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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Or does she have squatters rights?

232 replies

Bettycrocker7 · 20/10/2024 18:22

We live in a 3 bed semi with no potential to move, extend or convert the attic.
Me and dh have one bedroom, dd13 and ds10 ( he has asd and adhd) share one room.
Dd 14 (she has adhd and asd) has her own box sized room.

Around two and a half years ago ds had the box room and the two girls shared.
My eldest dd was very difficult to share a room with. No emotional regulation, huge meltdowns, repeated unkind behaviour and she would stay up until the early hours.
After months of sleepless nights, we decided to put ds (then 8) and middle dd (then 10) in one room and give eldest dd her own bedroom in the box room. This did restore peace in the house for a while.

We've now reached a point where middle dd (13) needs her own bedroom. Her little brother is annoying her and she is embarrassed to have friends over.

We have found a company who will build us a floor to ceiling bunk bed as a room divider and split the one room into two box sized rooms. At the end of the bunk will be a doorframe with a fully opening and closing door. This will be cladded so that there are no gaps between the two sides of the bed - essentially creating two box rooms.

Middle dd has said she would like the existing orginal box room ( currently dd14 bedroom) to be her room, she is the only one out of the three who hasn't had use of it. She is also the only one of the three to have always had to share a room.

The original box room can only fit a shorty style bed which is perfect as middle dd is quite small. The two new box rooms fit full sized single mattresses which is better for dd14 as she is taller than me.
Where my eldest dd and youngest ds both have adhd and asd they are night owls staying up watching tv until the early hours. Middle dd loves routine and is often asleep by 10ish.

Eldest dd14 is refusing to even discuss a move into one of the newly built box rooms.
She is quite literally claiming squatters' rights. Generally speaking, it's often her way or no way, she isn't able to have calm discussions and will have a meltdown if I try to discuss it with her. When we first brought the topic up (in the car) she shouted a lot and repeatedly shouted no over and over and kicked the back of my chair quite hard.

My gut tells me that middle dd13 is due her turn in the existing box room. I think it's better for the two children that stay up all night to share a party wall rather than all three be awake because either one of them is bugging middle dd.

I also feel that as a family we have always prioritised dd14 needs and that she does need to accept that sometimes in life she can't always get her own way and needs to learn to compromise.

So aibu to insist that DD14 move into one of the newly built box rooms.which fits a bed more suitable for her size? Does DD14 have squatters' rights? Or does DD13 have a fair argument in that she needs some peace and quiet and her turn of the original box room? DD13 has been sharing and compromising for the last two years by sharing with her brother so I do feel her argument has a fair bit of weight to it

OP posts:
sweeneytoddsrazor · 22/10/2024 11:35

Do you have two rooms downstairs or could you have a sofa bed for yourself downstairs. Are you even allowed to do what you are proposing in a HA home?

Codlingmoths · 22/10/2024 11:46

Bettycrocker7 · 20/10/2024 21:14

He functions well, school reports are good. No behaviour issues .Eldest dd is falling asleep in class and we are in desperate need of melatonin. We have tried removing the tv after a certain time but her meltdowns are LOUD and full on and camhs advised that perhaps the background noise is soothing for her? Either way once they rationalised it in front of her that was that argument said and done.

Have you tried swapping tv for audiobooks? Could be more calming for everyone who has to hear it and you could maybe put in some decent books 😁 we do audiobooks for getting my eldest to sleep sometimes.

WhatsInTheRug · 22/10/2024 18:24

sweeneytoddsrazor · 22/10/2024 11:35

Do you have two rooms downstairs or could you have a sofa bed for yourself downstairs. Are you even allowed to do what you are proposing in a HA home?

Well since the legalities and safety concerns have been mentioned op seems to have disappeared

AmIEnough · 23/10/2024 08:17

DelphiniumBlue · 20/10/2024 18:39

Even squatters don't have rights these days, and a child living in her parents home is neither a squatter nor entitled to any particular bedroom.
Presumably the actual move into the newly created room is going to be some weeks down the line, and DD needs time to get used to the idea. Keep talking about it as a decision that has already been made, not in a confrontational way, but in a casual conversational way. Do not be drawn into arguments, but do state how it is now DD2's turn for the boxroom. You could discuss with them all how they would like their rooms decorated/colourschemes/bedding etc, but don't let DD1 think that you are going to budge on this. Let her see preparations, eg packing up the big room prior to the transformation, asking her if she wants to keep XYZ. She is the child and you are the grownup, and she needs to understand that you decide what will happen, not her, and your decision will be about what works for the family as a whole and what is fair.

This is a brilliant response. I have a daughter with ASD and ADHD and I also have ADHD myself so am very well aware of the difficulties and this response is absolutely the way to approach it. I wish you all the best.

AmIEnough · 23/10/2024 08:21

@DoreenonTil8

Mookytoo
She had no rights.
And due to her antisocial behavior
she is being evicted and
rehoused

you make the rules

This, does her siblings have to follow her demands generally? I also feel that as a family we have always prioritised dd14 needs

I can't believe you've made a 13 girl share with a younger brother to mollify a sibling.

You guys have clearly never had to deal with a child with ASD and ADHD.

Olaatur9rx49f · 20/01/2025 16:53

That kid need a professional help, she need to understand and learn how to talk. I am so happy my brothers are nice, I would hate the sister like her.

Curtainqueen · 20/01/2025 16:58

Olaatur9rx49f · 20/01/2025 16:53

That kid need a professional help, she need to understand and learn how to talk. I am so happy my brothers are nice, I would hate the sister like her.

Out of interest, what did you even put in the search to find this thread? It was finished 3 months ago.

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