Man Bans Younger Siblings from New Apartment, Parents Argue He's Prioritizing Possessions Over Family

A 25-year-old man seeks advice from the Reddit community after a nasty disagreement with his parents following his refusal to allow his younger siblings to visit his new home.

“I moved out as soon as I got into college and from that shared college apartment, I moved straight into my own place,” he writes in his post.

The man lives seven hours from his hometown, which has led to somewhat infrequent visits. While he maintains a close relationship with his dad and stepmom, his younger siblings, aged 10 and 7, have proven to be a challenge during visits home.

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During a recent Christmas visit, the siblings broke his Nintendo Switch and shattered his phone screen. "Both times neither object was left unattended near them,” he recounts.

The man’s living situation complicates matters further. He describes his loft as “essentially one big open space” filled with expensive music equipment. “It’s more of a ‘I live in my studio’ situation than a 'I have a studio at home’ situation,” he explains.

To protect his valuable gear, he has consistently declined his parents’ request to visit with the younger siblings, offering instead to visit them. However, this arrangement has started to strain the family relationship.

Related: Sibling Says She ‘Went Full Mean Girl’ to Get Her Younger Sister to Clean Her Bedroom

When pressed for an explanation, he candidly told his parents that he doesn’t want his siblings in his home due to their history with breaking things. But their response was not what he expected.

“My parents are hurt, saying that my brother and sister should be more important than money/possessions and that I moved away from home without ever making an effort to be in the lives of my siblings,” he writes, acknowledging the validity of their point. “They also say my siblings are hurt from me not putting any effort into being in their lives especially since the family talks a lot about me near them.”

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While the man expresses love for his parents, he stands firm in his decision, believing it unreasonable to expose thousands of dollars worth of sensitive equipment to children with a history of damaging property.

Redditors are on his side.

"If your parents won’t parent and also won’t promise to replace your broken items, you literally CANNOT AFFORD to let the unruly kids visit," writes one.

"Did your parents pay for a new nintendo switch or phone when they broke yours? I doubt it! Until those kids are of an age where they can behave themselves, absolutely not," adds another.

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