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Advice for in-laws dirty home?!

Posted by on Feb. 7, 2013 at 6:59 PM
  • 12 Replies

I'm really interested to know WWYD or if any other moms have been in the same situation.  I always knew my inlaws were messy, I just didnt realize HOW messy until we stayed with them for a period of time.  My DH made the decision we needed to stay with them after our apartment lease was up to save more for our first home purchase.  It was a HUGE eye opener for me and destroyed my relationship with them.  I felt extremely dirty living there which has made me really worried about my kids (1 & 3 yrs) being over there, especially overnight.  I learned quick that they do NOT clean, unless they are hosting a large gathering for a holiday/bday.  No vacuuming, mopping, sweeping, cleaning bathrooms...nothing.  I drove myself nuts cleaning while I lived there bc I couldn't stand the mess.  Unfortunately they never helped me, thanked me or even respected the fact I was cleaning their house bc they would go right behind me and make a mess.  My DH even redid their bathroom, floor and toilet, bc it had been leaking from underneath (for who knows how long) onto the floor and it smelled terrible in there! They are the type of people who drop jelly on the kitchen floor and just walk away.  Or spill something on the carpet and don't care.  Their carpet is almost 20 years old and stained beyond cleaning, yellow dog pee spots and all!  I spent an entire evening shampooing their living area just to have them traipsing in their shoes on the carpet the same day.  And their bedroom is from an episode of hoarders! Piles and piles of clothes, trash, papers, dirty dishes, you name it.  There's just a small walking path around the bed.  The most terrifying of the situation is that my MIL takes a TON of pills.  She keeps them in ZIPLOC bags, in her purse, on her nightstand, in the kitchen.  She loses track of them often.  I couldn't believe she admitted it to me but while she was babysitting she said she came out of the bathroom and my son was in her purse, with her Baggie of pills! She said she was "certain" he hadn't taken any yet bc she saw him just taking his pacifier out of his mouth when she ran over.  She even admitted that if she hadn't seen him take out his paci she would have had NO CLUE what pills or how many he would've eaten bc she has NO IDEA exactly whats in her baggies! I've even found loose Nexium pills by the couch while vacuuming! She's just so careless and messy it gives me anxiety when she's caring for my children.  My FIL has a mentality that scares me to death also.  I don't like how he picks my children up by the BACK of their shirt collar or that he once tried to convince me and my DH that he did NOT need my childrens carseats (they were 10 mos and 2 at this time!) to drive 30 minutes away on the highway to pick up my MIL. He said buckling them in adult seats would be just fine! I couldn't believe he honestly thought that was ok! Now it makes me wonder if he'd ever try that when I'm not around or what else he thinks is okay to do.  To make matters worse, my DH has a "my parents can do NO wrong" mentality.  He tells me all of this is no big deal and I'm just blowing it out of proportion. I don't know what to do bc he is 100% on their side in all things no matter what and its causing a giant rift in our marriage.  Besides the fact I'm a wreck when my kids go over there.  what do you do?!  (They are really good people besides all this stuff though, they'd do anything to help their kids and their families.  I just can't get past this OTHER side of them) 

Posted by on Feb. 7, 2013 at 6:59 PM
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ScarletRose4488
by Member on Feb. 7, 2013 at 7:07 PM

They are good people that can come visit you at your house.  Or the park.  Or the library.  

You can't change them but you can protect your kids from that environment. 

Jen
~ I speak from the heart because the truth is always the best - even if you don't know it yet. ~
URmysunshine3
by New Member on Feb. 7, 2013 at 7:11 PM

I always ask my DH if when we need a sitter that they come to our house but he gets upset and acts like I'm being a brat.  He says if we're asking THEM a favor we shouldn't make them come to our house and that there's nothing wrong with their house.  His mentality is HE didnt die as a kid living like that so our children will be fine.  

emptynesst
by Member on Feb. 7, 2013 at 7:19 PM
I would be really nervous about the medication being around everywhere!
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atlmom2
by Platinum Member on Feb. 7, 2013 at 7:27 PM
Sounds like they are hoarders and it is a mental disorder.
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jabs54
by Platinum Member on Feb. 7, 2013 at 9:01 PM

 I would put my foot down and not let them babysit my kids at their house.  And when they came to my house they wouldn't be bringing drugs in plastic bags!

MJP76
by Bronze Member on Feb. 7, 2013 at 9:04 PM

Yeah, DHs parents, love em to death.. But I have a very hard time staying the night or using their bathroom... *shivers*

However, I am OCD about cleaning, and I know a lot of people wouldn't live by my clean standards... The majority of his parents problem is clutter..they just pretty much will put anything anywhere... Work boots on the dinner table.. Clean and dirty clothes just strewn about... Dirty dishes are often stacked high...boxes of just random stuff just hanging out on the furniture or floor...

we very rarely stay overnight, but if we do I make DH go in and clean the bathroom before I use it.

JTE11
by Bronze Member on Feb. 7, 2013 at 9:18 PM

Well, i see two issues here.One is the mess, and unless they are saying they hate how they live and are asking for help, I don't think you going in and cleaning will have any effect because they will just continue making more mess (you've already experienced that). So it seems that their mess is here to stay. The second issue is your kids going over to visit and this is an easy one, because you just don't send them over on their own. My in-laws are elderly and just can't always keep up with my DD and she can get into things before they can get to her so when she visits, I visit. Your kids are very young and if you have to worry whether they will poison themselves with drugs then that's more than a good enough reason to never send them over there alone. If your in-laws get upset it's not your fault, they will just  need to get their act together if they want more visits. If it's a safety issue, I don't worry about other peopel's feeleings. At all.

Mom2Just1
by Mom2boys on Feb. 7, 2013 at 9:56 PM



Quoting jabs54:

 I would put my foot down and not let them babysit my kids at their house.  And when they came to my house they wouldn't be bringing drugs in plastic bags!


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URmysunshine3
by New Member on Feb. 12, 2013 at 8:56 PM
I do my best to put my foot down but it causes major issues with me and my DH. He just doesn't want to recognize any problems with their home. It's always a HUGE argument when they call to ask for the kids overnight bc I tell my hubby no but he will tell them yes anyway or say, "Fine but I'm telling them its all YOU!" So basically he just wants to throw me under the bus to look like the bad guy. He's the type that his mother could slap me in the face and call me a B and he would say she did nothing wrong. I'm having the most trouble handling this when he's not on my side.
Dqnana
by Member on Feb. 12, 2013 at 9:28 PM

Hey ... "messy" or "untidy" is one thing. What you are describing is downright hazardous and no place to let your children be for more than a friendly visit when you are along. "Oh, it's so much easier for you to watch the kids at our house." "Oh, I am afraid that the kids allergies are really acting up and they need to be in their own rooms."  I know that it is tough to try and fight this battle.  Ya gotta do what you need to do to protect your kids.  Some things, like car seats (!) are totally NON-NEGOTIABLE !!  

 

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