Dear Prudence,
My husband and I live near a fall destination, and every year my parents
plan a three-week visit. My parents are pushy, overbearing people.
Everything must be done their way. They decide on what we all do every
hour of the day, announce places for us to take them, and expect our
undivided attention the entire time (no socializing with our friends or
spending time on hobbies). All while my husband and I have full-time
jobs. After they leave it takes us weeks to recover. They pay for
everything while they're here and buy (unasked for) expensive items for
us. Sometimes it’s stuff we really need (a new stove) while other times
it's an item we don't want (a deep freezer). This makes my reluctance to
have them visit difficult to explain: I can’t use the excuse we’re
unable to afford hosting them for three weeks. How do I get them to stop
hijacking my life every fall?
—Frazzled With a Nice Patio