How long should in-laws from overseas stay for a visit?

[Nicos]

Urmm..have you asked HIM???..he may only want a few days more and then want to go off to explore- or visit other folks!!

[zazen999]

Ours would rather stay in a hotel or with the OH's sister so no problems there.


Doesn't it very much depend on your relationship?

[Alison]

Would do my head in having visitors for longer than a few days. My mum comes up for long weekends a few times a year and that's about all I can cope with although we will quite happily converse on the phone for hours in between. Our house is our space so unless it was an urgent situation I'd be hard pressed to manage very long without screaming!

[FionaH]

Isnt there an old saying, fish and guests go off after 3 days? I would say a week with anyone visiting let alone my in laws. But then I have a small house and although I am very social I like my space.
My niece visits a couple of times a year with her kids and much as we love each other I am always pleased when she goes and she is glad to get home Thats normally a week

[Seahorse]

I think if you get on reasonably well and they've travelled a long way, a month would be acceptable.

However, had I had to spend four weeks with either of my (thankfully now ex) inlaws, I'd now be in Holloway and they'd be in the cemetary

On a serious note, I really think it's worth considering how much an (ahem!) 'extended stay' might sour your future relationship. Perhaps better to be asertive about what you feel ok with now than to go along with something that will make you unhappy in the long term?

[RedThorn]

My MIL is a treasure! I'm trying to convince her to say at least 6-8 weeks this year (She's 6000 miles away!) We are also considering converting our loft into 2 rooms and an en-suite so she could move in later....(FIL passed away last year but OH's Gran is still going strong - 91 this year so MIL won't consider moving while she's still here)

[bluemoon]

An afternoon with my MIL is more than enough, but I've said a week because she's flown half way round the world. Actually she wouldn't cross the street to visit us, and if she did we wouldn't answer the door.

[Growem]

Okay, lots of responses. My FIL is here for 6 weeks and this is the last week. I think a month was fine, but this week is really getting to me. And I'm sure it's getting to him too. He's been helpful around the house, doing lots of little jobs and one big one (replacing the flooring with hubbie), but he's as opinionated as I am, which isn't a good combination. I don't even spend this amount of time around my husband; he's gone for at least 8 hours a day!

Urmm..have you asked HIM???..he may only want a few days more and then want to go off to explore- or visit other folks!!

Was this for me Nicos? He booked the flight and length, not me. He did go off for a few days over Easter to see his sister who lives in Wales, but has been here the rest of the time. He's been to Britain several times and has seen more of the country than most Britons.

I think husband and I will have to talk before his mum comes in the fall to determine a welcome length of time.

EDIT: Groan, and now I voted for 5-6 weeks by mistake, which I think is too long! 4 weeks max.

[Alice]

The Inscrutable Chinese say that after 3 days, fish and visitors stink.

I think the Chinese are right Flummery.

No matter how much I love the people 3 days is all I'm comfortable with.

But if they were coming from Australia I could push it to 2 weeks,(I would have to work at it) then they could go off somewhere and come back for a few days at the end.

I would hate to stay with anybody for more than a few days.

[seasprout]

My in-laws died before they become my in-laws, would love to have met them.

[HayleyB]

I'd be reckoning how long I'm owed on a return holiday.......

If they could guarantee I'd get citizenship in Oz then the way I feel about ole Blighty at the moment they could stay as long as they bleedin' well like

[RedThorn]

I'd be reckoning how long I'm owed on a return holiday.......

If they could guarantee I'd get citizenship in Oz then the way I feel about ole Blighty at the moment they could stay as long as they bleedin' well like

My folks now live Just south of Perth and they are really pushing me and my clan to move over and join them.... even offering to buy us a business to run.... jury is still out. This is my third Country I've lived in and it's befinately the best so far.

[allotmentlady]

My folks now live Just south of Perth and they are really pushing me and my clan to move over and join them.... even offering to buy us a business to run.... jury is still out. This is my third Country I've lived in and it's befinately the best so far.

GOOD and I hope your here to stay cos this country is better with u innit !

[RedThorn]

Aw bless you Mo.... see what I mean? It's the people in it that make it!

[Growem]

Haley, I've been over a couple of times to visit them. Both times we were in the country for a month, but we made sure we were gone for at least one solid week, plus a couple of overnighters as well. We needed the breathing space as much as anyone! When we visit my family in Canada, we've never gone for more than 3 weeks and again, always a week away.