Homeless in-laws complain about having to sleep in twin beds that their social worker daughter-in-law keeps in her guest room to temporarily home foster kids: 'I would rather house kids in unstable situations than my ungrateful in-laws'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Jan 13, 2025 9:00 AM EST

Sometimes in your life, you have to work in a less-than-ideal living condition. I've known people who have slept on friends' couches for nearly a year to try to get back on their feet. Nearly every college freshman in America has to sleep in the same room with a total stranger for the whole duration of their first year away from home. People live in apartments in New York that only have a bed and a mini fridge without their own bathroom just so they can pay less than $1800 for a studio apartment. I don't think you're a bad person if you don't want to live in these conditions, but beggars can't be choosers. If you need a roof over your head and don't have anything to show for it, you might end up in a non-ideal situation for a couple of years, and there's little you can do about it but get through it. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10453128448
    via Blake Woolwine

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • The in-laws in this story were functionally homeless, but their son and his wife gave them two beds to sleep in while they worked out their financial woes. Instead of thanking them for their generosity, they complained about the size of the bed for months and dragged the rest of the family into this conflict.

  • 02

    AITAH for having two twin beds in my guest room instead of a queen, and refusing to let my in-laws change the room

    This happened earlier this year, and my in laws are no longer staying with me.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 03
    Background info: My husband and I (24f&m) have been married for 2 years. I am a social worker, and my husband works as an electrician. We own a 3 bed 2 bath together. We have our bedroom, our home office, and a guest bedroom.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 04
    My states foster care system is one of the worst in the country. There isn't anywhere close to enough foster homes to meet the total number of children in care. As a result of this, children often get stuck at hospitals, psych facilities, group homes, etc. often times we have children that have to sleep at the CPS facility in
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 05
    sleeping bags on the floor because there's just no where for them to go. It's very common for social workers to bring children home with them, myself included . It's hard to find emergency placements for siblings, so if I can't find a place for them for the night to keep them together, I
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 06
    will often just bring them home with me. My husband and I are child free, but he's super supportive of this. So our guest bedroom has two twin beds, both with pull out beds underneath. This means that I can give four children their own beds for the night.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 07
    Earlier this year my husbands brother and his wife were temporarily homeless. They lost their jobs, and couldnt renew their lease. They had to scramble to find new jobs and a place to live. We let them stay with us for two months. I didn't really want to, but it was the right thing to do.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10453128704
    via Rachel S

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 09
    They were very p ed about the two twin beds thing. Because of the way the bed frames are, you cannot push the beds together. And the room is a little small and oddly shaped, so you can't fit a queen air mattress in the room without taking the twin beds out.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 10
    We don't have a garage, so there would be no where to put the beds. They wanted me to get rid of the beds or put them in a storage unit, so they could put a queen air mattress in the room.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 11
    I refused because I didn't want to go through all that trouble when they shouldn't be staying for long anyways, and I worked hard to get the room to look a way that I feel is welcoming to kids, and I don't want to change it. I didn't
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 12
    tell them this, but I also didn't want them to get too comfortable with the room because I didn't want them to be tempted to stay for any longer than necessary. I would rather house kids in unstable situations than my ungrateful in-laws.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 13
    My husband took my side and told them to get a hotel if they don't like it, but otherwise shut up. He said that if they keep complaining they'll have to leave. He's a good husband. My in-laws have been telling everyone who
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 14
    who will listen that were made them sleep in kid beds. My husband has been telling his whole family to f off basically, and don't talk to us unless you have something nice to say.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 15
    There's like a dozen people who think we're ah les so I'd like some judgement.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 16
    Cheezburger Image 10453128960
    via Oleg Ivanov (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 17
    Trailsya 23h ago They have a lot of demands for people who get free housing. Don't let them come back. Those kids sound like they need a place to stay a lot
    via u/Trailsya
  • 18
    more than those spoiled in-laws. If anyone takes their side, tell them to house those two. By the way, I'm happy that people like you and your husband exist.
    via u/Trailsya
  • 19
    Background-Note-4742 OP They are not welcome to come back, and neither is almost anyone in my husbands family now. I don't understand how he's such a great guy but he comes from a family of
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 20
    wulfblood_90 Usually how it happens. The most intelligent in the clan see how awful the rest are and actively try to make a change so they're nothing like their family.
    via u/wulfblood_90
  • 21
    Lage194712 They're far too entitled to free housing. The kids deserve the space more, and if anyone disagrees, they can take them in. Unreal entitlement!
    via u/Lage194712
  • 22
    MonteCristo85 Not only entitled, but kind of stupid. Air mattresses are hella uncomfortable. Individual twins would be way better for comfort.
    via u/MonteCristo85
  • 23
    Glassgrl1021 • 23h ago Top 1% Commenter You should counter with "No, we are the kind people who didn't make them sleep on the street”. ETA:NTA
    via u/Glassgrl1021
  • 24
    Dense_Dress_1287 "unlike you, we offered them a place you stay for free while they worked on their situation. I don't remember you offering to house anyone, so you can STFU"
    via u/Dense_Dress_1287
  • 25
    randy1243 Agreed. Your house, your rules. That's a lot of demands for people who get free housing.
    via u/randy1243
  • 26
    Suitable-Concern-326 HOMELESS AND DEMANDING A QUEEN BED? the level of entitlement is off the charts.
    via u/Suitable-Concern-326
  • 27
    Safe-Amphibian-1238 Also! Two twin beds is technically larger than a queen, so they would have each had less individual space sharing a queen, than each having their own twin! It's a small thing, but pointing out that a queen is smaller than the two twins helps make them look even more petty.
    via u/Safe-Amphibian-1238
  • 28
    BlueGreen_1956 ΝΤΑ Tell them that it is possible to have I in a twin bed. Draw them diagrams if necessary. Since they are your in-laws, use only stick figures in the diagrams.
    via u/BlueGreen_1956
  • 29
    Background-Note-4742 OP Funny enough, I did hint at that. I told them I'm not trying to cockblock them, but it's my room and they're not changing it. It's up to them how they want to use the room, but yeah.
    via u/Background-Note-4742
  • 30
    jobiskaphilly heh, I would think that cuddling (or more) in a twin bed would bring back memories of early relationships such as in college or whatever and spice things up a bit! But they don't have that kind of imagination, I guess.
    via u/jobiskaphilly
  • 31
    convulsionso NTA. Your house, your rules. The guest room is set up to serve an incredibly noble and practical purpose, providing a safe place for foster kids in emergencies. You didn't owe your in-laws anything, yet you still gave them a place to stay when they were struggling. Instead of being grateful, they acted entitled and demanded you completely upend your space to cater to their comfort.
    via u/convulsionso
  • 32
    If the twin beds were such a big deal, they could've figured out alternative sleeping arrangements or, as your husband said, gotten a hotel. The fact that they're bad-mouthing you to others shows their lack of maturity and gratitude. Stand your ground, you're doing something selfless and meaningful with that room, and you shouldn't feel pressured to change that for entitled relatives. Sounds like your husband has your back too, which is great. Let them pout; they'll get over it.
    via u/convulsionso
  • 33
    Gentleheartt Like, seriously, they're complaining about twin beds when they were homeless? That's insane. U and ur husband were doing them a huge favor, and they acted totally entitled. It's ur home you can set it up however tf u want, especially bec u use it to help kids in need. They should be ashamed of themselves for badmouthing u after u helped them out. I can't believe they'd rather u get rid of beds for kids just so they can be comfy for a couple months. That's just selfish af.
    via u/Gentleheartt

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