A 33-year-old woman has turned to Reddit to seek fellow users’ help involving her parents and in-laws. In her post, user Head-Sorbet3522 states that she and her husband bought the house her in-laws had been living in, and it strained their relationship.
Further elaborating on the matter, the user said that it is the sleeping arrangement at the new house that’s causing tension. The couple doesn’t have a guest room, only a pull-out couch where guests can sleep. At their previous residence, her husband’s parents slept on this very couch when visiting them. However, they are now demanding that the couple leave their own bed for them to sleep on.
Reddit user Head-Sorbet3522 reveals that she was genuinely offended by their entitlement, and her husband is also on the same page as her. Her in-laws’ lack of respect for their private space left her feeling angry. What’s baffling is that her in-laws came to attend a house party and invited themselves to stay the night.
The Reddit user mentions having a friend who cannot afford a hotel room, and that she promised them the couch. However, they had to be moved to an air mattress because of her husband’s parents hogging the couch, Newsweek reported.
Before coming on Reddit, Head-Sorbet3522 went to her parents to vent but claims they were of no help. “My own parents claim giving your own bed to elder guests is a matter of respect and gratefulness, and they themselves were offended in the past when we didn’t offer it,” she stated. She further revealed that her own parents found it disrespectful when they were offered the couch and chose staying at a hotel over their daughter’s place.
The Reddit post has gained a significant amount of upvotes and comments from fellow Redditors who could relate to her stance and how difficult it is to deal with unyielding in-laws or parents. One user agreed with her stance, “Facts. Beds=private. Office bed is chill, but your marital bed is off-limits, no debate needed.”
Another Redditor suggested being blunt and standing her ground, “Exactly this. ‘Sorry, we are not comfortable inviting anyone else into our bed. As a married couple, we consider that a sacred space. Please respect that. If you find the couch uncomfortable, I can recommend some hotels.’”
While most comments supported the original user, one comment seemed to sympathize with the in-laws, “…if I were you, I’d turn one of the offices into a guest room/office combo. You know you’re going to consistently have guests, and you should try and put them in a real bed, not a couch, especially at their age.”
The Reddit user finds it sad that they are being labeled as inhospitable: “We got that couch specifically for guests, and yet it’s apparently not accommodating enough.” She stated that it’s quite clear her in-laws either still view the house as their own or simply expect them to offer them the bedroom as a sign of generational respect.
