Mom demands 18-year-old college student shares room with 11-year-old sister, gets annoyed when she refuses: 'I've had this room since I was 6'

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Jun 5, 2026 12:30 PM EDT

Are we always entitled to personal space within the family home?

Growing up with multiple siblings and limited bedrooms can prove to be a challenge, especially as kids get older. No matter what their personality, most people get to a point where they want their own place, and somewhere where they can exist in privacy. Having to share a bedroom usually doesn't allow for this, and it can put strain on familial relationships as a result.

The expectation that we should be fine sharing our space with others just because we are related to them is a frustrating one. Anyone with at least one sibling knows the number of arguments that can happen at any age. Not being able to get away is only going to increase the chances of screaming matches.

What can be even more annoying is when you have your own room, but then you are suddenly expected to share. It takes away a privilege you took for granted and introduces an arrangement that is going to be even harder to adjust to. No matter what the reasoning may be, it feels like a step backwards. Emotions are particularly likely to run high with those who are just discovering their independence.

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A teenager who was due to start college soon was at odds with her parents because of the new bedroom-sharing rule that they wanted to enforce once she went away to study. Despite her having her own room for more than a decade, they now wanted her to share it with one of her younger sisters.
Their reasoning for this switch was that they wanted to give her sister her own room to make her more responsible about cleaning up after herself. For a few reasons, the oldest sibling felt like this wasn't fair, but she was dealing with pushback for her refusal to share.
Am I wrong for refusing to share a room with my 11-year-old sister?

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