This is alot and I apologize in advance for the wall of text here. I just want to be able to set my own boundaries without causing any issue if possible.
I live with my mom and sister and we’ve been fighting a lot lately about electronics that I own.
I have a PlayStation 5 and an Xbox in the living room. Both consoles were bought during the end of the pan remix when I was living on my own. I honestly don’t play them that much, but my sister uses them almost every day and sometimes even both at the same time.
Recently my PS5 controller stopped charging and we were trying to figure out why. During the conversation I said maybe the cord was bad or maybe the consoles just get used a lot. My sister immediately got defensive and said she doesn’t use them that much.
For a while I’ve been thinking about moving the consoles into my room so I can actually use them more and also just have my stuff in my own space. When I said that, my sister asked what she was supposed to play on. I told her she still has her own PS4, but she said that was unfair and called me petty.
The argument got way bigger than I expected. My mom said she could “be more petty” and threatened not to take me to work tomorrow. My sister also brought up her food stamps and said she doesn’t have to buy food for me and that I eat a lot. That part hurt because honestly I haven’t been eating much lately and most of my money goes toward helping with household bills and my own small bills.
Another thing is I recently got a new computer, but it was actually a gift from friends. My mom and sister seem to think I’m buying a bunch of expensive stuff when I’m really not. Most of the nicer things I have were gifts.
There’s another dynamic too. When we moved into this house my furniture was too big for the other rooms, so my mom and sister chose for me to have the biggest room. It also has its own bathroom. They can use it whenever they want, they just have to let me know.
Even though they were the ones who picked that room for me, my mom sometimes says I act like I’m “queen bee” or the “queen of Sheba.” I really don’t see myself that way and I’ve told her that.
On top of that I help pay a lot of the household bills, which leaves me with very little money left over to save or buy extra things.
From my perspective the consoles are mine and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want them in my room. But they keep saying I’m exhausting, petty, and unfair for not sharing, especially since my sister uses them more than I do.
So AITA for wanting to move my consoles into my room?
And if I am the asshole here, what should I do? Should I help them try to get newer consoles of their own? Should I just leave mine in the living room and let my sister keep using them? Or should I just give them the consoles to avoid all this conflict?
Why not just take the ps5 and leave the Xbox or vice versa? Or trade in the xbox for a second ps5.
Also, whose house is it? Answer will vary if your mom is paying the bills, you’re paying the bills, or it’s split.
That’s a nice idea I might use that. I could keep the peace further by putting it back when I’m done so less abrasion?
Why do that her sister has her own PS4
The most important question!
What did they say when you sat them down and told them all of this?
They both got upset with me even though I explained it reasoning and my thoughts through more than once.
How old are you, your sister and your mother? Where does your father fit into all of this?
I am sure I am much older than all of you, but even if there were video games when I was growing up, this type of argument wouldn’t have happened after I turned 18, moved out of the family house, took all my stuff, and started living on my own.
It sounds like, from your post, that you, your sister and your mom are all adults by age, but children by disposition, fighting over toys. When do you expect you will grow up?
We are all adults, and this interaction has made me think the same thing. This whole thing over material objects. Mere toys. I do not want to fight or argue with them. I’d rather things be peaceful but at the same time I worked for these things on my own. But maybe I might be entitled? I just want to see from another perspective to try and find balance and a solution.
Tbf – the economy is in a much, much different state from when you ‘turned 18 \[and\] moved out of the family house’. Most places it’s just not feesible to move out right away and in others it isn’t the cultural norm.
NTA, do you make enough to move out and get a one bedroom apartment?
Pan remix is such a funny yet accurate mistype of what I assume you meant to type pandemic.
Anyway your stuff you get to choose what to do with it so NTA
Frankly, I think it would be best if you moved out. They may be your things that you paid for, but if you depend on your mom for transportation and your sister for food, you don’t have the leg to stand on that you think you do. They do those things as a favor to you and don’t owe them to you. Having the consoles in the living room is a favor to them, and you don’t owe it to them. I would feel differently if they were in your room all along, but they weren’t. If you’re going to rescind that favor, they honestly have the right to rescind the favors they do for you in response. The best way to avoid that if you don’t want to share them anymore is to find your own place.
Nta
Why not sell the consoles. And tell them was a necessity to sell them so as to be able to buy food and pay bills.
This sounds like ESH. Grown folks too broke to have their own places and using food stamps fighting over expensive toys. I can’t even.