or is my niece rude?

[Klingyston]

Strictly speaking husband's niece. Came to stay at weekend. Age 19, at university. Sniffed a lot and refused a tissue when I offered her one - then said it was because of the house dust! Brought 1 pot of taramasalata and seemed to think she had contributed majorly to the household economy. Kept talking about the fact she was sleeping with her boyfriend and how he was pissed and threwup all night in front of my children. Wanted me to do her washing - just pointed her to the machine. Seemed to expect cups of tea put in front of her. Quite good with the children otherwise. Said she had no interest in elections and who ran the country - after years at an expensive public school - quite worrying.
or is it me?

I think you're being a bit over critical. The sniffing would irritate me but I wouldn't take the comment about house dust personally. All houses have dust and if you're allergic there's nothing you can do about it.

A lot of people would think it rude to just go and make themselves a cup of tea or put on a wash in someone elses house. I don't think that behaviour was rude.

The stuff about her boyfriend was just immature and yes, a bit disrespectful to talk like that in front of your children but I would say it was more ignorance than rudeness.

I would expect a student coming to stay for the weekend to bring some kind of a small gift, which this girl did. I would not expect a contribution towards the 'household economy'.

As for the people on here saying their 19 yr olds had their own houses, were bringing up children etc well, fine, but you can't really use them as typical 19 year olds. Very unusual 19 year olds I would say.

Blimey, when I was 19 I had started my nurse training and was into my 6th year of looking after my mentally ill mother and running the house

I thought all 19 year old could be relied upon to be sensible, responsible and considerate.

This behaviour at 15/16 okay, but not 19

at 19 I'd lived away from home 6 months, lodged in a house . had no responsibility whatsoever. 19 year olds CAN be mature and responsible if their life dictates as such. If not, they've still got to learn.

Well, not all 19 year olds are the same, but I certainly recognise some of those things as typical as displayed by my own 19 yr old daughter and friends.

How long was she staying for? A small token gift is perfectly acceptable from a cash-strapped sudent - she was your guest presumably, I wouldn't normally expect guests to chip into the household budget. Bit unsure about the washing thing, depends how long she was with you and under what circumstances.

As a sufferer of house dust allergy myself she has my empathies and sympathies! For me, it's not so much a sniff that can be eased with a tissue, it's a constant severe itchiness at the back of the nose. Old books are the worst culprits.

I know plenty of 40 and 50 year olds who have no interest in politics. And have had blazing rows with some close relatives who are VERY interested in politics, so we've agreed that's a no-go subject.

Amazing that people assume behaviour is because of private and/ or boarding school based on one or two anecdotes.

She sounds entitled and immature. She'll grow out of it. Wouldn't tolerate drank til I was sick and am shagging BF for more than 30 seconds though.

Wankerchief, your post made me smile-being told to be careful ironing three bags of washing, 'as it burns quick' .

It is you.

She's 19. A bit gauche, a bit rude, and you don't sound very welcomIng.

Give the girl a break. So, she's not the perfect house-guest. She talks a little inappropriately in front of your kids. She commented that she was sniffing because of the dust (maybe she has rhinitis and can't help that). Seemed to expect cups of tea put in front of her - did she actually say that? Lots of teenagers don't know much about politics. Hopefully she will learn more as she gets older, but maybe she won't and will remain in good company with lots of the rest of the population who don't know much about it. Did her "expensive public school" teach politics, or do you just assume that she should know more because she attended that school?

You don't sound very welcoming, to be honest, and you also sound a little resentful of her. Sometimes when I feel awkward and unwelcome, I can act a bit of a twat from nerves, or to over-compensate. I think that applies to most people. Maybe that's what happened with her.

I'm 19 and at University! YABU

I was also state schooled but I have no idea why you think education has anything to do with an interest in politics. i have friends at Uni who are from very prestigious private schools and they couldn't give a jot about politics. On the other hand, I know plenty of state school kids who love it- one of my closest "state" friends is running for Councillor.

As for the rest of your post, I can see your niece's side of the things.
The dust comment, for example, was probably a throw away comment and was not intended to be rude. I imagine she simply said "oh it's probably itching because of the dust". I doubt she was commenting on the state of the house or anything. Most 19 year olds wouldn't even notice or think about that kind of thing.

I don't know why you were expecting a financial contribution when it was only one weekend and she is family. I think it's nice that she bought you some taramasalata. How did she "behave" as if she'd contributed majorly to the household? Feels like you are imagining what she is thinking.

I also think that she was probably trying to be friendly and entertaining by telling you about her boyfriend. I agree that it was probably inappropriate for the children to here but this was probably due to ignorance rather than deliberate rudeness. Just calmly say "not in front of the kids!" or something.

As for the washing- If I stayed at someone's house I would find it presumptuous just to use the washing machine by myself. I'd at least ask about it to make sure it's okay. As someone said above, I wouldn't want to make myself at home too much- that would seem ruder!

All fairly normal stuff in my opinion. Of course, I don't know the entire situation and it's impossible to know how she was behaving from a short post. Just thought I'd offer the opposite perspective...

Thanks for all the replies. I think she and I are both being a bit unreasonable. As to the taramasalata - I don't expect her to contribute but she just made a big deal of bringing it, kept mentioning it. Schools - I would expect if I had paid for an expensive education that the children would have a rounded education, including at least a passing interest in politics

Would like to add at 19 I was dating a politics student still had no interest in politics. I also went to a private school. It's just a phase which once she gets out of the bubble called uni and into the real world she'kll grow out of it.

Lol sounds like some of my coworkers. Annoying as hell. Just point her the right way, at least you can't get in trouble for doing so at home.

I'll add - it is annoying when you feel like people aren't making an active effort to be considerate of what they say/do, especially as you must do so all the time as a mum. A lot of 19 year olds are tactless (I was myself, I cringe at how I used to be). She'll grow out of it :)