Should I object or keep quiet and let it be?

Question

My parents-in-law own a small convenience store in Guelph, Ontario. They plan on going on a two week vacation/cruise in December. They have only one helper/employee who has exams during the time they plan on going on vacation. So they asked their son (my husband) to take two weeks of his vacation time to look after the store for them while they go on vacation. My husband lives and works in Toronto, Ontario. Is it right or fair of them to ask their son to do this? Is this self-fish of them? Once my husband uses those 2 wks up, he has no more vacation time in the bank.

Should they not also ask their daughter to help out as well? Their daughter has a 1 yr old son, but that never stopped her from leaving her son with her in-laws to look after for 2 wks plus while she went to Paris (one out of many other vacations that she took even before her son turned 1). The daughter's mother-in-law is more than happy to baby-sit as she doesn't work and loves her grandson.

What are your thoughts on my in-laws asking my husband (their son) to use up his vacation time to look after their store while they go on vacation? Should I object to this or should I just keep my mouth closed as these are his parents?

Answer 1

It's two weeks out of your life.  I would keep my mouth shut.  I would re-align my attitude also, so I wouldn't be resentful.  I would think, "I am happy that we are able to help, it is a small thing we can do to pay back all the ways my in laws have helped us"   Always remember that you are also teaching your children how to treat you.  They are watching how you treat your parents.  

Answer 2

This is entirely up to your husband and how he feels about it.Let him be the one to decide and go along with his decision.I would keep my mouth closed if I were you.It's his family and his decision to make.If he wants to give up his holidays,then so be it.

Answer 3

The key word here is they "ask" him if he would.  He doesn't have to say yes.  If he doesn't want to then he needs to explain to them that he only gets 2 weeks vacation and he has plans to use it with his family or to stay at home and relax.  It's his vacation time so he needs to do what he wants to do with it.  They should understand.  My thoughts on your in-laws for "asking" is "It never hurts to "ask" but they should not make him feel like he must do it.  They could always close down for 2 weeks and put up a sign "On Vacation".  Everyone deserves a vacation.

Answer 4

Ask your husband if HE thinks it's reasonable?

Do you have a holiday in mind that you'd want to do for a week?

Go from there

Luck

Answer 5

  I would definitely bring that up to your husband, and only your husband.

  I'm only a 22 year old college student about to head into my 3rd year of university, but believe me, the priceless value of being able to take time away from the chaos of every day life with the ones you love isn't lost on me at all.

  Vacation time should be just that: vacation time.  Man time, family time, wife time, etc.  Ultimately it's his decision, but I think you'd be making the right call in at least saying "Are you sure?  Is this something you really want to do?"  As long as he knows what he's getting into, then everything should be fine.  It'd be a downer if he spent all his vacation time on that, but there's definitely some saving grace in the act of doing something like that for your parents.  

  Just talk it over with him, asking him if he's sure he wants to do it.  If he's kind of unsure about it, maybe ask him if he thinks he can ask his sister to split the time-frame with him.  

  You sound like a pretty considerate person; I think everything will be a lot better after you feel you've made your peace with the whole situation and just talked it over with him.   Best of luck!

  

Answer 6

Oooh this is a tricky one.  They have asked your husband and maybe he in turn could ask his sister to do one week and he do the other as a compromise.  I'd remind your husband that this will mean that all his holiday is now gone and that you were counting on the two of you spending some quality time together away - not working.

Leave it up to your husbands concience but if he does decide to go and work for two weeks, make sure you get your break and maybe see how you feel about going to visit your family and friends and take the opportunity on catching up on visiting people you wouldn't normally visit with your husband.