How to convince my mom to let me cook while she visits

[taylordvd]

She's here now. Tonight we had homemade pizza. I made the pesto at lunch time. The sauce was already made. I had to make the pizza doughs at around 4PM. She wasn't even thinking about dinner. So, I think as long as I stay ahead of her, I'll be okay. My brother comes next week for a couple days and wants my mom to cook for him. So, it will be interesting to see if I can still keep her out of the kitchen then. If all else fails and she wants to cook, I'm going to tell her to make her oatmeal cookies - those still turn out okay.

[taylordvd]

Well, for anyone reading still reading this, its actually sad how non-helpful she has been. Today she sat on the couch and read a magazine for 2.5 hours straight! You think no big deal, right, except for during about an hour of that, my son was screaming at my feet and was put into time out I don't know how many times. She said nothing, didn't move a muscle. I was trying to make lunch for my kids at the time. Its so discouraging you really never know who you are going to get when she comes. She said she was going to watch the kids while I had time to myself when she was here, but today while hubby was at work, she made NO effort to help in any way, much less say she would stay with the kids while I get some time to myself. Lest you think I am too hard on her. She quit her job two months ago and moved even farther away from me (prob. 15 hrs by car) and is staying with friends and hasn't started looking for a job. As far as I know, she hasn't bought any Christmas presents for me, my brother and my husband - only kids she has. She forgot her debit card and her friend supposedly sent it - you would think they would overnight it, but no. She has no cash. Ugh. I thought she would come refreshed since she hasn't worked in two months, but dh described it best "your mom just seems out of it". So, now you guys can just pray that I just make it through her visit and remember in 6 months just how unhelpful she has been.

[SweetLexie520]

Hugs!! So sorry to hear how's it's going.

[MaryMary]

Well, for anyone reading still reading this, its actually sad how non-helpful she has been. Today she sat on the couch and read a magazine for 2.5 hours straight! You think no big deal, right, except for during about an hour of that, my son was screaming at my feet and was put into time out I don't know how many times. She said nothing, didn't move a muscle. I was trying to make lunch for my kids at the time. Its so discouraging you really never know who you are going to get when she comes. She said she was going to watch the kids while I had time to myself when she was here, but today while hubby was at work, she made NO effort to help in any way, much less say she would stay with the kids while I get some time to myself. Lest you think I am too hard on her. She quit her job two months ago and moved even farther away from me (prob. 15 hrs by car) and is staying with friends and hasn't started looking for a job. As far as I know, she hasn't bought any Christmas presents for me, my brother and my husband - only kids she has. She forgot her debit card and her friend supposedly sent it - you would think they would overnight it, but no. She has no cash. Ugh. I thought she would come refreshed since she hasn't worked in two months, but dh described it best "your mom just seems out of it". So, now you guys can just pray that I just make it through her visit and remember in 6 months just how unhelpful she has been.

IMO you should tell her what you expected her to do. Something like "Mom, can you help Johnny to put on his pants? Suzy wants to play house, would you be her "daughter"? Oh, I'm planning to do some laundry now, can you make sure kids wouldn't get in trouble?".
I'd forgive her money and gifts thing as long as she wouldn't expect you to cater to all of her shopping whims or borrow money from you.

[mxmom99]

"mom, this is my house and i will do the cooking, thanks!!" hehe