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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU or is my friend a CF

108 replies

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 24/10/2018 21:23

I live in a house share and my friend has an associate coming to stay at the weekend. Someone she agreed to let stay knowing we don't have a spare room. The associate is to stay in her room, which is all good. She's free to have whoever she wants to stay. However she has decided that she's going to share my bed/room with me this weekend or because she knows I'm thinking of going away at the weekend she wants to use my room and let her guest have hers.

She never asked me any of this but assumed that it would be ok with me and basically came in and TOLD me that she'd either be sleeping with me and sharing my room or she'd be using my room herself while I'm away. If she'd of asked I'd either have considered it or been comfortable telling her no. Because I have ASD, OCD, ODD, PDA and Anxiety, my room is my safe space, my bubble of security where nothing is moved or changed without my say so. It's where I go to escape from the world.

If I invite a guest depending on my relationship with the guest I'd either sleep with them, on the floor in my room, the sofa or the floor in a friends room. And I'd not invite them before checking that my other housemates were ok with that. I would never presume that I could dictate where I was sleeping.

She made brief mention of sleeping on the couch but then said that obviously she's not going to do that because she can share with me, as the couch isn't as comfortable as a bed and it means she'd have to stay up later because she likes to be in bed and asleep by eleven and our housemates/friends obviously don't especially on a weekend and then be up early because of the poor blinds/curtain situation plus housemates that are early risers coming into the lounge. And I can't see why she thought sharing with me would be much better. I have RLS so my legs twitch and jerk all night. I sleep four four/five hours a night max which is why I have the room furthest from everyone else's so I don't disturb anyone when I'm up past four and awake before eight.

I don't want her in my room if I'm here or not and I especially don't want to leave her my room keys while I'm not here. But she is emotionally immature and I can't tell her this without her crying or going into a strop which is going to damage our friendship which in all other respects is great. She is usually a great friend if occasionally thoughtless like this. She's 19 so it's to be expected sometimes I suppose. But because she's not given me a choice I feel backed into a corner and I'm not happy. But I have to live with her at least another year so I need to keep the peace as much as possible.

It's the assuming and telling me what is happening that has annoyed me more than anything especially as I don't see why I should be inconvenienced and stressed because she's decided to invite a guest based on an incorrect assumption that I'd not expect any rational person to have.

OP posts:
NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 25/10/2018 13:59

I can't trust that she'll not go through my things, use or move things I don't want anyone to use. I've a lot of sentimental/personal things in my room and I don't want my privacy breached in any way. I don't invite people in my room to chat let alone stay without massive consideration.

She is very immature in a lot of way and can be incredibly selfish and jealous at times. Something she is aware of and working on slowly. I've bought a mini fridge for my room because I'd tell her not to touch/eat my stuff because I'm on a very low income and can't afford for her to eat my food and a restrictive diet due to health issues. This persisted so I took proactive action and now she has to buy her own goodies and the like. Same with soap powder, which I wouldn't mind sharing but theres only one brand I can use without becoming ill and when it was her turn to buy she'd buy anything but that, leaving me to buy my own which she'd then use before using the one she'd bought.

I'm not doing it anymore. It's time she grows up and thinks about others.

OP posts:
Shriekingbanshee · 25/10/2018 14:05

Well done for the big girl knickers! Nice one. From that she's clearly been taking the piss too long. Just keep reflecting back her attitude and expectations, lack of respect

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 25/10/2018 14:23

I'm not attempting to avoid confrontation. I'm attempting to not cause a friend to become upset and hysterical like she has form for, because I value her friendship and she values mine. We just seem to have different views on what is considered to be a 'normal' friendship with 'normal' expectations, because I struggle to read social cues I wanted to know what others think.

OP posts:
HungryForSnacks · 25/10/2018 15:27

OP I'm sorry but it sounds like you're avoiding confrontation. In an earlier post you specifically said you were avoiding it.

My suggestion with the text was also so the message can't get misconstrued or confused. At least with a written message you have time to draft it and proof read etc

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 25/10/2018 15:31

Ah fair enough Smile I'll sort it with her. I can't have this assumption happen again.

OP posts:
timeisnotaline · 25/10/2018 15:38

Does she really value your friendship? Because it sounds like she knows most people have boundaries but you are a pushover and she doesn’t have to worry about yours and can eat your food even if you can’t afford more, ditto use your soap and of course invade your room. I think you should be much more clear with her!! If you think you are a mum figure, good mums don’t indulge their children so they are spoilt rotten, they make sure they know they are loved while establishing healthy patterns of behaviour.

woolduvet · 25/10/2018 16:03

I'm not convinced that your friendship is two way.
Would you treat a friend's property like this?

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 25/10/2018 16:15

Definitely not, there is no way I would ever behave like that. She behaves somewhat like this with others just not to this extent as far as I can see. Either way I think I'm going to take a step back somewhat from the friendship. I don't have the time or the energy for these issues she's creating.

OP posts:
NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 25/10/2018 17:57

Well that was fun. Shes not happy. She came to my bedroom door knocked and when I answered she asked that I remember to tidy and air my room for her because its a bit cluttered and smells like the window hasn't been opened in week, because there's a wasp nest outside my door. So I snapped, I told her that I wouldn't be leaving her my keys as I don't like the idea of anyone having access to my space without my say so or knowledge at each entry, I have a lot of medical and personal (think family photos/letters) around my room I don't want anyone to see and I know that she's promised not to touch anything I know her curiosity will get the better of her. I told her two nights on the couch while not ideal wont kill her and I'm sure if she mentions to our other housemates that she'll be sleeping in the lounge they'll be considerate but not to expect them to leave the communal area at 11 each night till 10 the next morning and next time she has a guest to think about where shes going to put them or stay herself before inviting them.

So she's upset and cried a bit, tried begging and whining about how its not fair, and shes screwed because our housemate John is a night owl so stays in the lounge until after 2 most nights and how she agreed to this on the assumption that as her friend I would be reasonable and let her do it the way she wants. To which I've told her that I am her friend but I'm also a busy woman with a life and my own needs and rights that deserve to be met and I'm not going to compromise them based on her wants. So shes sulking and will likely sulk a day or so more before she calms down and apologises (which she always does then makes an effort to be better afterwards) and things go back to normal.

OP posts:
Forgotmycoat · 25/10/2018 18:03

Well done op. A huge huge round of applause for standing up to this selfish girl. You said exactly the right things. You should be immensely proud of yourself.

Weezol · 25/10/2018 18:04

Well done! BrewCake

GenericHamster · 25/10/2018 18:04

Well done!

woodhill · 25/10/2018 18:04

CF friend - cheek about room and airing it

Pinkyyy · 25/10/2018 18:06

The key in there is that she made an agreement upon an assumption instead of asking, a valuable lesson learned for her. Well done for standing up for yourself. Also her making demands just heightens her CFness

Missingstreetlife · 25/10/2018 18:07

Making too much of a meal of this. No excuse explanations or apologies! Just tell her, then she has time to adjust her plans. It's not your problem, don't take it on.
Anne Dixon, a woman in your own right, is a good read about assertiveness.

PassMeTheHaribosAmego · 25/10/2018 18:10

well done namechange !

ReanimatedSGB · 25/10/2018 18:16

Oh well done. She will get over it - and maybe will take another step towards realising that the world does not revolve around her needs, and that other people are under no obligation to give her whatever she wants because otherwise she'll cry till she's sick.

ItWentInMyEye · 25/10/2018 18:24

Well done OP! You handled the situation brilliantly 

MrsStrowman · 25/10/2018 18:34

In all honesty if I wasn't going to be there anyway it wouldn't bother me. I had housemates stay in my room when I wasn't there and occasionally their guests, deal was wash/change the sheets after. But you have very particular needs and maybe she doesn't get that, could you write her an email or message to explain? You can just sneak off but then you'll probably feel uncomfortable coming back.

MrsStrowman · 25/10/2018 18:35

Sorry missed your update, look like that's sorted then

timeisnotaline · 25/10/2018 19:02

Well done, it’s so much better said than not said!!

BringOnTheScience · 25/10/2018 19:23

Well done you!!! Now, relax and enjoy your weekend.

Shriekingbanshee · 25/10/2018 19:31

Awesome, name pointing out her assumptions and sticking at it. Like you say, she'll come back round but hopefully will realise assumptions about others backfires!
I wouldnt mind if I trusted one of my roommates and they lent out their room to their friend, but I wouldnt let out my room to their friend, only mine.

NameChangeToAvoidBeingFound · 26/10/2018 01:53

I think had she of asked me with plenty of notice if she could use my room/share my bed/put a blow up mattress in my room I would perhaps of been ok with it. I think it's the assuming and inviting a guest to stay on the assumption that she can sleep with me or use my room so her guest is comfortable and she's not inconvenienced despite inconveniencing me and causing me a great deal of anxiety has caused me to become very defensive over my personal space. But she'll learn, and I know her enough to know that while shes upset now once she's calm she'll process it and understand my position and no not to do it again.

OP posts:
Shriekingbanshee · 26/10/2018 02:02

Yes, it definitely feels different when things are assumed as to be agreed! Hopefully she has learnt something today and will know now to give some more thought to her actions and assumptions another time.

Have a great weekend away, without the worry!

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