When staying in someone else's house to be helpful...

[ailbhe]

Just before the hour, knock on their bedroom door to tell them it's seven o'clock.

Just as the cooked breakfast is cooked, go into the bathroom for a fifteen-minute "quick wash."

Never, ever consider that the pregnant woman might need to use the bathroom before you occupy it for quarter-hour periods throughout the day.

Remember to tell the adult man that he needs a shower and that his trousers are dirty and he should wash them.

Don't hang the shower curtain inside the tub - but do hang the dirty towel you use to mop the resulting flood out on the line, beside all the clean laundry.

Rinse. Everything. Before putting it in the dishwasher. Even when you're been told it's not necessary.

Leave the hot tap running every time you leave the bathroom.

Stop doing tasks halfway, and start something entirely new instead.

Comments

[helenprev.livejournal.com]

Eeek. How soon do they leave?

*Hugs*

[k425.livejournal.com]

Mother-in-law?

Good luck.

[hfnuala.livejournal.com]

Posts like this make me so glad our place is too small for someone to stay and 'help out'

[megpie71.livejournal.com]

Just remember - murdering the in-laws hasn't yet been declared an understandable thing for someone who's pregnant. Talk to your MP first, and see whether you can get some legislation rushed through parliament.

[nitoda]

Well, I sympathise with the last point ... I find it all too easy to flit from task to task, finishing nothing. I hope I don't expect others to pick them up and finish them for me, however.

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

Gnar!

[pauamma]

Bleh.

[gloriap.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Mother or MIL?

[leback.livejournal.com]

Remember to tell the adult man that he needs a shower and that his trousers are dirty and he should wash them.

Sad thing is, I'm remembering some of your past comments on alt.poly and thinking at least it's something that she's telling *him* all this rather than telling you. (Unless, of course, she's doing some passive-aggressive telling him pointedly in front of you sort of thing.)

May her "help" not cause you too much more effort and distress this visit...

[merryhouse.livejournal.com]

My sister used to get her MIL coming in to the room (when they visited her) and sitting chatting for several minutes. Ali would be not wearing anything at this point, so despite wanting to get up would have to stay in bed till she'd gone.

Then she'd call up the stairs "breakfast's ready!"

Oh, and the first words she'd say to them would be "good morning, children!"

She's a widow with only one child...

[ailbhe]

Until we had a baby sleeping with us, she used to come in our room and chat to us at night after everyone had said goodnight. And again in the morning, before I was up or decent, yes.

She doesn't any more because we share a room with Linnea.