I simply cannot live with my daughters family! Let me explain why.
My daughter and her clan suddenly found themselves without a roof over their heads. After a spectacularly British downpour, their flat was waterlogged and in desperate need of renovation. So, naturally, my soon-to-be-drenched daughter and her bunch moved in with me.
It was clear they had nowhere else to turn, so I put them up. That said, after a proper chat with my daughter and my son-in-law, we all agreed this arrangement was a matter of necessity, not preference. Theyd nip back to their own place the moment things were sorted.
Now, dont get me wrongI have a lovely daughter, and my son-in-laws no fool either. We were all on the same page: each family is its own separate entity, and adding outsiders is asking for trouble. I take this rather seriously, and Ill tell you exactly why.
I have my own way of life, which, frankly, is worlds apart from theirs. For instance, I can calmly handle my daughter knocking about my home, but her husband still feels like an odd sock in the laundry, and yet he, too, deserves a bit of privacy. Theres simply no point in arguing over my habit of drifting off with the telly still blaring, or because they want to have friends round for a noisy catch-up. We all have different standards for how tidy things must beso really, why make a fuss over whose turn it is to wash up? Youd be amazed how quickly tiny gripes can scupper even the best relationships.
Lets not forget our completely different culinary tastes. And dont even get me started on unannounced guests suddenly popping by! At such times, no sausage roll is safe from being pinched, and fitting a padlock on the fridge isnt exactly dignified.
Were out of sync toocompletely mismatched body clocks. Its enough to have everyone tiptoeing about like burglars. People rarely notice if theyre disturbing others sleep, and a few nights of disrupted shut-eye can turn even the cheeriest person into a short-fused grump. Honestly, it can all go up in smoke with the tiniest spark.
And to be honest, Id rather not pass judgment on my daughter and her husbands way of life. Ive taught my daughter what I can, and now I only want to know the bits she chooses to sharenothing more. Thats nigh on impossible if youre all tripping over each other in the same flat.
Most importantly, I want to decide for myself when and how I help themand Id like it to be by choice, not default. I also crave a bit of time for myself, thank you very much.
