glittababe

OMG! Sounds exactly what we've been through! We cooked, cleaned, acted as tour guides, they never contributed to anything and ran my car out of petrol on more than one occasion! Never ever again!!!!! It cost us an absolute fortune, money we should have put towards a deposit for a house. Not even sure they appreciated it. Very sad.

woogle

Well, my mum has already offered her housekeeping upfront ! so she'll be fine.
I'd hate it to all go wrong though when we've waited a year to see them all.

steve99

No matter what they say or prefer or whatever, push and push again for them to get a hire car for the duration.
From experience it can be a nightmare time if they dont.

If there's trips and places they'd like to go being talked about, book them well in advance (like now!) at least for your peace of mind you'll have sometime and space to yourselves to aim towards if things get really bad!

Making them an itinerary or schedule is a good idea, we have a draw in one of the buffet units that is packed full of all the touristy trips, places, companies etc

The best bit of advice I can give is - Learn to bite your tongue without making it bleed

Bix da Boss

thats so funny!
I cant believe it! I wrote 3 answers and scrubbed them all thinking - thats a bit harsh Gill - so glad I am not the only one who got fed up! Best friends aside - the others well - NEVER again!!!

CYA
Gill

glittababe

ahh Gill, you miss them so much, think they've changed then they get here!!!!! Never again, I was a ervous wreck and exhausted by the end of the 2nd week. First week great...........then it went quickly downhill

kimi

[QUOTE=steandleigh;4300072]Get a shed with a big padlock on it - allow them out to stretch their legs for an hour max per day...


Absolutely love this quote - still laughing now!!!

Mine turn up Monday for 7 weeks, which for the Inlaws is a short time - I can handle that, but when it use to be 3-4mths I swear I was at my wits end.

But yes you must insist that they go OUT! I am amazed how visitors come here, and just stay inside or sit in the back yard all the time and never venture out, and from what I can see from my friends all their relatives are the same - WHY!!!

When we came over for 4 weeks visit we stay with relatives and they had to book a time to see us we were out all the time.

iPom

My mother likes to watch afternoon quiz shows. For the time they're here, the TV will have no plug on it.

Nicstids

My in laws have been here 4 months now - another 2 months to go before they leave!! NEVER AGAIN!

They are lovely but having anybody stay for that length of time is just too much. I WANT MY HOUSE BACK!

TeresaG

We went on holiday to Oz a few years ago and we travelled around quite a bit and stayed in hotels. We spent 2 weeks on the Gold Coast staying with my husbands uncle and his family at the end of the holiday. The day we got to his house we went and hired a car for the 2 weeks. I think we were without for a day at the end of the holiday. He had picked us up lists of all the touristy things and places to visit. The first day we didn't do a lot but worked out the places we wanted to go and what we wanted to see. We didn't want to get in their way or be a burden and we were going to book a hotel but they wouldn't hear of it. Everyday we had things planned and entertained ourselves. We did do things with them at the weekends when they weren't working and some evenings we'd go out for a meal. I quite often cooked dinner for them as they'd been at work all day and I mucked in with the housework. I hope that we didn't get in the way or were a pain in the bum. As they've offered for us to go and stay with them when we first arrive I think we weren't.

My inlaws went out 6 months before us for 8 weeks. Apart from spending 5 days in Sydney and 5 days in Cairns they spent the whole time at the house. They wouldn't hire a car and expected to be driven places and entertained. I think they were a bit of a nightmare.

When we finally arrive I'm not sure what it is going to be like having guests for ages. I'm sure we'll love seeing everyone but if they are a pain in backside I'm sure they'll drive me mad. My inlaws annoy me after a few hours so I'm dreading them staying in my house for a couple of months. They won't do anything and I'm sure will drive me mad.

There have been some great ideas in this thread and I'll try and remember them for when the time comes. Otherwise I'll be booking them into a hotel.

steandleigh

Ah, Gill, you know what? I feel awful saying it because you so look forward to family visiting and they have made such an effort to get here - cost of flights and big journey etc...but when the first week is over, I cannot wait to see the back of certain individuals...why can't they just get their finger out a bit, eh?

It's as if they are on holiday and they expect us to be too - when infact this is real, living, breathing, working, everyday life for us....

I always make sure that we have a week off when the said individuals arrive, so we are 'off' with them but they still do bog all to help us out. An example:

It's 6.30am. I get up, have my coffee and cigarette (I know, naughty smoker), get showered, dressed, make sandwiches and lunch for 4, then wake up the tiddlepeeps. make breakfast for 4, it's 7.00am, still have to get the kids dressed, washed and out of the house (by 7.45am for school), kids are staring into their cocopops and the 'certain individuals' have got up way before, said 'good morning' and have taken their coffee back to bed without EVER saying: "would you like me to do tiddlepeep number 1's hair" or "is there anything I can do"? or 'do you need a hand?'

So I'm running around like a blue arsed fly, trying in vain to get the kids sorted for school and they are back in bed....why wouldn't you offer to make life easier, especially when they've been dying to see the kids for a year?

Example number two: It's a sunday - I go to uni all day (Ste takes the kids to palm Cove for the day) as its the end of semester and I have assignments to hand in and exams to revise for. I get home at 5pm, having stopped off at woolies for groceries (as I know damn well the visitors won't have even thought about eating). As soon as I step through the door, the visitors say: "so whats for dinner this evening" and "have you collected any wine on your way home?" ...

Arrrgghhhhh!!!!! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL DAY?

This is the end for us (well it was as of last November). Our visitors are in for a rude awakening (which, again, is very sad)...there will be rules and it will be set out plain and simple and if they don't like it then they can book a hotel for the 7 weeks they come to stay and see how much that costs them (and lets not forget the car hire which they never seem to need but then rely on me for ferrying around....)

Arrrggghhhhhh!!!!

Hilton`s

you think you`ve got problems! My 19 year old son has 2 mate`s arriving from England tomorrow morning for 6 weeks and one arriving next Saturday for 3 weeks and I don`t think they even know how to plug an iron in, let alone use one!!!

steandleigh

I can trump you on every count - will they expect you to:

Cook for them

Clean around them

Do their food and alcohol shopping for them

Wash, dry and iron their clothes for them

Drive them everywhere

Play scrabble/trivial pursuit/bridge (never did get the hang of that one...) with them in the evening, or:

Stay up late and listen to what their friends are doing in the latest 'upholstery class' / 'french lessons' / local amateur dramatic society production'

AND, I bet they don't have a sour face on them the next morning when you and your partner have had some congigal rights the night before...ours only knows because she has her ears stuck against our wall.... (not because we're loud! )

Geez, just read that to myself and have to get a grip..repeat: "I am too nice for my own good, I AM TOO NICE FOR MY OWN GOOD"

Hilton`s

We had 2 stay for 3 weeks last June and you are right, I was doing everything for them and I suppose I am being a bit too optomistic in hoping that this lots mum`s would have taught them how to iron!!! I am going to ask for some $ for food this time though or we will end up bankrupt!!!

Tracey x

Bix da Boss

I know exactly where you are coming from m8!! My original reply was as long as this one and I could not stop there! Like someone else said, I could not get over the fact that most of them were happy, after travelling 12,000 miles to see OZ - to sit and read their books and watch DVD's every evening - that one really got me! So much to see and do - aaarrrhhh!!!! I was so excited thinking they would want to see all that Cairns has to offer and began organising a daily activities roster so they could make the most of their short time with us - so frustrating when, nearly every day I cld not get them out of bed so we missed all the early departure day trips!!!! We were tryting to fit all this in with work - each taking different days off so we cld be with them - still did not work! See - now I've begun - i just cant stop he he!!!

Like you, I will also be setting a few 'house rules' and not be ashamed to be honest and say what I think if they are getting on my nerves, after all, it is you who are doing them a favour is it not Bix's big Sis is coming this year - love her to bits but.....never lived with her We'll see - its gonna be fun thats for sure!

One more thing - cant resist - every visitor we had prior to their visit - kept asking if we had a 'pool' and could not wait to get in it when they arrived - yes you've guessed it - NONE OF THEM WENT IN IT! One in 3 weeks and it was sunny and warm nearly every day - that really got my goat! And believe it or not - they still ask this question - but now - I am almost glad to say - 'no we have not got one anymore' cause it frustrated the hell out of me when we did and they just sat by it without getting wet!!!!

Thats enough now eh!

Have a good weekend everyone

Cheetah7

I would lay down serious rules and not half hearted ones, because if you make them remotely funny, they will be treated as such.

Mine for example would be (for when we get there);

1. Maximum stay 2 weeks. Anything more will challenge our friendship. Feel free to explore other areas. This would be made clear BEFORE they left the UK and drummed into them.

2. No smoking anywhere at all in the property, includes leaning out of window.

3. No food in bedrooms as I hate cockroaches

4. Whilst I may be able to do stuff at weekends, they must hire a car. They are on holiday and have all the time in the world, I am not on holiday, will be working full time and will not have spare funds to be a full time holiday guide and entertainer.

5. They must buy the food they like or contribute fairly and equally to the shopping budget and be expected to cook for themselves and clean up afterwards.

6. I would want them to feel comfortable yes, but not treat it like their own home because to be frank, they may well in their own home behave like complete slobs.

7. I will not be their servant, and tolerate lack of respect in my property and will not allow myself to be used for 9 months of the year as a hotel. They will stay with me only if it is convenient and certainly not at the expense of my finances, marriage and sanity.

And if they dont like it, they can query their reasons for coming in the first place, because if they genuinely wanted to see us then they would not have a problem with general respect in the first place.

Someone I know but only see [U]once a year[/U], she never phones me or anyting, has already 'told' me she will come for a few months when we get to Oz. Ive told her she can stay a week but I will happily find her a cheap rental.

I sound hard, but Im starting as I mean to go on.