Visiting relatives who live nearby

[scrapbookworm]

A two part question.

1)When you go visit your family who lives nearby, how long do you stay? Do you prefer a quick visit, or do the relatives get upset if you stay less than dawn to dusk?

2)What do you do when visit the relatives? Do you watch TV, watch a movie, just talk, etc?

 

[KandD]

We go to my dad's house once a week to eat dinner. We are there for about two hours. We eat, talk, and sometimes watch TV. My mom invites us over every once in a while for dinner or in the summer we go swimming in her pool. Sometimes we are there for a couple of hours, sometimes more.

My DBF's family has never invited us over for anything besides parties and holidays so we spend more time at their house for those events.

 

[MM27]

Depends on the relative

If I go to my brother and sil's house, it could be just for dinner or I could stay all day depending how I feel or what we're doing. Not really a set time for anything. It's just like a second home for me.

 

[Kae]

My parents & sister live around the corner so we are at each others house quite often. We swim, eat, & just hang out together. DH's parents we don't see as often but when we do we play cards, eat & just visit.

Kae

 

[Parkhopper]

We go to my parent's house for Sunday dinner each week and stay for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. We eat and play games. My husband's parents live less than 5 miles away and we see them on a daily basis.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

A two part question.

1)When you go visit your family who lives nearby, how long do you stay? Do you prefer a quick visit, or do the relatives get upset if you stay less than dawn to dusk?

2)What do you do when visit the relatives? Do you watch TV, watch a movie, just talk, etc?

1) Sometimes it is a quick visit, sometimes we spend the night.

My family does not get upset about what our plans are and if they did I would question their sanity to their face. Thankfully we do not have control issues with family because we are independent people. We have mutual respect for each other.

Now we may wish for someone to hang out and ask them but if they want to leave, oh well.

2) When we visit, we do many things. Cards, games, go out to do something, work on a project, help when needed etc...

I see others play cards! We play Euchre.

 

[almburr]

When my grandparents were still alive we would spend Sundays with them not every Sunday but a lot.

We would go over after church and go out to dinner then go back to the house lay,play pool, play outside then see what was the 2pm movie was maybe go to that then later eat supper.

We did that when I was growing up, and when I got married and had children. We lived only 40minutes away. It would be me and DH and 4 of our kids. my parents and sister, then my cousin and her family.

I loved doing that. Grandma liked it too. It was funnny because before we went out for dinner she would ask to see the church misslet or bulletin, to see if you went to church. Those were fun Sundays and I miss them. Then she would say pick where you want to eat we would say a place she would no not that place. We would ask her where she wanted to go, she would be all no no you decide. But it always wound up where she wanted, the hotel resturant. Fun times.

 

[rszdtrvl]

My parents live an hour away.

When we visit, my mom and I normally sneak away to go shopping. DH normally goes to thrift stores. And DS normally stays at the house and plays video games.

We do all get together for an hour or so.

Sometimes if my mom and I don't plan on sneaking away to shop, we stay for only an hour or so.

When they visit us, sometimes my mom and I sneak away to shop. My dad and brothers normally hang out at the house - my dad on the computer and my brothers playing video games.

We get together once every 6 weeks or so.

 

[Mandychelle79]

Mom lives three miles away...

Some days we are there for minutes other times we are there for the whole day.

We do whatever. But we see each other about 4 or 5 times a week.

 

[emma'smom]

My parents live about 10 minutes from us. We'll often meet up at a restaurant for dinner once or twice a week.

They might babysit for our kids if DH and I go out and then we'll stay for a bit and chat when we pick them up (maybe 1/2 hour).

My mom might have a roast or something and invite us over for dinner--so then we're there for 3 hours or so.

Interestingly enough, they don't come to our house as often. Usually only when I call and invite them to dinner--and then they only stay for a few hours. I think they are just more comfortable on their on "turf" (more accessible furniture and "facilities" for mobility limitations).

What do we do?
Have a meal, watch TV together, sit around the kitchen table and chat--that's pretty much it!


Also interesting--- We just walk into my parents house (no knocking). At our house, we usually are watching for them to come so I can help my mother up the front step. They have keys, but only stop by when we're not home to pick up something/feed a cat, etc (all pre-arranged). I'm more likely to stop by their house unannounced to grab a cup of coffee, etc. However, I'm also out and about as part of my work, so I tend to drive past their house mid-morning when the coffee is always hot!

 

[tonilea]

We go to my parents almost every Sunday after church. We usually stay from noon-ish to 3-5. We visit, watch tv, and some times we just hang out. That is the nice thing about family - you can be together without having to "entertain" each other.

 

[busyshrew]

My parents live 3 blocks away, and we see them regularly, at least once a week and usually more.

Sometimes, it's a quick pop-in to drop off food (or pick something up). Those times it's 10-15 minutes: a "hello" kiss for their granddaughter and some candy snuck out of grandma's pocket and then they're off.

If we're getting together for a meal at their house, it's usually about a 2 hour visit. An hour to eat, and an hour to stay and chat for a bit. If they come over to our house, it gets really funny - my dad marches in, eats up a huge meal in about 45 minutes, and then will barely let my mother finish her cup of tea before he starts fidgeting and saying, "c'mon, let's go". Drives me craaaazzzeeeee...... If I'm going to the trouble of cooking a big Sunday dinner then you'd better stay and visit for a bit, that's what I say! DH thinks it's hilarious and he doesn't mind, he takes my dad's side, go figure!

 

[scrapbookworm]

I'll answer my own question.

If I visit my dad and stepmom, it's usually about a 2 hour visit. Same if they come over here. They both work full time, and have their own interests, so we kinda understand each other. No one takes it personally if the visit is only a couple of hours. My dad and I have similar personalities- we are introverts, and long hours of socializing, even with family, gives me a headache.

My mom, on the other hand, seems to get upset when we leave. Visits to her house are usually 4-5 hours, and that is never enough for her. Maybe she's just teasing, but she'll always tell me 'no' when I say that we have to go now. Sometimes she'll just point blank ask me 'why?'. I have dinner to cook, laundry to do, I have to work tomorrow, etc. I don't want to just come out and say "We are ready to go home". We talk daily on the phone for at least 20 minutes, and email as well.

As far what we usually do, mainly it is just watch tv or talk. Sometimes we'll bring over a movie, but then my mom never will sit still long enough to watch it, lol.

 

[donac]

When we visit my mom's house it is pretty much expected that you are staying for dinner so we are there for some time.

When we visit dh's parents all they usually offer us is something to drink. we mow their lawn about once every two weeks. one time his dad wanted us to stay but we were tired so we said next time. He said okay we'll do lunch. The next time we came and mowed we sat down and all he offered us was soda and cookies. They have never been good at hospitality and even less since mil was sick. She is much better but they never think of these types of things. So visits with them are short.

 

[DMickey28]

What do you mean by close-by? My parents live 2 hours away (closest we have lived in years!) When I bring the kids we go down for at least two nights. My MIL lives an hour away and we don't go often, yesterday was the first time I was there since the Fall and we were there for about 3 hours. She usually comes to our house.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

DH parents live an hour away and we stay forever
Seriously 8-9 hours!! I don't mind though because we all get along. We sit and chat, always have dinner. We see them about once or twice a month. Now we bring our new dog so they love that too.

My parents live in Florida boohoo