Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

Had my SIL stay for five weeks and was quite nervous on how it would all work out. In the end it was really good and the time flew by. She paid me housekeeping everyweek for cover food, washing powder, electric and so on. She cooked and cleaned and did her own thing by going out for days on her own so that we weren't with her all the time. We showed her around places and all in all had a good time. She's coming back with her hubby next time and they are hiring their own car.

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

We have found it quite difficult having family come over since we moved here back in March 2006.

The MIL came over for 6 months :curse: .....yes....6 months :curse: and it was very, very hard work.

We have now decided that if anyone wants to visit, they are more than welcome but for a maximum of 4 weeks as it distrupts our family life too much.

As much as you love them.......they are hard to live with :eek:

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

A friend of mine has visitors from her birth country who are staying for 10 weeks.
She and hubby have been changing work hours to free up a car for the visitors...it has been returned weekly empty of petrol.
They wait for her to come home from work to cook. Once they bought their own food, but just for themselves.
They booked a week's package tour, but changed return flight day so that my mate could drive 200kms to collect them from the airport, as the visitors did not 'feel comfortable taking a bus'.

To me these are visitors from hell. I like the ones who settle in, look after themselves, buy the odd groceries and ask us to go out sometimes, but otherwise entertain themselves.

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

We stayed with relatives in Australia when we visited a few years ago. We went to Sydney for a week, then to Cairns, then Brisbane before staying with them for 2 weeks on the Gold Coast. We hired a car the day after we arrived, chipped in for shopping and drinks and took them out for a few meals. We also helped out around the house and did things like cooking and washing up for them. They came out with us a couple of times but most days we did our own things. They had a load of leaflets for us to look through and were really helpful with giving us advice about good places to go. I hope that we didn't annoy them too much.

The year previously my inlaws stayed with the same relatives and by all accounts were pretty annoying. There were there for 6 weeks and didn't hire a car. Although they chipped in for shopping and drinks I think they expected to be entertained and driven to places.

When we arrive there are some people that I'm looking forward to visiting us and others that I'm dreading. I know that my parents, brother and sister will all be great guests as they are now when they come to stay. They'll hire a car and muck in with the shopping and housework etc. I think my inlaws will be a nightmare though as they won't be able to entertain themselves and will expect to be waited on. They are in for a shock if they are like that though as I'm not waiting on anyone.

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

Hopefully the thought of visiting us with our five kids might be enough to put people off coming at all!:rofl:

Having said that, there are people we would love to see and those that we wouldn't. Just hope they all don't think it is a cheap way to have a holiday.

Jacky

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

F**king hell 6 months!!!!!!


Shit that must have seemed like forever!!!!!

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

One parent had been here for 9 months out of 2 yrs!:eek:

Never hired a car - expected to be ferried everywhere
Never cooked a meal - expected me to cook for her
Never cleaned the house - see above
Never did grocery shopping

Spent all day by the pool - expected above

Left her undies to dry in the bathroom - WTF?:eek:

Interfered with everything - as if she had any right whatsoever

Felt she had the major decision in every choice we made

Played me off against hubby - and enjoyed the repercussions

Spoilt one grandchild but not the other

Expected us to entertain her every evening (when we've been at work all day and are knackered -"Don't you play scrabble or something in the evenings?" was her best quote to date!)

Got up at 6am every morning, made a coffee and went back to bed to read her book until we had rushed around getting the kids ready for school - never once offered a hand...

Sat with us EVERY evening - absolutely no privacy whatsoever - any conversation we tried to have - she stuck her 5 cents worth in - got to the point where we were whispering in bed to each other - jaysus...:zzz:

Wanted to know why we don't go out much - 'Err, 'cos this is REAL life, not a pigging holiday...':curse:

Is coming back again soon for another 7 weeks - has been told to hire a car and get her finger out or else.

Other parents came out, paid for car hire / meals out / beer / trips / food (thats for all of us, not just them!!!) contributed to bills / hired a 5 star pole home in the daintree for us all / helped with household chores / did 2 nights babysitting / etc etc - can't wait til they come back this year.:thumbsup: TBH, it got quite embarrasing that they wanted to pay for everything...

Friends visited: 2 males (not gay!), on a round the world trip - perfect house guests. Another friend came and was exactly the same - would have them back in a shot...

The law is: set your ground rules and be quite ruthless because if you aren't and don't spell it out to them, then they will take the preverbial and thats guaranteed.

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

Sounds like you need a couple of well placed huntsmen for your first guest!

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

I see you've met my MIL!

When she comes to visit us (here in the UK) she does all of the above. On top of that she expects us to take time of work (for the whole time she is visiting). She then sits all day in her chair and expects us to sit next to her all day on the sofa. She doesn't like going out.

I am not exaggerating! If I go to the loo and then sneak off into the study, I'll hear her: (MIL): Where is Gina. (Husband): She has gone into the study. (MIL): Why is she not sitting here with us?!
And yes, we also have to whisper to each other in the bedroom.

When we move to Oz, I want us to build a house where our bedroom is upstairs and the other bedrooms are downstairs (have seen plans like that). At least we can then have a private conversation.

And I'll definitely have "house rules" (for guests other than my MIL - she is a lost cause).

Gina

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

Have enjoyed reading all these stories - but i'm more worried that no-one will come and visit :eek: let alone what they might be like once they've arrived :lol:
How many people have been promised by friends/ relatives that they'll come out but never have done??? I worry that when they enquire about the cost of flights / spending money etc etc that they'll be put off coming! :(

I guess time will tell! :D

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

Interesting topic - I wrote an article on exactly this about a month ago! Having visitors isn't easy, but we have definitely found that some are easier than others, and I have also noticed after a year and a half with a constant flow of house guests that we are much more relaxed these days about their foibles than we were to begin with :D I don't think I can be bothered to get stressed out over it any more, but I also think we have got more of a system in place after practice which makes things easier on everyone.

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

I personally haven't had any visitors and am not likely to....all my family think it is either too far and are not up to the flight or think it is too expensive....

Son has had his mates over and I made them pay and work - not too much of an inconvenience.

FIL has been out once and is due out again. He isn't much trouble aside from the entertaining side of things. I don't think he is safe to drive here and would have to hire a car (he is thinkig of doing that this time). He helped with the chores and paid his way and he also took himself out each night to the local tavern to give me and hubby some 'down time'.

I only wish someone from my family would make the effort to come - I am sure they would have a great time out here.

Re: How do you cope with visitors?
 

We've just had 2 backpackers (a mate we've known for yrs and his girlfriend we just met) stay with us for a week - they were fantastic. We did a bit of tour guiding when we weren't working, which we loved as much as them. They made us dinner sometimes, brought my washing in and did the washing up.

We've never had any problems with any visitors. I think it's a balance of attitudes on both sides IMO. :)
J.