How do you like sharing a room with someone?

Ever have to share your room with another relative, like your cousin or brother?

If you did, or you currently do right now, tell me; do you like sharing a room with someone? Any good tips for how to deal with this kind of living situation?

As for me, I've been forced to share a room with my own Father after my Aunt moved in and took my room. (Not borrowed, took until the day she dies basically) At first, I thought I'd get used to it since this is my Dad I'm sharing a room with. We've had our ups and downs, but I felt that maybe this'll be a good opportunity for us. Maybe it won't be so bad, maybe we'll do more together because of the situation and become closer. But oh boy, was I wrong. He consistently is smoking cigs about every 20 minutes (even while I sleep), always wakes up at 5:30 or 6 to make coffee, never seeks to spend additional quality time together despite sharing a room, Turns the AC off around 3 in the morning EVERY SINGLE MORNING, and always throws in my face how "messy I am". (I'll eat something, then go to the bathroom, and come back to the room with him shaking his head calling me lazy as he throws out what I just finished) I didn't think sharing a room with somebody would be this difficult and stressful, I kid you not. The worst part is, if I get upset about having such little privacy or time to myself, I get called selfish and spoiled. Granted, I'm 18 and fresh out of high school. Still, I'm going to college, and doing everything I need to in life. Meanwhile, my Aunt isn't even trying to look for work. I thought sharing a room would get easier as time went on, but it honestly has proven to be quite the opposite.

I used to share a room with my brother growing up and it wasn't anywhere near this kind of bad. Is there any helpful advice anyone can give? Does it have to get worse in order to get better?

bijouxbroussard · F

I shared a room with my middle sister. By the time our youngest sister was two, I had gone away to college, so it was the two of them. But as siblings we were [b]equals[/b] and we negotiated rules for sharing the room. Chances are it would be different with a parent who would likely feel no need to be "fair"; the smoking inside would be an example of no consideration. He can close his eyes to your clutter and sleep, you can hardly close your nostrils to the smoke. Basically it's a case of bearing it until you can make other arrangements.

TheMasterMan1 · 22-25, M

@bijouxbroussard I grew up sharing a room with my brother, and that wasn't really all that bad. All I would really need to worry about is stepping on a water bottle back then. Now, sharing a room with my Dad, I have to keep an eye on where I keep EVERYTHING. Otherwise, he throws it out if he doesn't know what it's for.

That's the biggest issue. He doesn't feel the need to be fair because of his sense of authority. I mean, he is the one to pay the bills and work for the house we live in, and I get that. But I do hate the fact that he doesn't ever consider my own needs for privacy, when he's so willing to give and give for my Aunt who lives in my room rent-free basically.