There's nothing more exciting than moving into your first "grown up" home, and decorating it exactly as you want to.
Of course, over the course of time, you might come to realize that certain arrangements you made to your home might need changing.
Specifically, if you start growing your family.
While these changes will perfectly suit your nuclear family, they don't always please your friends and extended family.
Redditor GuestRoomDebacle and her husband recently welcomed a new baby into their lives.
Requiring the original poster (OP) and her husband to make some necessary changes to their living arrangements.
When the OP's father learned of these changes ahead of visiting his first grandchild, he opted to stay in a hotel instead of the OP's apartment.
Going so far as to call the OP a "terrible hostess".
Wondering if this was actually the case, the OP took to the subReddit "Am I The A**hole" (AITA), where she asked fellow Redditors:
"AITA for sacrificing the guest room instead of the office space?"
The OP explained why her father was so horrified at the changes she and her husband made to their home:
"My husband and I live in a 3 bedroom apartment."
"We sleep in the master bedroom, and until earlier this year, the other two were a guest room and an office space we both shared."
"Our first child was born in October, and we decided to turn the guest room into his nursery."
"We thought about sacrificing the office instead, but decided we needed it more than the guest room."
"I work on-site, but I also do some freelancing from home, and my husband works hybrid."
"We don't need to do our work from the office, but it's more comfortable and less chaotic, especially now that we have a baby."
"On the other hand, we rarely have guests over."
"If we do, the office is big enough to set a mattress, a normal one, not an air mattress, on the floor."
"My father lives in a different country."
"He's traveling here for Christmas in about a week, and this will be his first time meeting my son in person."
"Last time he came, I was pregnant and we still had the guest room, so he stayed there during his visit."
"A couple weeks ago, my father called to ask whether he could stay at my apartment again this year."
"I said sure, but we don't have the guest room anymore, so he'd have to sleep in the office."
"He asked what I meant, and I told him we'd turned the guest room into the baby's nursery."
"He then asked why I hadn't gotten rid of the office instead."
"I explained my and my husband's reasoning."
"My father got annoyed and said, 'Whatever, I'll get a hotel', before hanging up on me."
"The next day, my father texted me."
"He said it was selfish and inconsiderate of me and my husband to keep an office we 'don't actually need' over a room to properly house potential guests."
"He added that he didn't raise me to be such an awful hostess, and it's insane of me to think people would be okay sleeping on a mattress on the floor."
"My sister is siding with my father, and I'm starting to doubt myself here."
"AITA?"
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation, by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You're The A**hole
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
- NAH – No A**holes Here
The Reddit community stood firmly behind the OP, agreeing that she was not the a**hole for turning the guest room, and not the office, into the baby's room.
Everyone agreed that the OP made absolutely the right decision in choosing to turn a room that would only be occasionally used into the baby's room, and not their office, which she and her husband would both use, and at the end of the day, the OP and her husband had every right to do whatever they wanted to in their own home:
"NTA."
"A home should be set up for the best interests of the people who live there."
"You and your husband both regularly work from home."
"Sure, you could make do without the office, but it would be awkward and inconvenient for you both. It's quite absurd for someone who isn't paying any part of the rent or living there to expect you to suffer routine inconvenience in your own home year round to better be convenient for them a few days a year."- KaliTheBlaze
"NTA."
"A guest room is nice to have, but you have reason enough to use that space otherwise."
"In fact, to not do so could be a waste of space."
"Surely your dad also taught you not to waste resources."
"As for sister dear, does she live nearby to you?"
"Maybe she's afraid dad will hit her up."
"Or, does she live far away, and was figuring on using your guest room for some free lodging of her own?"- BlindUmpBob
"Honestly, I sometimes think it's so wasteful to keep a full room just on the premise that someone MIGHT come over to stay."
"I'm all for hybrid rooms."
"Office with a built in Murphy Bed on the wall."
"Project room with a pull out couch, exercise home gym with an Air mattress."
"Like why take your limited space and have it dedicated solely to something that might not be used for months on an end."
"NTA by any means."- Iokua_CDN
"It's never inconsiderate to prioritize your households needs when making choices."
"Having a guest bedroom only benefits others not your husband your baby or you."
"NTA obviously."- -cheeks
"NTA."
"WFH wasn't a thing when your father was in the workforce."
"Nowadays a home office is a must and it sounds like you and your husband both use it."
"While it is great to have a dedicated guest room it's also crazy to have a room in your house that is almost never used 'just in case' someone comes to visit you."
"If the space permits I'd consider getting a nice/comfortable pull out sleeper sofa for your office but a plan to have guests stay at a nearby hotel is perfectly fine."- Kimbo151
"NTA."
"Housing a guest temporarily vs every day to day life?"
"He's rude for being so demanding on your space, especially at just having a baby."
"He will be more comfortable in hotel considering how 'disruptive' a baby can be."-Glad_Commercial183
"NTA."
"You're not an awful hostess, he's an awful guest."
"He is entitled and rude."
"If you want to house him, you could buy a metal frame for the mattress so that it will pass as a real bed, and take it down when he leaves."
"Or he could stay in the hotel he claims to prefer."- Spare_Ad5009
"NTA."
"Your house, your rules."
"Why should you keep the guest room to accommodate infrequent visitors when you use the office regularly?"
"You'd be inconvenienced nearly daily, while your visitors would only be inconvenienced for the duration of their visit."- young929
"NTA."
"He's guilt tripping you and trying to rope you in with gendered expectations of being a good hostess and a self-sacrificing person to his own advantage."- First_Grapefruit_326
"NTA at all."
"It's your place and you have every right to do as you please with it, and you don't have to justify your decisions to anyone."- mrsagc90
"An office is no longer a luxury for most people due to how we work."
"I WFH completely so it an essential."
"A guest room that may be used twice a year is a complete waste of much needed real estate."
"My husband's office has a bed that can be made to look like a sofa and pull out to a double bed; thank you Ikea."
"We call the room our 'room of requirements'."
"We even have a plaque on the door."
"As it's used as granddaughters bedroom once a week, husbands office, you name it."
"Depending on the office set up get a bed like we have and make the room convertible."-WeirdPinkHair
"NTA."
"You have a small place, a baby, and work from home sometimes."
"What does he expect?"
"You're not running a bnb."- Iiiiiiiiiiiii1ii1
"NTA."
"With a baby at home, your husband will need that office on his days working from home."
"Even more so as that child gets older."
"It sounds like you've got a bed or some sort of sleep setup in the office, but if not, you might consider making this a combo space, which is what we did when my oldest was born."
"You're under no obligation to keep a room empty for someone to use once a year when they visit."
"If your father wants a dedicated guest room, he can buy you a new house."
"This is a ridiculous request on his part."- Affectionate_Big8239
Nice as it is to have, a guest room is ultimately not a necessity.
Certainly not as necessary as the OP's child having a room of their own, or the OP and her husband having a place where they can do their work.
Even if his temporary accommodations have become a bit less luxurious, the OP's father should consider himself lucky that when he visits his family, he would at least get a private room of his own.
As many grandparents have to settle for sleeping on the living room sofa.
















New Mom Irate After Father-In-Law Ruins Her Birthday With 'Vulgar' Comment About Her Breasts
There's nothing quite like the feeling of going through all the work to prepare a fun celebration, just for someone to undo it with an unkind or gross comment.
That feeling just gets worse when it's your birthday, and that comment was made by someone who's supposed to care about you, sympathized the members of the "Am I Overreacting?" (AIO) subReddit.
Redditor Rude-Pepper-2389 had recently given birth and decided to have a special birthday celebration to reconnect with her loved ones after becoming a mom.
When her father-in-law stopped by unexpectedly and then made comments about her body, the Original Poster (OP) was left so uncomfortable that it ruined the whole celebration for her.
She asked the sub:
The OP wanted to have a special birthday celebration after her baby was born.
"I currently have a five-month-old and haven’t really been taking care of myself or dressing up since having the baby."
"It’s my (25 Female) birthday, and we were having friends over at our house for a private dinner to celebrate."
"My husband (24 Male) and I have been together since we were 18."
"I decided to put on this new silk shirt I got, which, admittedly, was low-cut, but I felt cute in it and felt comfortable around the friends we were having over."
Everything was fine until the OP's father-in-law (FIL) stopped by unexpectedly.
"My husband's dad decided to stop by on his way home from work."
"I will say, he was likely drunk. He works two hours away and proudly told my husband he's down to only four beers on his drive home each day... so, that's healthy."
"When he came in, I was on the couch with my baby propped up beside me, bottle feeding him. Keep in mind, I am not breastfeeding, so no, my breasts are not any larger right now."
"My husband's dad leaned down to look at the baby and then suddenly shouted, 'D**n, son, she could knock you out with those things in bed! Like cracking two coconuts together.'"
"This was fully and undoubtedly in reference to my breasts."
The OP was shocked by the comment and very uncomfortable.
"It made me deeply uncomfortable and embarrassed."
"I was so stunned, I couldn’t even process what he said to me, and our friends just stared at me, blinking."
"He’s a redneck, so he's said some pretty vulgar stuff over the years, but this just seems to take the cake, as it was the first time it was directed at me."
"When he stepped out, I told my husband he needed to speak to him, and that the comment wasn’t okay."
"I went to change clothes and decided to never ever wear that shirt again."
"When I brought it up to my husband, he said he didn't hear the comment at first, but then he laughed when I told him what he said. He's always laughed when he feels awkward and has always had a hard time standing up to his parents in any capacity."
"When he and my father-in-law spoke, my FIL just said, 'I shouldn’t have said that to her, I know how she can be,' which just feels even more like I’m just being dramatic."
"Since then, I think my husband just wants me to drop it and move on, truthfully."
The OP wasn't sure what to do after what happened.
"This genuinely ruined my entire night. Am I just too sensitive, or was this an inappropriate thing to say?"
"There's also been no apology since then. This happened on Thursday, and then my father-in-law came by again on Friday with flowers to wish me a happy Mother's Day before Mother's Day Sunday."
"I think that was his way of trying to just breeze past the awkwardness. He's never gotten me a gift the whole seven years I've known him, so the flowers were odd. But I still feel really uncomfortable."
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
Some reassured the OP that her father-in-law's comments were rude and just plain creepy.
"NOR at all. That was really rude of him. Anyone would be offended." - Bookbringer
"NOR. That’s firmly in the category of what should be an 'inside thought,' and we should learn what those are at a much younger age than this guy is."
"F**king h**l, this is an absolutely mental thing to say out loud, let alone to your daughter-in-law." - Electronic-Fennel828
"FIL is an AH. I love that you think his being a redneck excuses it, but d**n. Even rednecks should know better than to speak that way to their son's wife."
"What does your husband have to say? Does he understand how breath-takingly rude his father was, or is he Team 'That's Just How He Is'?"
"I'd go very low contact with the old perv. NOR, he put you in an uncomfortable position with his crude remark. Is he married? I'd tell the MIL. I'd tell the whole family. Yes, it's embarrassing, but he is the one who should be embarrassed. Don't accept his non-apology." - Top-Bit85
"Maybe I’m desensitized after having large breasts since I was 13 (I’m 28 now), but I let out a little snort based on how immature of a joke it was. I’d simply tell FIL, 'Yes, I know, my boobs are big,' and move on."
"That said, I would never make such a comment about another person's body. Just because I'm technically fine with it doesn't mean I assume anyone else is!"
"Not everyone is the same, and if OP felt uncomfortable, she’s NOR. Her body, her boundaries." - Both_Original2094
"I’m sorry. That’s upsetting. My father is like this with his father. Even if it’s very offensive comments, he’s uncomfortable and has problems confronting him. It sounds like your husband isn’t going to have a talk with him, which is hurtful."
"I would explain to your husband how uncomfortable the situation was for you and that it’s a serious matter, especially if it happens again. And if he still tries to brush it off, then I would tell him you no longer want your FIL coming to your home."
"It’s your life, too, and he’s not the one being hurt here, you are." - w_coastultraviolence
Others were specifically angry about the tactics the father-in-law used to try to get out of trouble.
"Seriously? Saying 'I know how she can be' is a classic way to blame the victim for having boundaries. It’s your birthday, not a Hooters convention. What a creep. If he can’t look at the baby without checking out your breast, he shouldn't be invited to the house." - Specific_Parsnip3264
"'I know how she can be' is so f**ked up. He's the one being a disgusting person. You need to shine up your husband's spine to properly call him out at the time next time, because there will be a next time." - dancepantz
"The bit that pisses me off the most is, 'I know how she can be,' which is his way of making it her problem that she doesn't like her FiL sexualising her in front of her friends." - Outside-Partait-8935
"The 'joke' comment is gross, but that follow-up comment is infuriating. NOR, OP. But this guy will be in your life for a while, so firmly & calmly shutting this stuff down is completely appropriate."
"I'd wear the d**n shirt again to the next family function and look him right in the eyes next time!" - RationalFish
"When we let things like this slide for others, it's not long before it ends up on our doorstep, and of course, nobody says anything because keeping the peace is the norm. It doesn't have to be getting into their face and yelling abuse back. Just a comment such as, 'Well, that's super tacky to say,' or asking them why they'd say that." - Kattnapped
"The OP said, 'He's said some pretty vulgar stuff over the years... but this is the first time it was directed to me.'"
"Normalise calling stuff out when they are talking about others, and they won't feel so comfortable saying it to you."
"It's a gross thing for him to say, but I guess him buying you flowers is his way of saying sorry."
"Sounds like you are in the situation of a lot of new mothers, where you suddenly realise this stuff matters because you want better influences for your child, and better support for yourself. NOR." - Jumpy-Jello-
Now, about that shirt...
"Please re-think your decision to never wear the cute shirt again, girl!! It's something that you liked very much because it made you feel good about yourself. Don't let some backwoods id**t ruin that for you."
"Wear that shirt till it's worn out and can't be worn anymore!! You should be able to feel good about yourself in whatever you like to wear."
"Your husband should have immediately checked his father, not waited until he was told to do so after his father left the room. In front of everyone there, your husband should have told his father not to ever speak about you or to you in that kind of manner, and if his father doesn't like it, he knows where the door is."
"Hubby should have called him out for his response as well. You did absolutely nothing wrong. You were not the problem; his dad was. This comes down to your husband needing to protect his wife, and he didn't do that." - Lynzo141982
"If he is a redneck, like you said, he won't outright apologize, but flowers are his way of saying sorry."
"I hope he won't say anything again, or else you can expect a nicely tended garden for at least a year."
"About your top, I hope you can wear it again. It takes a lot to feel cute, being a new mum."
"If not, get some fabric dye, dye the top a different color, and embroider a flower on it. This makes the top new, different, and every time you wear it, you can use the mantra ... I'm cute, I don't care what anyone says."
"You've got this!!" - No_Kangaroo_6637
Even if the father-in-law was joking and meant no harm, this is one of those situations where he needs to admit that his joke did not land well, he did cause harm, and he needs to apologize. Just because some people enjoy joking in that manner does not mean that everyone will be comfortable with it, and it's important to respect everyone's boundaries and zones of comfort.