'AITA for telling my mom someone else needs to share a room with my cousin?'
"AITA for telling my mom someone else needs to share a room with my cousin?"
My 10-year-old cousin has been living with us since March. She was also in foster care for 6 months before living with us. We have a 4 bedroom house and there's me (14f), my brother (16m), my sister (17f) and my parents so there wasn't an extra room for her. We're converting our old playroom to a bedroom but until that happens she's sleeping in my room because we're closest in age.
Sharing a room with my cousin is exhausting. She refuses to leave the room for anything after my mom tucks her in until my mom comes to get her so if she's hungry, scared, needs to go to the bathroom, feeling sick, etc. she always wakes me up then I have to get my mom so my mom can take care of it.
She also randomly hides under her bed and cries so I always have to drop what I'm doing to get my mom to take care of that too. The other night she woke me up because she wanted my mom. She could've gotten her herself but she always insists on waking me up and asking me to get her.
I got my mom because she could've cried all night if I didn't then the next morning I said it should be someone else's turn to share with her until her room is ready and that I'm sick of being woken up because she's scared to leave her room after bedtime. My dad said that her room should be ready soon and they're not moving her to another room.
I said it's bulls#$t that they're making me babysit their niece all night and my dad threatened to ground me if I didn't shut up. AITA for saying somebody else needs to share a room with her?
The internet did not hold back.
StAlvis had a question:
NTA. "We're converting our old playroom to a bedroom but until that happens she's sleeping in my room because we're closest in age."
"My dad said that her room should be ready soon and they're not moving her to another room." How the hell is this taking any time at all?
How to convert a playroom to a bedroom:
Set up a bed.
You're done!
And OP responded:
It doesn't work like that because she was in foster care. They have to convert it to an actual bedroom with 4 walls and a closet and a door and windows and they have to get permits for everything.
-Onion_Kid- wrote:
NTA, it's not fair your parents are putting the burden solely on you. Your dad is especially the AH when he basically told you "shut up and deal with the consequences of my actions." If she doesn't get tucked in, will she think it's not bed time and be able to leave the room any time during the night?
AngraManiyu wrote:
NAH, I do see how this is exhausting. What even happened to her? She sounds quite traumatized and is being clingy because of it, not much you can do about that tbh besides what you did and waiting it out.
And OP responded:
I don't know what happened with her bio parents but I heard that her foster parents used to lock her in her room at night.
Smart_Measurement_70 wrote:
Why wasn’t the solution for you to share with your sister for the time being, while cousin gets their own room? NTA, but I’m side-eyeing your parents who clearly did not prepare well enough to take in this kid, or at the least didn’t brief their own kids well enough on what to expect.
NTA. They are putting way too much on you. Are you able to sleep with ear plugs in? Or go sleep in the couch? Or just pretend to sleep through her crying for a few nights.
sharingroompost OP responded:
Earplugs are too uncomfortable and we have a dog that can be pretty energetic at night so the couch isn't really an option. If I let her cry I can't sleep.
Two words .... Baby monitor. She can call for your mom herself. NTA!
sharingroompost OP responded:
They tried a baby monitor. She still woke me up instead of calling for my mom.
What happens if you sleep on the couch or stay at a friends??
sharingroompost OP responded:
I won't sleep on the couch because the dog will harass me all night and they won't let me stay at a friends house.
I think the best alternative is for OP to move in with her older sister, leaving the cousin in OP's room with a baby monitor. I'm surprised no one else has suggested it yet! Seems like easily the best solution.
sharingroompost OP responded:
I tried that last night and now nobody will talk to me. My sister won't even drive me to school. I had to ask our neighbor to drive me.
YTA and I’m tired of people acting like they should never have to do anything for anyone. This child who contributes nothing should look at their cousin, feel grateful for never having to had to experience what she has, and should suck it up and show some f%$#@g compassion. You don’t contribute, your parents have made a decision. You don’t have any say or leverage here. Selfish.
sharingroompost OP responded:
I do have leverage tho. If they don't get their shit together I'll tell the social worker how they're making me take care of her all night and refuse to take me to school if I don't do it.