In laws/birds

[joanne0012]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., Catherine Keegan <keegan at m...> wrote:
> At 01:24 PM 3/13/02 +0000, Joann wrote:
> >--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "lupinesque" <aiz24 at h...> wrote:
> > > And how about a rule that uninvited guests are asked in for a cup of
> > > tea at most, never a meal or an overnight stay or (yikes) a four-day > 
> > visit?
> >
> >As Ann Landers says, nobody can take advantage of you without your
> >permission.
> 
> True and not true.  In-laws are one of those areas where no sane 
> spouse  wants to put their "This is the hill I plan to die on" flag 
> up.   It's almost a sure-fire way to have a truly hideous weekend with 
> everyone's life in shambles.  No one wins. 

Whether you believe in biblical injunctions or not, in any successful marriage, 
each spouse has to put the marriage ahead of other family priorities -- including 
their parents and their children.  A spouse shouldn't have to put up any flag -- 
they should be able to count on their spouse for support in in-law issues.  Nobody 
should have to put up with unwanted houseguests.