Television ettiquette at a guest's house....?

Question

When my in-laws come to visit my father-in-law will grab the remote and change the channel. I will be watching tv or listening to music while I'm cooking dinner that they will be eating shortly. He doesn't even ask if he can change it, he just looks for the remote and changes it. The last time this happened was my son's birthday party (6 yr old) and he wanted to watch a cartoon cause he was cold in the pool. so I set him up on a blanket and went outside for a moment with other guests. My in laws arrived and my son came out and when i went inside my FIL had changed the channel on him. am I overreacting or am i right in being upset about this? I was always taught to ask for things when you are at a guests house out of courtesy. And I want to tell him if you just came here to watch tv stay at home and do it, because this is a party and people are suppose to visit. do I just let this go and deal with it, or say something and what should I say?

Please help!

Answer 1

We are not all brought up the same.
Hide the remote or say it's broken next time they visit.

Answer 2

What a long winded harangue over a simple problem. It's your house, your TV, your rules. Tell your in-laws this, and not to mess with the TV without asking you first. I'm assuming you're the daughter-in law. What's your husband doing about this problem? Sounds like he's lacking in the gonads department!

Answer 3

Your father in law is definitely being rude. I think I would have to say something IF I only had on t.v. in the house. If not, tell him to go to another room to watch whatever and let the child have the t.v. he was originally watching. My step father does the same thing. We just make him go to the den so the rest of us can enjoy ourselves. lol

Answer 4

You have every reason to be upset - however things will probably not change so you might just have to make your peace with it.