Thursday, July 7, 2011

Bigger Picture Moment: The Thing About House Guests

It's not that they eat all your food, rearrange your kitchen or leave your house messier than when they arrived. It's not that you spend so much time having fun that the whole family is completely wiped out when they leave. It's not the added stress of trying to work around other people's needs that you normally wouldn't even have to consider.

The worst part of hosting the in-laws is definitely the broken-hearted toddler who cries when they leave. Whether I feel like being hospitable or not, whether or not I am relieved to get back to our routines and schedules, he is devastated that Nana and Poppa are no longer here to play. And because my desire for his happiness always overshadows my own feelings - I find myself counting the days until they come back.

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5 comments:

  1. Awww. His poor little heart. I know those cries well, too. My mom lives two hours away, and my almost four year old just aches for her.
    We mamas are always finding our hearts sympathizing with the hurts and joys of our little ones, aren't we? Even when their joys are a pain in our own rear. You're a good mama.

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  3. (Sorry for the deleted comment! Typos make my eyes twitch!)

    We're living slightly parallel lives at the moment: my in-laws are here for the week :) You're right about all those ups and downs of hosting guests, and the feeling of heartbreak when the little ones immediately notice their beloved grandparents' absence. I agree with you: For all the stressors that playing hostess can bring, our kids' joy is well worth it.

    (Also, thanks for the compliment on my new blog design! I definitely love it! :)

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  4. Oh poor baby! Did you (almost) want to rush out and tell them never mind, you can stay forever!

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  5. Oh gosh - YES, Lucy! I actually told them several times that they should get a place closer to us! Thankfully toddler woes are short lived and he is much better today.

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