'AITA for refusing to sleep in the basement to accommodate my cousins in my room during their stay?'

A 16-year-old boy, known by the username SeaLet5248, has sparked a heated debate on Reddit after refusing to sleep in the basement to accommodate his younger cousins during their week-long stay at his family’s home.

The post, shared in the r/AmItheA*****e subreddit, has garnered attention for the teenager’s firm stance on not giving up his bedroom.

Teen refuses to sleep in basement to make room for cousins

According to the teen’s account, his relatives had recently moved to town and his family decided to host them while they settled in. However, with the house already feeling cramped due to limited space, his parents requested that he sleep in the cold, dusty basement so his two younger cousins could stay in his room.

The basement, he explained, was poorly insulated and lacked proper bedding, leaving him with a thin blanket and an uncomfortable mattress.

In his post, the teen expressed frustration, saying, "I wouldn’t want my younger cousins to go through that too but it was MY bedroom." He also asked if he could sleep in his parents’ room instead, but they declined due to the room being cluttered with items from the recent move.

The OP explained, "I asked if I could sleep in my parent’s room instead but as I said every room in our house is pretty small, my parents room is also filled with the different stuff they had when they moved."

"My parents got kind of pissed off at me and we had an argument," he wrote. "The situation eventually led him to stay at a friend's house for the duration of his relatives' visit. It ended up with me going over to a friend’s house and sleeping there for the entire week my relatives were there."

Reddit users rally behind teen

The teenager’s post quickly attracted attention, with some Reddit users expressing sympathy for his discomfort claiming he did a "good job."

A user said, "Sounds like you solved everything. Good job."

Another added, "I always thought the whole notion of giving up your bed for others is just weird anyway. I wouldn't WANT to sleep in someone else's bed."

A third commentator remarked, "NTA. I note your parents (who made the offer) don't forfeit their comfortable bed or suffer any inconvenience regarding their room."

"NTA. Heat is a basic need . If they had a heater or a heated blanket it would be different. A child shouldn’t be made to sleep where there is not adequate heat. If made too it is child abuse," said a supporter.

A person said, "I’m with you on this. It isn’t a big deal, though at 16 it seems like it."

Another added, "NTA. They should have discussed it with you first."

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