Mom grows tired of niece and nephew constantly entering her baby daughter's room, leaving it a ‘total mess’, their dad refuses to tell them to stop: ‘He just lets it happen’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Sep 30, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

Whenever my sister comes to visit with my three little nieces, I know that when they leave, I have my work cut out for me. They are sweet girls when they want to be, but when they are at my place, they never seem to want to be.

They will run around the house, scare my cats, leave food everywhere, go through any drawer and cupboard they can reach, and basically create total chaos. Only when they leave can I finally clean up after them, and that is usually more taxing than their actual visit.

The one room I always lock when they arrive is my bedroom. They have no business being there, and I don't want to clean it after them. My sister totally understands that rule, and so do they. After all, they will do what their mom tells them to.

So when the mom in the story below grew tired of her niece and nephew going into her 7-month-old daughter's room, all she had to do was lock the doors. Yet, she feels bad setting this one rule, and for now, she must face the consequences... 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10559080448
    via pixelshot

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

  • 02

    AITA for not wanting my niece and nephew in my baby’s room?

    My husband's brother and his kids (2.5F and 5.5M) come over pretty often. I try to make our house fun and comfortable for them and we have a backyard play area, a living room play area, and even the basement you can run around in.
    via milkkandhoneyyy
  • 03
    But every time they're here, they end up in my 7- month-old daughter's room. They'll pull everything off her shelves and make a total mess.
    via milkkandhoneyyy
  • 04
    What bothers me even more is that their dad goes in there with them, sits down, and just lets it happen.
    via milkkandhoneyyy
  • 05
    They don't clean up afterward either, so I'm left to do it. I feel like bedrooms are private spaces you only enter if invited, especially a baby's room.
    via milkkandhoneyyy
  • 06
    I already clean up after them in the shared areas, but it really bothers me that they're also going upstairs into her room and wrecking it.
    via milkkandhoneyyy
  • 07
    j I don't want to be a about it, but I also don't want my daughter's room constantly trashed.
    via milkkandhoneyyy
  • 08
    AITA if I tell them they're not allowed in her room?
    via milkkandhoneyyy
  • 09
    Cheezburger Image 10559092224
    via Polesie Toys

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

  • 10
    livlivesforbrains INFO: why on earth has this happened more than once without you telling them to stay out of the baby's room?!
    via livlivesforbrains
  • 11
    OP milkkandhoneyyy I have asked them to leave the room a couple times nicely but I'm very non confrontational
    via milkkandhoneyyy
  • 12
    Fearless_Ad1685 NTA. Tell them flat out they are not allowed in that room. Lock the door. Tell them that if they are not going to clean up after their kids, they need to stop coming over. You are not their maid. Ideally, your husband should be doing this but you don't mention him or his stand. If he won't talk to them and make them behave when they visit, refuse to have them visit.
    via Fearless_Ad1685
  • 13
    NTA. whoopsiedaisy63 When my son was about 6 or so, when we had his cousins come over they would go into his room and destroy it by doing the same thing. He asked me the next time can he close his door and not allow anyone in it. I told him if he did that HE ALSO couldn't go in there to play or get any toys. He told me that's fine. So the next time they came over and wanted to go into his room, I stoped them and said cousin doesn't want anyone in his room. We can play with the toys he brought ou
    via whoopsiedaisy63
  • 14
    DarkSkyStarDance They tried nothing, and now they're all out of ideas?
    via DarkSkyStarDance
  • 15
    BxBae133 NTA, but why isn't your husband saying anything. It sounds like you have a lot of areas for them to play and be comfortable. They may have been excited to see the baby's room and gotten too comfortable. Moving forward tell them that you'd like to keep that space off limits. If they push, you could even say that it is where baby sleeps and you'd like to keep it free from outside dirt and germs.
    via BxBae133
  • 16
    No-Assignment5538 NTA. You should shut that door (as much as possible) and make it clear to the adults that the room is off limits. I would also recommend you and your spouse sitting your BIL down and telling him, point blank, how disrespectful letting his kids trash your Baby's room is and how much work he is making for you by allowing that, and that you expect this behaviour to stop or he (and his kids) won't be welcome in your home.
    via No-Assignment5538
  • 17
    NTA Money_System1026 A baby's room should be peaceful and clean. It's not a playroom.
    via Money_System
  • 18
    Sheanar NTA - your husband should have talked to his brother after the first time it happened. he should also be the one cleaning it up if it continues.
    via Sheanar
  • 19
    Pendragenet NTA. But you need to be assertive. You (or your husband) can simply tell them when they arrive that the nursery is off limits. "Hey everyone, you can go play in the basement or outside or in this play area, but not in the nursery." If they ask, just say that you want your child's room to be their own private space and so until they are old enough to invite others into their room themselves it is going to be off limits.
    via Pendragenet
  • 20
    NTA. Anxious-Routine-5526 When they come over, bare minimum, close, and lock the door until they leave. Your husband should've already had a conversation with his brother about your baby's room being off- limits, just like your bedroom.
    via Anxious-Routine-5526

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nephews family drama aita baby kids mother niece room reddit story parenting aunt family Reddit women parents children Father
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