How Do You Deal with it When the In-Laws Move In?

It's tough enough when you're married and trying to make things work in that department. But image when to your horror, there is another wrench thrown into your plan. When the in-laws visit or even worse they move in. It can be a husband's or wife's worse nightmare. The invasion of the privacy, the snooping around, worst of all the meddling in the business. The pressure can be too much to handle.

In recent times, I have been in this same situation. My mother in-law came to visit, it was pleasant but it was only for 3 days. Short and sweet, I appreciated her helping with our daughter and someone other than my child there to talk to. But then my brother in-law came to stay. He needed to get himself "together". Before he came to stay, I was all for the ides of him staying, getting a job and his own place. I was fine helping him out. Once it started to get closer and closer to the date for him to get here, I started to have doubts. With all the things I have to deal with, with one man, would I have to deal with the same issues with another one. I know women have mood swings, but men can be the same; sometimes worse! I Thought to myself, this is going to be torture, what am I going to do?

Knowing the type of person he is, I knew it was going to be hard to get him to help out around the house with the cooking and cleaning, and everything else. I knew this would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Well, when he first got here it was late night so, I was sleeping and it wasn't much to say. The next morning was when I saw what was to come. He left his toiletries around. When I say around I mean, around the computer, the coffee table, and the television. His breakfast dishes in the sink, his clothes were just lying around and his shoes were in the middle of the family room. I wanted to scream, I told my husband, if this doesn't change, I will be gone in a month!