Single mom demands to move into sister's college dorm room with her newborn baby, sister refuses, leading to a family dispute: ‘Just let her stay for a little while’

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Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Mar 20, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

When you turn 18 and finally move out of your parents' home, you think that will be the most exciting thing in the world. No more curfews, no more rules, just you, making your own decisions. A full adult. 

However, once you get into your college dorm room, you might realize that adult life is not as glamorous as you thought it would be, especially not while you're in college. The dorm room is tiny, and you have to share it with a roommate. If you're lucky, you have your own bathroom, but you will most likely have to share one with the rest of your floor, and don't get me started on the food.

All of a sudden, your parents' home doesn't sound so bad anymore. But as time goes by, you learn to live with what you get, and it eventually turns into a fun experience (well, hopefully).

At least that is what the college student in the story below was expecting when she moved into her dorm room.

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  • She did not expect her sister, a newly single mom, to ask to move in with her and share the tiny dorm room – Two college students, a single mom, and a new born baby.

    Sounds like the start of a bad joke.

    I'm sure the college student would agree because she was not a fan of the idea. Keep scrolling to read how she reacted to the request.

  • the wall "My dorm is tiny, so I told her no" MUSIC Party
    via SeventyFour

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

  • "AITA for refusing to share my college dorm room for my older sister and her baby?"

    I (19F) am in my first year of college and live in a small dorm room on campus. My sister (26F) had a baby a few months ago, and she's been struggling financially. She and
    via Material_Star8510
  • the baby's father broke up, and she had to move back in with our parents. The problem is, she hates living there because our parents are "too controlling"
    via Material_Star8510
  • and "judgmental" about her being a single mom. She asked if I could request permission for her to stay in my dorm with her baby for a while because it would be "quieter" and give
    via Material_Star8510
  • her "space to figure things out." I told her no. My dorm is tiny, barely big enough for me, and I have a roommate. Plus, a baby crying all night in a
    via Material_Star8510
  • shared dorm? That's not fair to my roommate or me. She got upset and said I was being selfish, that family should help each other, and that she'd do it for me if roles were reversed.
    via Material_Star8510
  • Now my parents are also pressuring me to "just let her stay for a little while" because she's struggling. My roommate thinks the whole situation is crazy and that I shouldn't feel bad, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm being a bad sister. AITA?
    via Material_Star8510
  • Edit: I spoke to the dorm incharge and was told it wouldn't be allowed at all. I informed my parents and sister about it but my sister is still upset and says i should have been more "open to the idea"
    via Material_Star8510
  • and that I shouldn't have denied her for "my selfish reasons" before asking for permission.
    via Material_Star8510
  • Discount_Mithral NTA. As you stated - a crying baby is not fair or quiet for anyone. How loud can your parents' house be that she needs to get away? It's not about volume, it's that she doesn't want to listen to mom
    via Discount_Mithral
  • and dad tell her they are disappointed in her choices. My guess is your campus will have a firm "No" as an answer to this. So, I actually do encourage you to reach out to them to ask what the policy is on non-
    via Discount_Mithral
  • students living on campus/in a dorm room that is already at capacity. If, as I suspect, it's a clear "Not allowed" - print that out and hand it to both her and your parents. Editing to add: Your sister would 100% use this as an excuse to
    via Discount_Mithral
  • use you as free labor to take care of her child. This is a time when you should be focusing on schoolwork and living the college life, not taking care of someone else's baby.
    via Discount_Mithral
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    via NoSystem images

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

  • StrangerOnReddit NTA. What a wildly irrational request. A shared college dorm room is no place for a newborn. It's not selfish to tell her no; You have a roommate to consider and you're both there to study,
    via Stranger0nReddit
  • so a baby would make that difficult. Beyond that dorm rooms are generally cramped as it is. To add another adult and a baby would leave practically no room. And i'm not sure if she's never been in a dorm room before but they generally aren't.
    via Stranger0nReddit
  • exactly quiet spaces. I'd honestly be tempted to tell her you talked to the school and they won't allow it. It s ks that she's struggling but that doesn't obligate you to be her housing solution.
    via Stranger0nReddit
  • nobiz84 NTA. Your roommate is correct. This is the most bizarre request I have read in a long time. It makes zero sense to have a fully grown woman and a baby move into a dorm with 2 teens. Also, what college would even allow this to happen?!
    via nobiz84
  • CoverCharacter8179 This is the most ludicrous idea I've ever heard! Even if you just lived in a small apartment with your roommate, there is no way in h the roommate would be
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  • OK with a single mom and baby moving in. But a college dorm room? Insanity, and I would hope and expect there's a rule against it anyway. ΝΤΑ
    via CoverCharacter8179
  • spymatt NTA because I assume she doesn't know how small a dorm room is. It is not fair to you or your roommate. They will get over it.
    via spymatt
  • Imnotawerewolf NTA and your college would kick you out of the dorms for this once your roommate rightfully complained
    via Imnotawerewolf
  • Upstairs-Volume-5014 NTA. Not only is this obviously wildly inconvenient for you, but I highly doubt it is permissible for an adult non-student and a baby to live on campus in a dorm. Not
    via Upstairs-Volume-5014
  • to mention she would not have a private kitchen or bathroom. This is not a suitable environment for a baby and it's ridiculous for her to even ask.
    via Upstairs-Volume-5014

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family drama aita baby kids mother siblings reddit story parenting babysitting aunt family sister Reddit women single mom college college student parents children
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