I love my mother in law. After a day of staring at a computer we may go to her house for dinner. Sometimes after dinner it becomes chore time without my knowledge. "Oh, I can't log into the bank to pay my bills." "Can you please change the lightbulb in the bathroom?" "The printer doesn't work" "why is my phone slow?" She doesn't do it to be annoying, she does it because she needs help. Once she thinks of one task there is usually another that she remembers. I am tired from work and full of food but always say yes and do it.

We talked to her and asked her to make a list and we review that list when we arrive. This way we can prioritize tasks that must be done vs those that my partner can do or that can wait. This has worked well for us because it is addressing her needs while not overwhelming us.

I wish I could be paid in more than not being yelled at for a while