DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My in-laws are big antiquers. Their house is like a museum, which is kind of cool, but not so much when we bring our two toddlers into it. My in-laws are smart enough to have child-proofed the rooms we stay in during visits, but what bothers me is that they have all these expensive Persian carpets, which cost them a small fortune each, but have a really bad odor to them. They said they had them professionally cleaned, but either they got ripped off, or the yucky smell can’t be removed.

I never wanted our kids to be on the floor at my in-law’s when they were babies, and now even though they are toddlers, they still spend as much time on the ground as they do on their feet! I used to bring a couple of old sheets with me to put down in the living room on the carpet there, but it really bugged my mother-in-law, who honestly seems not to smell the stink.

What can I do to make visits less awful? My in-laws, especially my mother-in-law, could not be sweeter or kinder to my children and me. I just don’t like the smell of their house and the fact I am nervous having my kids playing on their stinky carpets. --- CAN’T STAND THE STINK

DEAR CAN’T STAND THE STINK: It’s not impossible your in-laws are so used to the smells in their home that they’re no longer aware of them. Many of us become desensitized to ever-present odors in our environments. I recall my mother saying that after working in a bakery for a few weeks when she was a young woman, she, like her coworkers no longer smelled the delicious scents that originally peaked their hunger when they were new to the job.

Although there are several common household tricks to deodorize musty carpets, your in-laws possibly tried them all before resorting to hiring someone to clean their expensive investments. So they may have done the best they’re able to do to remedy the smelly situation.

As far as what could be done to make your visits more comfortable, perhaps you can ask to open a window or two, when the weather permits. And although it bothered your mother-in-law when you used to put down a covering on her rugs when your children played on the floor, continuing the practice might be worth risking her displeasure for some peace of mind for yourself.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My friend and I recently went to a couple of showers, one for a wedding and one for a baby. Both times she gave the guest of honor a gift bag with a handful of dollar store items, which couldn’t have cost her more than $20.

It isn’t like she can’t afford to do better. She makes a big salary at her job, and her parents are kind of loaded. So why does she cheap out? --- MY FRIEND IS STINGY

DEAR MY FRIEND IS STINGY: Everyone has their own idea of appropriate gift-giving, and your friend’s obviously clashes with yours.

I’d say so long as the items your friend puts in the gift bags are in keeping with the event where they’re being given, there’s no harm done — except perhaps in the eyes of the recipients, who, like you, may view the giver in a less than generous light.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I thought it would be one way to snatch some family time before the start of our usual busy weeks if we had a family game night on Sunday evenings. That is one of the only blocks of time when my husband, our kids, and I are all not running in different directions. No homework, sports, or clubs. Perfect, right?

Well, we have tried this plan of mine several times now, and almost without exception, no matter what game or games we try, all we manage to experience is squabbling, hurt feelings, and me wondering why I thought this would be such a good idea.

Is this worth it, or just a hair-brained mom scheme gone wrong? --- NO FUN GAME NIGHTS

DEAR NO FUN GAME NIGHTS: There’s nothing wrong with having given your idea a try, but it’s probably time to cut your losses and find another way to enjoy a few hours of quality family time — perhaps until such time as the kids are older and hopefully better able to handle a little competition.

One suggestion is to consider doing something more active earlier in the day, if Sundays are less committed days in general. Think along the lines of getting everyone outdoors for a hike or other physical activity even once or twice a month, for instance.

If you’re limited to the Sunday evenings, you might want to try holding a family movie night, early enough to not conflict with school night bedtimes, and where everyone gets a turn picking the film.

While it’s certainly a more passive pursuit than playing games or getting in some outdoor exercise, it at least brings you all together, and sometimes that’s its own kind of magic, especially if it doesn’t involve a lot of friction.