26-year-old daughter refuses to go on the family beach house vacation after 23-year-old stepsister demands to get the bigger room and dad agrees: ‘He said I was being territorial’

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Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 30, 2025 7:00 PM EDT

The respect we had as kids for 'Dibs' is seriously unmatched. For a lot of us, dibs held the fragile relationship we had with our siblings in the palm of its hands, because without it, it was absolutely chaos. If a sibling did not respect the calling of dibs over a toy, a snack, or most importantly, the shower, it could have led to disaster, and their poor parents could only watch as their kids become little, unrecognizable monsters, fighting over who is entitled to what first.

Yes, Dibs was truly the best of the best, but there is a reason why it is a rule only (or mostly) respected by kids. And that is because, as adults, we should be able to respect others without the need to call dibs on anything. Even when it comes to siblings, when they become adults, there must be a better way to handle competitions over the entitlement to certain objects, or in the case of the story below, a room at a beach house.

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  • Despite being a fully grown adult, the 26-year-old daughter in the story below called dibs on the bigger room at the beach house her family was planning to vacation at (she called it ‘reserving’ to avoid using the word ‘dibs’, but we all know what she meant). 

    When her younger stepsister asked to take the bigger room instead since she is arriving with her boyfriend, her dad agreed, despite the older sister's protest and demands to respect the dibs…

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    Cheezburger Image 10523355648
    via Arturo Rivera

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

  • 02

    AIO for refusing to go on the family vacation after my stepsister took my room reservation?

    My dad (57M) remarried 3 years ago. His wife (55F) has a daughter, Kayla (23F), who is nice enough but we aren't close. Every year we rent a
    via SeaworthinessOnly510
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    beach house in July. I (26F) usually book early because I like the master room on the top floor. It has a little balcony and faces the ocean. I WFH so I spend most mornings out there.
    via SeaworthinessOnly510
  • 04
    This year, I reserved the room (via the family group chat) in March. Everyone said "cool." Yesterday, my dad called me and said Kayla asked to switch rooms because she
    via SeaworthinessOnly510
  • 05
    invited her new boyfriend and wanted more privacy. He told her it was fine. Without even asking me.
    via SeaworthinessOnly510
  • 06
    When I pushed back, he said I was being "territorial" and it's just a room, and that "Kayla's had a hard year." I told him to take my name off the list, and I wouldn't be going. Now he's
    via SeaworthinessOnly510
  • 07
    saying I'm punishing the family and being dramatic. It's not just the room, it's that no one even asked me. It was just taken. Am I overreacting?
    via SeaworthinessOnly510
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    Happy Wolverine9888 The fact that OP hasn't yet chimed in as to whether she in fact pays extra for this room and somehow can actually reserve it... like directly from the owner or whoever....tells me that she is
    via Happy_Wolverine9888
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    truly just throwing a Dibs into the group chat and calling that a reservation. And This she probably pays nothing for or at least no more than anyone else. Clearly that makes her a selfish
    via Happy_Wolverine9888
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    entitled crybaby for kicking up a fuss over not having the balcony for once. OP, book your own place next time and you'll get exactly what you pay for.
    via Happy_Wolverine9888
  • 11
    mjwinky Unless OP pays more for the master bedroom, he/she is the AH. OP gets the best bedroom every year simply because he/she claims it first. The parents should get the best bedroom, or all
    via mjwinky
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    family members should take turns every year as far as the best bedroom. Think it's completely reasonable for someone else to get to use to the best bedroom (unless OP pays more than everyone else). OP is the AH.
    via mjwinky
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    Cheezburger Image 10523355392
    via Janine Lamontagne
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    Used Mark_7911 INFO: Do you pay for the room? If you pay then NOR. You reserved it and paid for it. If your father and his wife pay for the whole place for everybody then I might feel differently.
    via Used_Mark_7911
  • 15
    WantToBelieveln Magic Nope, you are handling your dad's insulting behaviour perfectly. Tell your family that "my travel plans were changed for someone who evidently has more standing
    via WantToBelievelnMagic
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    in the family, without even checking with me. It is not only an insult to me as a grown a woman who deserves the same basic respect shown to others, it also puts my job at risk. I am not being dramatic, I am choosing to protect my job and my self respect"
    via WantToBelievelnMagic
  • 17
    SEReson Family group chat means room allocation can be agreed upon/negotiated in advance. Is dad renting the house? If so, he can assign rooms, or agree to a
    via SEReson
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    process that is fair to most of you. (First come, first served wouldn't work for me.) Since this is a recurring event, maybe the adults can trade off each year.
    via SEReson
  • 19
    Ehy350 Why do you get the best room? Did to call first dibs or have you actually paid for it? If there are no other doubles available then you should move if you didn't pay for it. Not enough info here to decide who's right.
    via Ehy350
  • 20
    Ok-Raspberry-5374 Nope, not overreacting. You reserved it early, everyone agreed, and they went behind your back. It's not just a room, it's about respect. They dismissed you, so you bowed out. Fair.
    via Ok-Raspberry-5374
  • 21
    LissaBryan They didn't ask you because they knew you'd say no. They hoped you'd buckle under when presented with a fait accompli. This is a situation that calls for "drama." NOR
    via LissaBryan
  • 22
    Soledaddy873 "if I don't get shotgun then I'm not going!! but I callllled i!!" I left that child home sooo many times
    via Soledaddy873

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family drama aita hotel kids mother siblings reddit story parenting family sister Reddit women parents children entitled people Father vacation
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