When my mother‑in‑law Linda moved in, she insisted she was a guest and refused to lift a finger around the house — and instead of kicking her out, I gave her the full VIP treatment until she couldn’t take it anymore.
Jason told me his mom had sold her condo and needed “a little while” to stay with us. I hesitated — the last time we spent more than a weekend together, she criticized everything: my cooking, my towels, even how I folded the laundry.
“Fine,” I agreed, but that was mistake number one — thinking he’d enforce the ground rules.
Linda arrived with three suitcases, houseplants, and zero respect for boundaries. She unpacked, filled the kitchen with teas she never drank, and made passive‑aggressive comments about “young people relying on microwaves.”
By week two, she wasn’t a guest — she was a full‑time problem. Dirty dishes piled up, makeup smears covered bathroom mirrors, and she tossed laundry into my hamper like I was dying to wash her sweatpants.
When I politely asked her to help, she smiled sweetly: “Oh honey, I’m just a guest! You wouldn’t ask a guest to do chores, would you?”
Meanwhile, Jason was useless. “She’s my mom, babe. Just let her be comfortable.”
So I started treating her exactly like a guest:
• Monday: Printed breakfast options like a hotel menu — cereal, toast, or chef’s surprise leftovers.
• Tuesday: Turned off the Wi‑Fi at 11 p.m. — “house security protocol” — and only restored it at 7 a.m.
• Wednesday: Left laminated signs: “Housekeeping in Progress — Do Not Disturb!” while I cleaned around her.
• Thursday: No dinner — just a stack of takeout menus left in her room.
By Sunday, I placed an invoice on her dresser for services rendered:
• Laundry Service – $50
• Maid Service – $30
• Coffee & Breakfast Supply – $20
• “Hotel Convenience Charge” – $15
The note read: “Thank you for staying at the Family B&B! Please settle your balance by the end of your stay.”
Linda stormed in: “I’m not paying to live in my son’s house!”
“Oh?” I asked sweetly. “I thought you were a ‛guest.’ Guests don’t stay for free.”
Jason finally admitted, “Okay… maybe you had a point.”
Within a week, Linda was gone — and the house was peaceful again.