Since You Asked with Lori Gottlieb and Gretchen Rubin Should Parents Stay at Your Place or a Hotel? Plus: Temptation in the Office
Nov 11, 2025
Listeners share their thoughts on messy rooms and holiday gift-giving dilemmas. The hosts dive into the tricky question of whether visiting parents should stay in a hotel, exploring compromise and family dynamics. They also discuss the post-wedding blues and the challenges of adjusting to married life. Another hot topic is how to handle tempting office treats while trying to stick to health goals. Plus, insights on the importance of holiday traditions spark lively debate!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
A Break-In Sparked Tidiness
- A listener became tidy after a rental home was robbed and she felt embarrassed to explain the mess to police.
- The police investigation motivated her to change her habits into tidiness.
Negotiate Visits With Clear Compromises
- If you and your partner disagree about visiting parents, discuss limits and propose compromises like shorter in-house stays plus nearby hotel or Airbnb during weekdays.
- Arrange logistics and plan explicit quality-time so parents feel welcomed rather than banished.
Hostility To Hotels From Personal Experience
- Gretchen Rubin described insisting her parents stay with her despite husband living nearby, because in-person overnight visits feel qualitatively different.
- Her parents slept on a day bed and a blow-up mattress so they could all be under one roof during visits.
