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AIBU?

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Children sleeping in parent’s beds

246 replies

questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 20:33

I am divorced but this was an issue when I still lived with exH.

He used to let the children (I’d say encourage but maybe I’m being mean), sleep in his bed.
i always used to try and get them to sleep in their own beds as much as possible.
(we are from different cultures, not sure if relevant).

anyway, fast forward to now, my 6.5 year old daughter spends every night in her uncles bed when she’s at her dads. My 8 year old son has his father sleeping on the bottom bunk every night. When they’re at mine they sleep in their own beds, every time, unless they wake upset in the night, which is very rare).

totally happy to be told I’m being unreasonable but I really find it a bit ‘icky’ and uncomfortable. Hoping that I’m told I’m wrong and that I don’t need to bring it up with them. (Definitely don’t think anything untoward is going on with uncle - at all, I really just think it’s inappropriate and a bit engulfing/smothering of the dad and brother to be allowing this).

YABU - it’s fine for the kids to do this when little
YANBU - they should be in their own beds

OP posts:
Greenalien1 · 24/07/2025 22:47

I've never co slept as a rule because of a health condition I have would make it unsafe but now my ds is older I let him come in its the middle of the night or poorly. Sleeping in own bed is a hard boundary of mine being a single parent with no support those 2 hours at night are the only alone time I get. Alarm bells started ringing though as soon as you mentioned about the uncle !!! At a push I'd say it's alright with the dad if they need comfort but definitely not with the uncle

BluntPlumHam · 24/07/2025 22:44

questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 20:41

The kids have their own bedrooms with their own beds. This is enmeshment that the father and brother are allowing, because it’s what they were brought up with.

Don’t make this about culture because it’s weird for any child to be sleeping with their uncle. Co sleeping with parents is a different thing entirely.

LaughingCat · 24/07/2025 22:44

I’ve always slept in with aunts/grandma etc (gah, had to share a bed with an aunt last Christmas due to packed house and I’m 40 😭). But an uncle and his 6yo niece? That makes me very uncomfortable. I didn’t even sleep in the same bed as my dad after around 7 or 8, and we were an enmeshed family with unhealthy dynamics. I wouldn’t expect my DH to feel comfortable sleeping in the same bed as his niece, even though I 100% know it would be absolutely fine because he is no predator. But it’s just indefinably wrong.

wordler · 24/07/2025 22:44

Nasrine · 24/07/2025 22:38

My children would sometimes share a bed with my sister when they were little.

Is that dodgy?

Not really - unless you had a particular concern about her - stats show child abuse is vastly more likely to be men so the risk from an auntie is a lot less than an uncle.

The co-sleeping issue is almost a red herring. There's nothing wrong with co-sleeping done safely. The OP originally posted this as 'is co sleeping wrong'

The issue is having a non parent male family member solely in charge of a female child in vulnerable situations - could be bathing, changing, sleeping all night in their bed.

Nasrine · 24/07/2025 22:38

My children would sometimes share a bed with my sister when they were little.

Is that dodgy?

Sparklesandbananas · 24/07/2025 22:35

If my brother ever has children i wouldn’t dare sleep in the same bed as them. Safe guarding comes to mind. The unkle bed sharing when the child has their own room with a bed that is odd. Children are more likely to be sexually abused by a family member or someone they know. Social services need a call.

Hummusanddipdip · 24/07/2025 22:32

Moonnstars · 24/07/2025 20:42

I don't agree with the child sharing a bed with their uncle, but with a parent is fine.

Same here.
Both dcs go to sleep in bed with dh or myself (whoever is doing bedtime) but then get moved to their own bed. Obviously they occasionally end up back in our bed for various reasons. When they stay at grandparents whoever is reading their bedtime story usually lays with them until they're asleep (thats just routine) but again once they're asleep they're left.

But no, I wouldn't be happy with my children sharing a bed all night with mine/dhs siblings or our parents and I trust them all.

Nsvdi · 24/07/2025 22:25

my 6.5 year old daughter spends every night in her uncles bed

what the actual fuck - plenty of uncles inappropriately touch nieces. This is a shocking situation.

Glowingup · 24/07/2025 22:18

ooooohlala · 24/07/2025 22:13

It would still be inappropriate, but the risk of sexual abuse is far, far lower. So it would be a completely different scenario.

Why would it be inappropriate for an aunt to share a bed with nieces and nephews? Because I’ve done that many times.

Teenytwo · 24/07/2025 22:18

I don’t think it’s ok, but then as a child if I ever stayed at my cousins my uncle used to get in the spare bed and I would always get in with my auntie. I didn’t have my own room though and we used to stay as a treat so not the exact same.

Tahlbias · 24/07/2025 22:17

I was sexually abused by the uncle from the age of 6, until I was around 10 in years old. I'm deeply disturbed by this!

Hedgehogbrown · 24/07/2025 22:14

questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 21:17

Pretty much everyone that has commented are absolutely scandalised by this situation, however the poll shows something very different - a third of people think I’m being unreasonable.

It's because they are blaming you. Is the Uncle gay? Because that would make a difference I think. I don't think it's fair to call a child and parent sleeping in the same bed 'enmeshment' and making out that is wrong. But, as others have said, sleeping with an uncle is iffy. Mind you, as an Aunty, I would sleep with my nieces if we were on holiday or something (I'm a woman)

ooooohlala · 24/07/2025 22:13

Rugbyballhead · 24/07/2025 21:22

Would you all be saying the same thing if it was an auntie sharing the same bed as her niece or nephew? The Uncle might not be keen on sharing the bed but his niece might want to bed share for her comfort. If OP or her little girl doesn't want that to happen, then definitely yes, put something into place to stop that. I know bad things happen but not everyone is evil, sometimes things are innocent. Just my opinion, I appreciate everyone has different views.

It would still be inappropriate, but the risk of sexual abuse is far, far lower. So it would be a completely different scenario.

Squishymallows · 24/07/2025 22:12

Co sleeping with parents is fine. My toddler daughter sleeps in bed with my husband while I sleep in bed with our newborn.

the uncle aspect is a bit off though

Moveoverdarlin · 24/07/2025 22:11

I haven’t voted as it’s unclear. Kids sleeping in bed with parents is normal. Little girls in bed with uncles is not normal. I’d ignore the results of the poll, the question was unclear.

Dramatic · 24/07/2025 22:11

Pickingmyselfup · 24/07/2025 21:37

I'm kind of with this too but neither of my kids have a close relationship with aunts or uncles so it would be weird.

My eldest is 10 and on occasion we have a sleepover which is lovely. Same for his 8 year old brother, I love waking up and seeing their faces but I don't love them fidgeting which is why it rarely happens. I insist on pants for everyone but that's the only rule. I usually wear a bra anyway but if I didn't I wouldn't be so fussed.

But these are my children that I've grown, bathed them, changed their nappies, we've changed together countless times, done skin to skin when they were tiny so it feels very different to me sleeping with my nephew. The only way I think it's ok is if they are literally like a second parent.

Thinking about it I'd be totally fine with my sister sharing a bed with my kids, I would have complete trust in her.

YorkshireGoldie · 24/07/2025 22:09

questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 22:08

Yes, this evening, this is how I found out about it. I then gently asked her older brother for a bit more info about what exactly was going on. Then I came on here and got roundly shouted at.

I hope you have some support to help you tackle this.

Ignore the people on here, they get some weird kick out of being nasty.

SREF2025 · 24/07/2025 22:08

I sleep together with my almost 5 year old and my 3 1/2 year old. We pushed three single beds together to make one massive bed. Our 1 1/2 year old would be in the same room, but there's not enough space. So she is in her cot bed in the adjacent room with the door left wide open in case she wakes up and cries.

As soon as she's old enough we will most likely cosleep with her, too.

My husband also frequently cosleeps with our children.

questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 22:08

YorkshireGoldie · 24/07/2025 22:06

Yes, and fairly often will only read the first post then jump in with some made up scenarios of their interpretation

As for your question, YANBU. At all. Please put a stop to this weird arrangement.

Has your daughter spoke about it?

Yes, this evening, this is how I found out about it. I then gently asked her older brother for a bit more info about what exactly was going on. Then I came on here and got roundly shouted at.

OP posts:
Glowingup · 24/07/2025 22:07

I don’t think social services will be as shocked as many posters on here think they will but you could try. As you said, it’s a cultural thing and in some cultures this wouldn’t be an issue.

YorkshireGoldie · 24/07/2025 22:06

questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 21:19

Oh, do people vote without reading the post?

Yes, and fairly often will only read the first post then jump in with some made up scenarios of their interpretation

As for your question, YANBU. At all. Please put a stop to this weird arrangement.

Has your daughter spoke about it?

questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 22:06

livelovelough24 · 24/07/2025 22:05

I know that different cultures can be very different and this may cause you to feel uncomfortable approaching your ex. However, once you immigrate, you have to accept laws and rules of the country you live in. I am an immigrant myself (not in UK) and had to change many things in the way I live and raise my kids, in order to fit in into the new environment. I personally do not like co-sleeping and have discouraged this with my kids from an early age, but agree with the other posters, that sleeping with parent is acceptable, but most definitely not with other family members. (Although, we all know that many kids have experienced sexual abuse by the parent as well. 😩)

Definitely approach your ex and tell him (do not ask him) that you prefer your kids sleep alone, but most definitely not with anyone other then himself. If he does not comply, report this to social services.

Thank you, I will

OP posts:
JLou08 · 24/07/2025 22:05

Sharing a room with father is fine. Sharing a bed with an uncle at the age of 6 is a safeguarding issue. I feel pretty confident that my brothers aren't pedophiles but there still isn't a chance they would be sharing a bed with my child. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't even want to just as I wouldn't want to share with my nieces or nephews. Stop the sleepovers.

questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 22:05

wordler · 24/07/2025 22:04

So why did you make the thread about children in their parents' beds?

Bad wording, written in haste

OP posts:
questionaboutson · 24/07/2025 22:05

Rugbyballhead · 24/07/2025 22:04

Good luck OP, I hope both your children and you are ok. Hopefully nothing untoward is going on, social services will listen to you and investigate.

Thank you for your kind response amongst all the attacks I’ve received.

i have heard the message loud and clear everyone…

OP posts: