Thanksgiving dinner where do you go?

[judy]

Originally Posted by gja1000

Will she let you bring things that you can fix at your home, so that you are not in her way, but you are contributing to the meal?

Can you do the shopping for her so all she has to do is cook?

If she won't let you cook, maybe she'll let you chop up things she needs for cooking.

Can you do some laundry or something like that to help her out?

If I don't cook, I always clean up - but I bet you already do that. I also set the table, get all the chairs around, make sure all the condiments are out.

I can do a lot of the shopping, and set the table, clean up, but probably no chopping! I think that since I take the kids off her hands while she is preparing the meal, I do help a lot. I just hate to see her work so hard. She makes all of the holidays. People sleep over, there are lots of meals to prepare, and inevitably fighting among my SIL's family. My ex-husband also has hissy fits at times.

I think I'm just suffering from mother's guilt. Watching the kids helps a lot.