Mom And Dad Demand 16YO Son Move To Cold Basement In Order To House His Cousins, He Leaves

Did you have your own room in your parents’ house as a child? For example, I didn’t, and my own place to live was always one of my main childhood dreams. However, even having your own room, as it turns out, is no guarantee that your parents won’t evict you from it—at least for a while.

For example, the author of today’s story, user u/SeaLet5248, recently encountered his parents’ decision regarding accommodating guests in the house, which he personally considered outrageous, and didn’t agree with. Because he later took heat for it from his parents… However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

More info: Reddit

The author is a 16-year-old boy living with parents, and their relatives recently moved to their area

Teen in a dingy basement, sitting on stairs, looking at phone, wearing casual clothes and red sneakers.

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

The boy’s parents suggested the relatives spend the upcoming week at their home while settling in, and they agreed

Text of a 16-year-old refusing to sleep in a cold basement, as parents accommodate relatives in his room.

Text describing cramped house situation with relatives settling, related to a teen refusing to sleep in a cold basement.

Text description of a crowded home arrangement; teen asked to sleep in basement while relatives take his room.

Image credits: SeaLet5248

Teen in cozy bedroom with bunk bed and desk, using laptop, faced with parents' request to move to basement for relatives.

Image credits: Andrej Lišakov / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

However, the house was quite small, so the parents demanded the son give up his room to his two younger cousins and spend the whole week in the basement

Text discussing a small room, parents suggesting a teen sleep in a cold basement so guests are comfortable.

Text expressing discomfort about being asked to sleep in a cold, dusty basement instead of a bedroom.

Text block describing a teen refusing parents' request to sleep in a cold basement, prioritizing his own comfort over relatives.

Image credits: SeaLet5248

Father and frustrated teen discuss room arrangements, focusing on staying comfortable while hosting relatives.

Image credits: Kindel Media / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The basement was dusty and cold, and the author wasn’t allowed to take a warm blanket or heater down there, so he flatly refused

Argument between parents and 16-year-old over sleeping arrangements, resulting in teen staying at friend's house.

Text update apologizing for lack of information.

Text about a cold dingy basement and insufficient bedding for a 16-year-old.

Image credits: SeaLet5248

The teen ended up packing his belongings and leaving for his friend’s home to spend the entire seven days there

The Original poster (OP) is 16 years old, and he lives with his parents in a small house. Recently, their relatives with two children moved into their area—both kids are younger than our hero, and the author’s parents invited them to stay with them for a week while they settled in. They agreed—but the question of accommodating guests in the house immediately arose.

The author says that his parents literally confronted him with the fact that his cousins ​​would be living in his room, and he would have to move into the basement for the week. Of course, this didn’t suit our hero: first, the basement was dusty and uncomfortable, and second, it was damn cold down there, and he was not even allowed to take anything but a thin blanket and a pillow with him.

The teenager tried to challenge his parents’ decision, offering to think of other options for accommodation in the house, but it was late in the evening, and the guests with many suitcases and bags had already arrived. Everyone was excited and couldn’t think rationally. So the author was simply told to calm down and go to the basement.

The original poster again disagreed. He packed some of his belongings and went to his friend’s, with whom he happily lived for the seven days while his relatives were in his parents’ house. But after returning, the parents continued to be outraged by his decision, claiming that his act was more than ugly and disrespectful.

Cold, dingy basement with mannequins and sewing supplies scattered around, dimly lit atmosphere.

Image credits: 20th Century Fox / 20th Century Fox (not the actual photo)

If you put aside all the associations with Harry Potter, who lived with his uncle and aunt in a closet under the stairs, then the basement is in any case not a suitable place for anyone to live. Especially a child—even a teenager. Especially if the basement is really not heated, and the time of year is cold. Therefore, our hero probably acted quite reasonably, leaving to wait out this week with a friend.

“Some people do have this trait—they are ready to do literally anything to show themselves well in front of relatives, even if they are distant relatives—even at the cost of their own discomfort and the discomfort of their children,” says Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, with whom Bored Panda got in touch about this case. “And this, alas, is a fairly common situation.”

“Be that as it may, in their desire not to lose face in front of their relatives, the parents of this teen behaved quite ugly, refusing to even discuss with him various alternatives for accommodating guests in the house. Even if it’s their own house, and they set the rules there—no rules actually allow risking the health of a child in a cold basement,” Irina summarizes.

People in the comments also generally agreed with our hero’s arguments, saying that heat is a basic need for anyone, and refusing to even put a heater in the basement or give the author a warm blanket is a gross violation of his basic human rights. “I note your parents don’t forfeit their comfortable bed or suffer any inconvenience regarding their room,” someone assumed reasonably.

And what do you, our dear readers, think about this particular case? We’d like to know your opinions in the comments below the post.

Most commenters sided with the teen, claiming that it’s quite gross to make the kid live in a non-heated basement

Parents ask teen to sleep in basement for relatives; he argues and stays at a friend's house.

Reddit conversation about parents asking a teen to sleep in the basement to make relatives comfortable in his room.

Reddit discussion about parents asking a teen to sleep in cold basement to accommodate guests.

Reddit comment discussing assumptions about Asian or South Asian parents in relation to a family situation.

Discussion on 16-year-old refusing parents' request to sleep in cold basement for relatives' comfort in his room.

Comment discussing parents asking 16YO to sleep in cold basement while relatives stay in his room.

Reddit comment discussing the necessity of heat for a child, emphasizing potential child abuse concerns.

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