I hate house guests

[MrsRedford]

...and I'm having in-laws coming round to visit us for 6 weeks!! (from Australia). Their idea, not mine. Money is tight so they can't stay in a hotel. How can I make sure it doesn't go sour? Ds is 4 and it's chaos as it is. Dh could only take a week off work. But what shall I do with them for the rest of the time? I can't seem to find the motivation to play hostess. Any good houseguest tips? Or shall I slash my wrists now?

There's no point coming all the way from Oz for just a week or so, alannabanana; a long stay is very understandable especially when there's a grandson to get to know.

Shitting crikey, 6 weeks?

Divorce may be the only option.

mathanxiety has a great idea - set the tone from the beginning by giving them a front door key.It shows on your behalf you have gone to the trouble of getting one for them, and gives a HUGE hint that that are to come and go as they like.

though tethersend suggestion sounds pretty good too

mine are coming for 12 weeks! thankfully this time round their daughter has finally got her own place so we'll be dividing time between the 2 flats. Last time they came for 12 weeks I had them the whole time bar 5 days on a trip to Italy and one weekend to visit distant relatives.

I found what helped was reaching the halfway mark and counting down from there. In your case it's only 3 weeks so that's nothing really.

Partner's folks are great and am looking forward to some help with my dd but really anything over 3 weeks is a bloody imposition! I emphathise.

Plan lots of trips and nice things to do.

Shitting crikey indeed.
A week does me, and I love my family.
Impossible to be with someone else that long in normal sized house.
I would be hiding in bedrrooon or gonig for long solo drives to get away.

forgot to say ... last time they were with me dd was still bfeeding so I couldn't really utilise them much for babysitting ... this time round dd is nearly 3 and I will be thoroughly taking the piss in that department!

Can't you go on holiday?

For about, I don't know, 5 1/2 weeks?

I hear Australia is lovely this time of year.

And I'm pretty sure I know of an empty house...

There is some really good advice on here. I thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart. Especially for sympathising.

6 weeks is a loooooong time. It hasn't even started yet, and I'm exhausted. Been tidying up for days. I need to stock up on tea and biscuits, so I'm not always running out of things. Because it will be me running to the shop in my pyjamas to get the milk/juice/tea/cornflakes/eggs.

FIL is diabetic and MIL has some food allergies which makes lunch and dinner a nightmare. Last time they came, she was allergic to just about everything. Grapes! Oranges! onions! She breaks out into skin rashes. No meat for MIL. ...but lots of red meat for FIL !!!!

Oh gosh, you poor thing.

My in-laws stay for a week at a time regularly, but they (well, my MIL) sees herself as part of the household and gets on with the cooking or takes my daughter out in the car so it's nice. My FIL spends his time on the couch with a paper ignoring us, which is fine too.

Um.

Nothing to add that others haven't but add my sympathy to the pile. Also wanted to throw some sympathy to helenwombat - I can't believe your mum's giving you the whole 'I looked after you for 17 years' thing if you're 40 weeks pregnant and waiting on her hand and foot. Blimey.

Make the "rules" clear from the beginning.

Make a schedule for yourself when you´re out (ie not catering for them all the time, even if it is just: Monday morning library, Tuesday pm swimming, On Wednesday you always go and meet a friend, on Friday you and DH go out together (they might babaysit?), also go out without explaining why or where, you do not need to justify your actions to them remember)

Tell them where the food is, where the shop is, and that they please help themselves when hungry. Make sure you are not always around at meal times (have a sandwich in town on your own for example).

If people stay this long, they cannot possibly expect you to do all the catering, make all their tea and coffee etc. Thry to aim for happy independence on both sides

I find having to explain your actions (justifying yourself) and constant catering to be the killers, so bear that in mind

I hope this goes well. They adore me, and we have a 'lovely' relationship (so far they've never stayed this long).

I hope they don't realise I'm actually a cranky hermit. It will be nice for ds as he can spend a lot of time with them and get got know his grandparents.

travelodge are doing 9quid offers, get in there now, if not for them, for you.