Sobe, how long will you be , it's lovely just to sit with you.."

She is fairly lonely and I feel sorry about that but otoh she is one of those people who expects life and other people within it to entertain and look after her rather than going out looking to see what she can make of things herself. She loves being "dependent" and I just find her Quite Hard Work.

Sorry for the hijack but by God I feel a bit better now, and hopefully have shown you that your sort of mother is not that unusual.

God I know exactly how you feel
When my parents visit I really look forward to it but after a few days of them nit picking and generally just getting in the way I am at my wits end.
Thankfully my mum and I are quite open about it and only book visits for a week or 10 days at most.
I find one parent a lot easier than both at the same time but they are too old to travel alone now.
we are going to them this summer and already I am thinking of ways we can get out of their hair.

It really isn't normal to live in the same house as your parents for any length of time after the age of 18.

I am with you on this. When Mum is down for a visit, and I feel terrible but I count the hours.

And for someone who is always offering to help, she creates a lot of work, treats me like a five year old, witters on and then goes in the huff. Such fun.

And I do worry that I will just replicate this relationship with my ds.

Completely reasonable my dear! Stop worrying! I didn't even need to read your post, my mum lives four miles away, when shes here I want her to leave, when I haven't seen her for threee days, I start stalking her......