Are MIL’s visiting expectations reasonable?
Hello,
I’ve just found this sub and hope you guys may be able to help me out with some new perspectives please! I’ve been mulling over this issue for months and sometimes it gets me down as I don’t know if I’m being uptight or just wanting to protect my time.
I’m a SAHM to two. My eldest (3) goes to daycare 2 days per week and my youngest is six months and at home with me full-time. My husband works full-time remote and we have all our weekends together. The in laws are a 70 minute drive away.
MIL has a helicopter style - boundless energy, a bit overbearing i.e. tries to take over a lot, and very child-focused to the point that she just wants maximum 1:1 kid time, never mind the grown ups! My eldest was her first grandchild, if you can’t tell. To her credit she is a generous lady and my daughter loves her.
MIL used to look after my eldest one day per week whilst I worked which was kind, but since becoming a SAHM and having our baby the visits naturally reduced given the physical distance between our homes. We’re trying to see the in-laws more as a family with FIL present too. I was quietly relieved the childcare arrangement ended because our caregiving styles are a bit different to say the least. Nowadays we meet maybe twice a month for the day. Lately, MIL is hinting for more solo visits on weekdays when I’m alone with the kids. Her ideal is 6 hour solo (without FIL) visits weekly or fortnightly.
She used to do these visits more before our second child arrived. What this looks like is: she makes the 70 minute drive and arrives late morning or lunchtime, spends several hours in our house mainly playing with eldest, occasionally talking to me or having some time with baby. I’m sure she’d like me to go out for ‘a break’ but I’m not leaving baby, plus it’s my home where I’d happily be staying otherwise! Husband is busy working remotely and catches up with her a couple of times in the day but is otherwise very much unavailable/focused. She leaves before dinner so seeing her son isn’t a big priority which I do find odd! She plays with the kids and doesn’t help with chores. I try to busy myself doing said chores but honestly I end up feeling a bit awkward/like a spare part in my own home.
From what MIL is saying lately she really wants to be more a part of my (the kids’) life and routine. However I consider being a SAHM my job - I can do it okay alone, it keeps me busy and I like it. I am an introvert and feel on edge with MIL just there, getting involved in everything we are doing even if that is only once every fortnight. I would rather we spent time with the in laws as a family (I.e. my husband is present) and didn’t have to entertain MIL by myself so much. We used to be close, but her intensity with grandkids has taken over and we don’t even chat as much anymore. Am I being unreasonable here? Does her expectation sound normal or am I being ungenerous with my time? Please help, I genuinely would like to know and do the right thing!
Posted Jun 12, 2026, 8:11 PM UTC