To feel a bit annoyed at someone watching TV on full blast when I'm working at home

[peasantfolk]

I'm stuck working at home, and unfortunately I am staying with my parents for a couple of weeks until I get back on my feet.

They refuse to turn the TV down (it's very, very loud) when I'm working, saying it's their house, their rules and that if I don't like it I can go upstairs.

That's fair enough but I find it depressing to spend 8 hours a day sitting in the cramped spare room then spend another 8 hours sleeping in it, if you see what I mean.

I think the reason I feel annoyed about it is because if I was in their position, I wouldn't even think of having the TV on while someone else was working.

I can see both sides to be honest, you can watch TV as loudly as you want in your own house, but AIBU to feel a bit sort of, dismissed? I have a tough job which requires a lot of concentration and my work is suffering quite a lot.

Luckily I will be moving out soon but I'm feeling quite hurt by it to be honest and it's bringing up a lot of emotions from when I was dismissed in childhood.

Sympathies OP. YABU to expect them to turn it off but YANBU to find it annoying. To be fair if I had to move back in with my parents I know I’d be climbing the walls within about 30 seconds - there’s something about being with them that makes me regress into a moody teenager and everything they do annoys me

@peasantfolk

Also the upstairs room is a tiny box room and I sort of have to kneel on the floor and have the computer on the bed and then my legs go numb, which is why I was initially reluctant to go upstairs.

You can't sit with a laptop on the bed?

I suppose I could but I somehow find it easier to type if I sit on the floor and have the bed as my 'desk'. As long as I wiggle my legs every now and then it's OK and go on little walks to the kitchen/bathroom every and now and then it seems to be working fine for me.

They don't sound massively helpful, it wouldn't hurt for them to compromise a wee bit for their child trying to earn money, who watches tv all day anyway?

An ironing board as a standing desk works quite well, with sitting on bed breaks.

Try one of those tray-cushions for the laptop and sit yourself on the bed.

Thank you for the tips!

As for having it on as "background noise". FGS. We have music and radios for that, How would you feel if you allowed someone to live in your home for a couple of weeks, and then they asked you to change your choice of background music because it wasn't to their taste?

They're entitled to use what they want for background. And if they need to turn the TV up loud, they'd do the same with a radio.

What do you expect them to do, go out, sit in silence? Their home they get to enjoy, I'm guessing they are letting you stay rent free?

I don't think YABU. You're working, they're your parents; they should care more about you than having annoying loud TV on. I know that if I had to go to my father's house and work there he would turn the TV off straight away.

But at the same time, I guess it's their house. They're being a bit mean.

@movingonup20

What do you expect them to do, go out, sit in silence? Their home they get to enjoy, I'm guessing they are letting you stay rent free?

No, I wasn't expecting them to sit in silence or go out, just turn the volume down to a normal level. Yes I am paying rent.

Working on a bed woth a lap tray as a pp suggested is no good for anybody's back. Maybe a cheap small desk in the corner? You can get really compact ones and even if you take a side table out and replace it with that for now it'll be worth it?

@peasantfolk

Looks pretty unanimous then. I suppose in my defence, they're not actually watching the TV they just have it on as background noise. They're working too. But it is true that it's their place so they can do that if they want to. I feel like such a spoilt lazy teenage bitch now :D

How are they managing to work with such noise?