My parents want to move five minutes away and expect to see us daily. What should we settle before they decide?
Family“We'll just pop in after our morning walk,” Mum said while showing me a house listing on the next street.
My parents are considering moving from two hours away. I said I would love being able to see them more easily. They heard that as enthusiasm for daily visits. Dad has already described our place as the natural coffee stop on their route.
My partner and I often work from home, but we aren't available throughout the day. On weekends we sometimes want an unplanned afternoon with just our household. Mum says asking to arrange a visit in advance would defeat the point of living close to family.
They haven't chosen a house or committed to the move. I don't want them to relocate on an assumption I haven't corrected, and I don't want to make the neighbourhood sound forbidden to them.
How do we describe the kind of closeness we can offer before a house decision makes this feel personal?