Mother coming to stay tomorrow !

[miobombino]

She's a good kind grandmother but somehow we rub each other the wrong way...
thought I'd get it off my chest tonight in an effort to calm down, and also to see if any of you had any tips on staying calm, serene and patient with a parent, at a time of year when i don't have enough hours in the day to manage 4 children/assorted concerts/cake sales/parties...when said parent really would like me to sit on the sofa for hours at a time griping in a negative way about people from her past chatting with her about this and that.

That's better !

Don't ask me, I have my MiL staying for a month - she's been here since Sunday and I'm already trying to work out if I can conceivably send her on a coach holiday for two weeks to get rid of her.

Having said she is doing the washing up at the mo (because she thinks I'm still putting DD to bed ))

I wish my parents or inlaws were interested in coming to see us at this time of year.

Broccoli - please feel free to borrow mine!

Chocolate...a whole month ??

Yes I'll have to spend ages putting my 3 yo to bed, in order to get some peace to go on MN/do some silent screams without her asking every 3 seconds what I'm doing/where I'm going, which is what normally happens when I leave a room she's in.

did I mention she's quite high maintenance ?

You need to develop a nasty tummy bug which - regrettably - enforces you to spend long periods in the loo. Make sure you have plenty of good reading matter stashed in there. If you've got an en-suite so much the better.

Are your kids old enough to co-opt into granny-sitting? A kid and a GP and a photo album can work well....

Good idea EmsMum...yes the 3 older ones could be roped in on a rota basis to show off photos/play the piano to doting granny etc.

2 hours to go now...must go and buy some rescue remedy !

can you give her some jobs to do? when she is negative, paint on your loveliest smile and make cheerful remarks - no reason why she should bring you down - she might even get the messasge that griping is not an option in your house! lol at coach holiday idea wmmc

miobombino - I would think of specific tasks for your mum to help with and set her going on them. Or, specific fun activities for her to do, with a child/you whatever. You are more likely to spend hours yakking on the sofa if there is no structure to the evening and indecision as to what to do. HTH.

Are you my sister Miobambino? My mum is coming for two weeks over Christmas and I am girding my loins already. She likes to sit in the living room all day and expects me to come and sit and chat when I am busy with the children whom she likes to see but seems to resent if they take any of my attention away from her.

Lets swap ladies, my mil likes to walk all day with the dog and she expects me to follow her, since we are in london that means driving to richmond deer park , and she hates anything thats nice- restaurants she will moan and when she fed us soup for christmas thats when i said enough is enough-she is as skinny as a reed- she hates food- we always stop at a garage before we get to her house to eat . she lives on irish catholic guilt. she tells tells to her hubby and when i tell my dp he says she will never change get used to it.

Rosa if i had a sister I'd be certain it was you

mitford, yes I think jobs; little ones but with a purpose, are the way to go.

Well she's downstairs now - with 3 of her dgc, looking at ds3's new truck. but I'll be back on duty soon making another cup of tea !

It's great to hear tales of your mums/mils...keep them coming !

Just to REALLY piss you off ladies, my mother is fab, and my MIL is in Spain until 23rd Dec. Coming for an hour on Christmas Day at about 11am. Coming all day Boxing Day with my parents, sis and BIL and kids, at our request. Will celebrate her and my dads birthdays at the same time so I don't need to see her then til new year. She is away for 3 weeks in Jan, so it all pans out quite nicely for me.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!