'It gets hot and sweaty, I don't like it':Teenager removes the ladder from top bunk bed to stop scared 5-year-old niece from crawling into her bed nightly, after her 24-year-old sister moves back into family home and forces them to share a room

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Aug 23, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Imagine trying to get your beauty rest, you're already exhausted from all the changes that your sister's family moving back in with you and your parents has caused, and now you have to be awoken by a little messy human in your bed!? This 15-year-old is left super frustrated after being forced into sharing a bedroom with her 5-year-old niece, who needs lots of attention, especially when she gets scared at night…Refusing to walk down the hall to her parents' room, she demands climbing up the bunk bed and snuggling up to her teenage aunt…every.single.night. 

Whilst this may have been 'sweet' the first time, it's starting to get annoying having a sweaty child share a single mattress with you, when they've all already shaken up the house system…After many failed attempts to get her eldest sister to control her child's inconsistent sleeping patterns, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

What's the best way to stop a 5-year-old from climbing up to your bunk bed? Take away its climbing source…and so she did, bye-bye ladder…Petty? maybe. Genius? Totally.

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  • Should it have to be a child's responsibility to look after another child? She already has schooling, sleep, and a social life to worry about…She should be thinking about whether to text back ‘hey or hi’ to her crush, and what she should request for dinner…not whether or night she is going to be disrupted in the middle of the night! These parents should've ensured that when they decided to move back home, it would make life easier for the rest of the family, not more complicated!

  • 01
    Child climbing up a bunk bed
    via creator205314

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?

    My sister (f24) just moved back home with her husband and their daughter (5) and son (<1). My sister was able to convince my
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 03
    parents to make me (f15) share my bedroom with her daughter because she and her husband would already be sharing a bedroom with their baby. She
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 04
    also wanted us to switch bedrooms too because my bedroom is her old bedroom and a lot larger than the spare room (which was my old bedroom). My parents at least said no to that.
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 05
    We ended up having my bed replaced with bunk beds so it wouldn't be too crowded. I sleep on the top bunk. and my niece
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 06
    started in the middle of the night climbing up into my bed to sleep with me because she was scared. I guess she gets scared a lot at night, but more here and will go
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 07
    sleep with her parents when she's scared. She is also too scared to go down the hallway to her parents room because she has to
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 08
    go past the big dark widows in the hallway and past the staircase which is scary because its a dark hole. They tried putting in nightlights, but that made it worse.
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 09
    I usually sleep deeply so I don't notice her get in, but I wake up sometime after she crawls in because it gets really hot and
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 10
    she's kind of gross because she's sticky with sweat and I just don't like it. So I realized I don't need the ladder to get to the top bunk
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 11
    and ended up using a screwdriver to remove the ladder from the bunkbeds so she can't get to me. I guess she hadn't been sleeping
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 12
    well since I removed the ladder because the school got involved about her being tired all the time and they got in trouble. My sister
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 13
    thinks I'm being petty and I can just s k it up and let her sleep with me if she's scared. I still don't want to though.
    via AITAH for removing the ladder on my bunkbed so my niece can't get to me?
  • 14
    Girl sitting on her laptop on the top bunk
    via dragonimages

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 15
    Freyjas_child NTA You removed the ladder because you were afraid she would climb it and fall and get hurt. If she is having trouble sleeping then her parents have to work that out. Not you.
    via Freyjas_child
  • 16
    Winter-eyed NTA. You are not her nanny. It's bad enough that you have to share your space with a very young child. You can refuse to be parentified and spend as much of your time as you can out of the house.
    via Winter-eyed
  • 17
    star_b_nettor NTA You are also a minor in school who needs their sleep. And it is incredibly unsafe for a five year old to be climbing a bunk bed ladder in the middle of the night. She needs to be in with her parents. It may mean you taking the smaller room again, but this is their responsibility to fix.
    via star_b_nettor
  • 18
    BeachinLife1 No, your sister can s k it up and let HER daughter sleep in the room with her. They need to put a toddler bed in their room for her.
    via BeachinLife1
  • 19
    Standard-Project2663 NTA... You could put the ladder back up and when she climbs in your bed, go around the house pounding on all the bedroom doors and getting everyone up. My guess is 2-3 days of that and things would change.
    via Standard-Project2663
  • 20
    pandafer NTA. Maybe talk to your parents about swapping rooms but they keep their daughter with them? If they want the larger room, they can take their kid. That's the only compromise I can possibly see. You should not be on the hook for taking care of a child that is not yours. Especially if you're a child yourself.
    via pandafer
  • 21
    Broad You8707 Your sleep, your grades, your needs are important, too. Try to have a civil conversation about this situation, mentioning your age, your sleep needs, and your classes. Good luck. Sounds like you're trying to be flexible about the situation, good on you for helping out.
    via Broad_You8707
  • 22
    kiwimuz NTA. You are entitled to get sleep without disruption. Your sister is responsible for all care of your niece.
    via kiwimuz
  • 23
    Usual-Slide-7542 There are very cute kid's flashlights available. Amazon has a great selection and probably target. Get a BRIGHT one and show her how much fun it is to walk around in the dark with her own personal light. Her parents will be so excited.
    via Usual-Slide-7542
  • 24
    Capable_Ad1313 NTA she is 5 years old, no excuse she can't sleep all night in her own bed. If her mom or grandma feel she needs to sleep with someone, they can volunteer their own bed. You are already being inconvenienced enough having to share a bedroom with a 5 year old
    via Capable_Ad1313
  • 25
    TangerineCouch 18330 Feeling sad for the kid but not your issue to fix. She should sleep with her parents if she's scared. Their problem to deal with. Good for you for removing the ladder. NTA
    via TangerineCouch18330
  • 26
    Alert-Potato I'm just cracking up at the sticky comment. I know the situation as a whole is frustrating, rather than amusing. But kids being sticky will never cease to be funny to me. (now that my sticky little gremlins are grown, and one has her own sticky gremlin)
    via Alert-Potato

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screwdriver school sharing ladder drama FAIL bunk bed complaints niece parenting grades small entitled family family home dark shared entitled people deconstruct
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