When you’re a teenager and you invite your first girlfriend or boyfriend over to spend the night, it’s not unusual for parents to put their foot down and refuse to let you sleep in the same room as your partner.
But one woman on Reddit has discovered her parents still don’t want her sharing a bed with her significant other when they go over to visit, even though they’re both adults and are married – and even have children.
Sharing her story anonymously, the 24-year-old woman explained she was recently visiting her parents with her husband and their two sons and was getting ready to settle down for the night when her mum told her husband he would have to sleep on the sofa in the living room.
And when asked why all her mum could say was that her dad “doesn’t feel comfortable” with them sharing a bed under their roof.
She wrote: “My husband and I are visiting my family. My husband, kids and I were getting ready to go to our room for bed when my parents started acting really awkward. Like something was off.
“I asked them what was wrong and my mum quietly told me that my husband should sleep on the couch in the living room. I was a bit shocked because … why? Apparently, my dad doesn’t feel comfortable. I called her and my dad weird and told my husband to ignore them.
“We finally put our kids to sleep and were getting ready to sleep when my mum barged into the room while we were changing and said that she doesn’t want us in the same room alone in her house.
“My husband was freaking terrified at this point because he was in the middle of changing, so he leaves for the couch and my mum says she’s sorry but she’s not in the mood to deal with my dad’s complaining all night.”
The woman said she got up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water and noticed her husband was still wide awake, so went and sat with him for a moment – until they both accidentally fell asleep on the sofa together.
She added: “I got up at like 4 am to drink some water and I saw my husband wide awake just lying on the couch. He said the couch is uncomfortable as f**k, so I sat down next to him and we both accidentally fell asleep.
“I woke up later to my mum freaking out. She was whisper yelling so she didn’t wake up my dad and asked if we’re that co-dependent on each other that we can’t spend one night alone.
I tried explaining that it was a mistake but she kept calling me disrespectful and said that I was selfish. I was upset but my son called for me so we ended our conversation.”
And even though the sofa nap was an honest mistake, the woman has been branded “disrespectful” by her family – but doesn’t understand why her parents are being so “weird” about the situation.
She said: “Now I’m wondering if I really am the a**hole in this situation? My mum says I am because I was being selfish, disrespectful and completely disregarded how difficult her life would’ve become if my dad found us. My whole thing is that it was an accident, I’m 24, and my dad is being weird.”
Commenters on the Reddit post were baffled by the parents’ actions, as many of them said it was strange to keep the married couple apart, especially when they already have children together.
One person said: “If you’re married and have kids, they should respect your marriage and let you guys sleep together.
It’s hard enough falling asleep in someone else’s house, at least let the people have the comfort of having their spouse there to sleep with.”
While another added: “What kind of shenanigans is this? I don’t see why your dad has any issues with you sleeping in the same room with your husband. You guys have kids so clearly sex has happened.”
And a third wrote: “He’s your husband. What’s wrong with your parents? You are married and married people sleep together.”