Living with a sibling can be a great bonding experience. You grew up in the same household, so surely, you know how to get along! And having family around can be a huge blessing. That is, unless your brother or sister makes your life much mored difficult than it needs to be…
One woman reached out to the internet for advice after her entitled sister decided that she was moving into her home. Below, you’ll find the full story of all the drama that led to the little sister being evicted, as well as some of the replies invested readers shared.
It can be hard to set boundaries with the people that you love the most
But when this woman's sister demanded that she move into her home without any notice, she knew that it would be a trainwreck
She added some more details to the post later on
Then, the author responded to several readers and shared even more background information
Readers were appalled by the sister's behavior, and many urged the homeowner to kick her out as soon as possible
Later, the author returned with an update on her sister's living situation
54% of Americans say that they have a close relationship with their siblings
Sibling relationships are complicated. You may have been best friends with your brothers and sisters as children, but speak to them only once a year as an adult. Or you may have spent your entire childhood screaming at one another in the back of the car, but you’ve blossomed into best friends in adulthood.
According to the Pew Research Center, 54% of Americans feel close to at least one of their siblings, but even more people report feeling close to a parent, spouse, or non-relative that they consider family. 38% of Americans say they would turn to a sibling for emotional support, and 24% say that one of their siblings leans on them for support.
But regardless of how close you are with your brothers and sisters, you might want to think long and hard before deciding to upgrade your sibling relationship to a roommate one.
When it comes to the pros and cons of living with a sibling, Moving.com notes that it can definitely help you save money. In some US cities, living with roommates can actually save a person up to $30,000 per year. Plus, living with someone that you know and love may be much easier than living with a complete stranger.
There can certainly be downsides to sharing a home with your brother or sister, though. For example, we all know that it's common for siblings to bicker. You might feel comfortable saying exactly what’s on your mind to your brother or sister, but it can sometimes come out a bit too harsh. Being around family might even cause you to regress, as you’ll be reminded of what it was like to live together during childhood.
Becoming roommates with a sibling isn't always a good idea
Issues with money can arise as well, as your sibling may attempt to take advantage of the fact that you live together. A roommate whom you don’t know well would never be willing to cover part of your rent; the household rules would be strict. But a sibling might expect their brother or sister to bend the rules and help them out from time to time, which can cause tension in the household.
Because it can be so difficult to navigate a sibling/roommate combo relationship, it’s important to set some ground rules before getting a place with your brother or sister. Capital City Movers recommends establishing cleaning schedules, quiet hours, and how you’ll split bills before moving in together. That way, everyone’s on the same page from the get-go.
Meanwhile, both siblings must respect one another’s space and communicate openly when issues arise. Don’t keep things bottled up until the problem escalates. Make sure that responsibilities are divided fairly and that you both maintain outside relationships. Don’t spend every waking moment together, or the relationship might become too intense.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think the author made the right choice by kicking out her sister? Feel free to weigh in, and then you can find another article from Bored Panda discussing sibling drama right here.
Readers applauded the author for enforcing her boundaries and called out her parents for enabling their daughter
