anyone lived w/ILs w/kids?

I think we've more or less decided our only option is to finish our lease and move back in with the in-laws. The irony is, we'll be moving there the day after ds gets here...one year ago we were moving out of there the day after ds arrived.

I'm so upset about this....we'll be going from a good-sized 3 bedroom house to essentially 2 rooms in my ils house...with 2 kids I'm sure its going to be a nightmare. It was easy to be more cheerful about it before reality set in :/

has anyone else been in this situation? how did you cope? I would probably spend a good chunk of time out just wandering, which I suppose is good as it gets us out of the house, but I'm dealing with a LOT of stress as it is and am worried this will cause major depression to creep back in

I appreciate that theyd be willing to do this for us, I just remember how hard 3 months was and I was just pg at the time so it was essentially just dh and I the duration...now we have Emma, ds will be here as soon as we move back as well.

Don't do it unless you absolutly have to is my opinion.

its more or less looking to be the only option we went over every angle and arent seeing anything else that would work. now just trying to accept it and look for a bright side...

This would be just til you find a new house though right? So only temporary?

Lived with the ILs for just under 6 months without a kid. It was OK but not ideal. We set some ground rules first. DH and I sorted out most of our own meals and shopped for ourselves. We had at least a couple meals a week with them, though. We shared cleaning of the common areas and helped in the garden. We paid our portion of the utilities.

We might be in your situation next autumn though - living with them and one baby. We're hoping not, but like you, it might come to it. With a baby, we'll have to have some other ground rules though.


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its more or less looking to be the only option we went over every angle and arent seeing anything else that would work. now just trying to accept it and look for a bright side...

Can you not get on the council's housing list? 

Steven and I lived with his grandparents for six months and I was dying to get out of there at the end (as I'm sure they wanted us out too!).  I couldn't imagine doing it with children.  Especially, if his parents are the sort to interfere with how you raise your child (?)

Can you not just find somewhere else to rent?  Based on your other post about your house being sold, I didn't get the impression that finances were enough of an issue to force you to live with the in-laws.

You're renting now... and your lease is finishing, right?
Why can you not just go and find another place to rent?

Living with in-laws is not advisable even in the best of circumstances.

I don't have children, but even without I'd say shacking up with the inlaws would have to be a total last resort. Isn't there anything else you can do?

I agree...unless its the last resort. You have already been there and done that and you know how difficult that can be.

There are tons of houses/flats for rent....can't you expand your area and/or settle for something a bit small for six months just so you have your own space/peace until you find exactly what you are looking for.

We lived with DW's mother for 2 months when we moved to England from the States.  We were grateful to be put up while we sought after jobs and a place to live.  We get on extremely well with her and have no qualms between us.  However, even in this relatively ideal situation after 2 months we really wanted to just be in our own place.  And that was just the 2 of us, no kids.  I'd say look around a little bit longer for some rentals, there must be somewhere even smaller or a bit further away then you'd like to be, especially with your young daughter and your son staying, it could get really cramped at the in-laws.