Every family you meet will have stories of disputes between the family members. What is important is to find a way to compromise- to forgive and forget- so that people can stay in peace. But what usually takes place is a situation where something gets so out of hand that there ends up being some major fallout. Relations get soured, and someone always ends up getting irreparably hurt — or in this case, evicted.
What seems to be the point of contention here is that people end up losing their cool in this situation- which elevates the entire debacle. When it comes to being in a family, the most important thing that all family members need to learn is how to communicate well with everyone else. Some members of the family would always look towards putting their heads in the sand when there is a little problem- and that can often lead to bigger issues. It is important that one actually speak up and express their emotions properly.
OP ends up evicting her father and stepmother after they ask her to leave her own house.
In this particular Reddit post, we have a classic conundrum- a stepparent getting introduced to a child. Generally, a child will take some time to acclimatize themselves to a stranger. This is where the abilities and the patience of their parent come into play. This parent can’t afford to be negligent and should always make efforts that would ensure that the child and the step-parent end up getting to know each other well.
Or, discord might get sown at a very early age- which would lead to bigger problems in the future. In this Reddit post from the subreddit Am I The A**hole, OP addressed her query where she asked if she was the a***ole simply because she kicked her stepmom and father out of her house. Without delving into the context, it would be easy to call her a jerk. But when we read the actual situation, several things come to light. Speaking about how the stepmom and the father got evicted, OP wrote:
“My family lives in my grandparents’ house just outside the city on an acreage. My dad works out of town and my mom liked having the help with me and she liked helping out her folks. My mom passed away from cancer about 12 years ago […] dad still had to work so I just kept living with my grandparents. My dad always spent time with me when he was home. I wish my mom hadn’t passed but I had a pretty good life.
When he was home he would stay in their old room or we would go on vacations. My grandparents both passed away over the last couple of years from COVID and complications. My mom was an only child and so am I […] mom’s life insurance went to my dad, and he used it to help renovate the house. My grandparents never charged him rent. Sorry, I realize how confusing this is. Anyways I am the only person in my grandmother’s will. I got money and the house and my grandpa’s truck.”
Communication is key- The Father Should Have Informed The Stepmother That The Daughter Owned The House
By now, most of us probably know where the story is going. While OP did have quite a rough phase in her childhood with the death of her mother, she didn’t end up lacking anything. But as it stands, fate has a weird way of messing with people.
“My dad started dating a couple of years after my mom passed away. He never brought anyone to the house until this last one. She is young but pretty[…] So she’s been living with me for about six months. Now she just got pregnant. My dad asked her to marry him. I’m happy for him. He is a great dad. My stepmom-to-be has started in on me about when I’m going to move out since they will need my room for the baby. My dad never told her the house is mine […] I told her it was my house and I’m not giving up my room. I also said that my dad had a fair amount of savings and could probably buy them a house.”
With this dilemma, OP posted about whether she should feel guilty about evicting her father and stepmother. As it stands, r/AITA was having none of that. One user wrote, “The house is yours. That is just a reality. You are not moving out. That is another reality. She offered you her apartment at a discount- this is funny considering she is living in your home for free.” u/Major_Barnacle_2212 went on to comment, “Facts are facts. You’re not leaving them without options, and she wasn’t leaving you without one (although, it irks me a bit that she wanted you to rent her apartment). Doesn’t sound like there will be bad blood. Rest easy.” To this, OP responded with, “My dad has like 20 years of savings to pay for a house. They aren’t going to be homeless.”