Do you take off work when you have visitors?

[lovemygoofy]

I guess because we live so close to a popular destination now, everyone and their dog wants to visit. We've already had a few week long visitors. The only time we took some time off of work was when my niece and nephews and their friends came. This was a big trip for them with first plane rides and never out of Arkansas and stuff.

In two weeks we have more company coming and apparently several more in the spring time. My husband will be gone and I'm not planning to take off everyday to be with them. I thought I'd take a day off during the week and do something touristy with them on the weekend.

Do you take time off of work when you have company/visitors?

 

[NotUrsula]

Generally no. I do provide all kinds of maps, brochures, etc., and if they have flown in I have them drive me to work so that they can use the car (not necessary in DC, obviously).

The only time I will take a day off for visitors is if they need help finding their way around on the first day. In your case, I might do it if I thought that they would have trouble how to figure out using the Metro, etc.

What you probably should do if you can is make their tour reservations for them if possible. The need for advance reservations for the hot tickets in DC tends to escape a lot of people, especially during Spring Break season.

BTW, I'm also not shy about responding to announcements of impending visits with, "Wow, that's terrific; do you want me to find a good hotel for you?" There are times when it just isn't convenient to have houseguests, and if you don't make it clear that that status is by invitation only, you will totally lose all your privacy and probably get taken advantage of financially, too.

 

[postage stamp]

Well the only visitors we ever get are my in-laws, and my husband tries to take leave (he's in the Navy) when they visit us. This year it turns out they are visiting us when he was planning on taking leave anyway, so it does work out nicely.

But if I was getting visitors left and right? No, I don't think he could or would.

 

[worm761]

That depends....are they visiting to see you? or are they just staying with you and visiting the area you live in? My family comes down once in a while to visit but spend most of their time at the beach and what not. When I was working I would take off a weekend to spend with them. If they are visiting YOU then I say take time off. If they are just using you for hotel (I don't mean that to be as mean as it sounds but you KWIM) then just go out on the weekend with them.

 

[EthansMom]

When it's friends/family coming to visit us, then yes, DH takes time off work (and I rearrange my schedule).

If they were coming to visit our location, I wouldn't take off the time from work.

Personally, I'd be pretty perturbed if too many people used my home ONLY as a free hotel. I wouldn't like the extra cooking, cleaning, food expenses and such.

 

[jfoofj]

That is really nice of you to have people stay with you, I hope they reciprocate in some way!

We live on a lake and have a spare room (with bunk beds and a pull out couch) so in the summer we DO have people stay over night fairly frequently... but generally it is if we have a party or my BIL and his GF come out because I don't want anyone driving if we have been having some adult beverages. We had a 4th of July party that was a real ripper one year and I had people all over my house..... it was nuts.... but I didn't want anyone leaving and potentially getting pulled over or worse. It was a huge bonus the next morning... I had a LOT of helpers to help me clean up (and try to explain to my neighbors how clothing ended up on THEIR dock ... let's just say some of my friends did a little moonlit skinny dipping!). My MIL lives in FL (unfortunately, as far awary from Disney as you can live and still actually be in FL) so when she comes up each year she stays for 2 weeks and DH and I take some time off to spend with her, but not the whole time... she takes off for a day or two to visit family and friends she has up here.


I think that if they are looking for a place to crash and not a tour guide, you really don't need to take any time off. Just make sure you know ahead of time what their expectations are and you let them know what you can and can't do.

 

[KAMKIM]

I guess because we live so close to a popular destination now, everyone and their dog wants to visit. We've already had a few week long visitors. The only time we took some time off of work was when my niece and nephews and their friends came. This was a big trip for them with first plane rides and never out of Arkansas and stuff.

In two weeks we have more company coming and apparently several more in the spring time. My husband will be gone and I'm not planning to take off everyday to be with them. I thought I'd take a day off during the week and do something touristy with them on the weekend.

Do you take time off of work when you have company/visitors?

No I wouldn't take time off, maybe 1 day. But I do want to say you are a good person for opening your home to friends/family like you are.

 

[lovemygoofy]

When it's friends/family coming to visit us, then yes, DH takes time off work (and I rearrange my schedule).

If they were coming to visit our location, I wouldn't take off the time from work.

Personally, I'd be pretty perturbed if too many people used my home ONLY as a free hotel. I wouldn't like the extra cooking, cleaning, food expenses and such.

Yeah we are pretty much just a hotel. My husband and I lived at our last place for 7 years and barely had any visitors and in the last 6 months have had more than ever and people are already calling for next year. I don't think they are really coming to see us; I guess that's just a "bonus."

I don't plan to take off during those times. I drive them over to the metro station and then myself to work and then either my husband or I pick up the group at the end of the day or lunchtime.

Sometimes it is a pain because of the extra cleaning, cooking and expense to be honest. When I know people are coming, I go over to Sam's and stock up on granola bars, juices, and snack things so they can take that with them. In the mornings that we work, I either put together a breakfast casserole the night before or lay out the cereals and fruits for breakfast.

I just hear alot "oh you aren't coming with us?" I say here are the maps, the tour guide books and remember the blue line is your coming to home line and send them on their way. I told Matt I'm thinking about putting tip your bellhop and cook envelopes in the guest bedrooms lol.

 

[jfoofj]

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... if people are staying with you like that they should really be contributing somehow, with at least a hostess gift and dinner out and maybe even money towards groceries/cleaning/etc.

If you feel like you are being used as a hotel and people are taking advantage I would say something... like "Oh my, we have had so many house guests recently... MUCH more than when we were living in East Jibib... I just don't think we are up for more company anytime soon." Hopefully people will get the point. It is great to see friends and family and have a nice visit, but if you feel like you are being taking advantage of you should put your foot down!

 

[jen0610]

Usually no, we don't take the whole time off. We have taken of a Friday while they are here.

When my friend Suzie and I went out to Phoenix and stayed with her brother and SIL for three weeks, the only time they took of was the Fridays that we were there. The rest of the time, we hung out by ourselves. They didn't need to use up their vacation time to entertain us. That's what the base swimming pool was for.

We have a friend who comes and stays with us whenever he is in town. Likes it better here, than any of his families homes. But he knows, DH and I more than likely will be working and the kids have school and their activities. He is at the mercy of our schedule for doing anything with us. He knows that our days start at 6 a.m. He has no issue with, seeing as he keeps coming back.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... if people are staying with you like that they should really be contributing somehow, with at least a hostess gift and dinner out and maybe even money towards groceries/cleaning/etc.

If you feel like you are being used as a hotel and people are taking advantage I would say something... like "Oh my, we have had so many house guests recently... MUCH more than when we were living in East Jibib... I just don't think we are up for more company anytime soon." Hopefully people will get the point. It is great to see friends and family and have a nice visit, but if you feel like you are being taking advantage of you should put your foot down!

Thanks, I think I will for the calendar next year lol. Heck I don't even know where I'll be in January let alone what's going on in May. A friend sent me a text message this morning asking what I was doing in May because her family wanted to come visit. When we lived 6 hours away, never a visit but now we are 18 hours away they are ready willing and able.

My friends just moved to Hawaii are having the same issue but much worse. Because it's Hawaii people are wanting to stay 2 weeks or more. She is much more patient and nice than I am. I don't know that I could handle people in my house for that much time.

 

[barrett7890]

i'm another how say it depends. We recently had friends coming over from the US and took off the entire week they were here as we don't get to see them much.

For close family and friends we see more than a couple of times a year we would probably not take extra days off but make sure we plan to spend the evenings with them.

cami
x

 

[diznygirl]

Yes, we get a lot of visitors. No, we don't take time off from our regular schedule.

The first year we were here we got a LOT of visitors - 10 out of the first 12 months we had someone staying with us. But that has dropped off considerably. They've been here, done that, so the visits tapered off. Also, all the families have gotten bigger and the ones that still come are staying at Disney now. (whoo hoo!)

We send them on their way. I will offer to drive and pick up as needed. I love the parks and love to go but I hate going with guests because they ask ME, "So, what do YOU want to do?" Huh? I live here. I want to go take a nap!

 

[NMAmy]

I don't get a lot of visitors just coming to my area for fun. If someone comes to stay, they're either here to visit with us or someone in the family is ill and I have more empty bedrooms than anyone else in the family. Either way, I take time off.

Now, when we visit the IL's in England, we always stay with DH's twin brother and his family. They have a huge house with a designated guest room/bath room. We don't expect them to entertain us but my SIL will often take us around as she doesn't have a job and she offers to take us places. They live near a train station so many days, we just hop the train into London and do stuff on our own. I think they'd be offended if we stayed in a hotel.