17-year-old refuses to wake his stepmother up after she sleeps through all of her alarms: 'I am a teenager and she is a 36 year old woman.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Mar 11, 2026 8:00 AM EDT

She should've learned how to get herself up in the morning by the time she was 13! She shouldn't have to rely on her stepson to be a functioning member of society.

There are times when sleeping through your alarm is totally understandable. I often tell myself that I'm going to wake up at 5 AM to cook myself a big breakfast, shower, and clean my apartment. When 5 AM rolls around, my body completely forgets about that plan, probably because it isn't particularly urgent, so it sleeps through the early alarm I set for myself. Luckily for me, I set enough alarms and hit the snooze button like 5 times, so when 7:30 AM rolls around, I am jolted awake for real. 

It can be pretty annoying to live with someone who sets six alarms that are all inevitably set to snooze, but it's far worse to live with someone who cannot wake up for even a second after they hear an alarm. There are people out there who can sleep soundly, even when their phone has been blaring for the past five minutes, begging them to awake from their slumber for merely a second to turn the sound off. 

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  • A stepmother sleeping in a bed, believing that her teenage stepson will wake her up
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • People who can't use a regular alarm to wake up need to take more drastic measures. They might have to purchase the loudest alarm clocks on the planet, because the sounds on the iPhone just aren't cutting it. It's considered commonplace for parents to wake their kids up in the morning by shaking their shoulder, but kids should be able to wake themselves up and get ready for the day before they leave for college and start their own life! After all, how could you possibly live alone or with roommates if you require another person to wake you up in the morning? 

    The stepmom in this story has found a way to get through her life without learning how to wake up in the morning. She wants her 17-year-old stepson to get her up, but he isn't keen on helping her anymore. 

  • Am I the bad guy for choosing to stop waking my stepmother up every morning?

    Really short post here as there isn't much to say. I am 17(M) and for maybe the past 3 years I have regularly gotten up at 6 am because that is the most active time in the morning.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • My brothers have to wake up at that time to get ready for school and since they are up and making noise, it just worked better.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Since the beginning of my junior year though I have realized that I simply don't have to wake up so early and have wanted to change my alarm to a better time that works for me.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Here is where the conflict with my stepmother comes in. She sleeps through her alarm almost constantly.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Despite being the adult in the house who takes the kids to school, she frequently sleeps through her alarm in the morning.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Now I was originally being nice. I would wake her up on time just to make sure she is up.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • That was in October. It kept happening. At least two or three times a week I would have to go wake up my stepmother in the morning to make sure she can do what she is responsible to do.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Now I finally got sick and tired of it. I said pretty straightforwardly that it isn't my responsibility to be waking up my stepmother in the morning (as I am a teenager and she is a 36 year old women).
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Was called disrespectful and a few of my devices taken away because of it. I eventually gave up and just changed my morning alarm so now I wake up after they are supposed to be up, currently 6:30 but I am eventually going to change it to 7:00.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Portrait of a schoolboy with backpack looking at the camera while standing in the classroom
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • This morning though, she once again slept through her alarm and since I was not up to wake her, she ended up being 30 minutes late to take the kids to school.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • She instantly pinned the blame on me after I said that, "I changed my alarm to wake up later." and said to me, "Oh so you just don't give a sh anymore." So am I the a hole for believing that my stepmother should be a responsible adult waking up on time and dealing with her consequences if she doesn't wake up on time.
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Sternsnet NTA, she's a grown woman. Put her words back to her, she doesn't wake up, ask her if she doesn't give a sh anymore?
    via u/Sternsnet
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply I wanna use her own words against her cause she always says to me "You are nearly an adult so you need to act like it." So why can't you? Why can't you act like an adult and be up on time
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • hbh915 NTA. You are a child as well. Do you have another parent in the house? How old are the kids? Why are they not setting alarms. I would never expect my kids to wake me as the parent.
    via u/hbh915
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply My father lives there but he doesnt get up till 7 cause he doesnt have to leave so late. The kids are all between 5 and 12 (none of which have devices for alarms). Alarms are used but my stepmother legit sleeps through her alarms
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • oldnjgal Does your father also sleep through the alarm? I assume he is in the same room as her.
    via u/oldnjgal
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply He just doesnt wake up or give af till 7. His dog could he throwing up and it would be on me to clean
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • JudeTheBear555 She has been an adult for 18years why she can't give a sh to wake up on time? Or you can just ignore her. What ever she said to you just like taking to a wall.
    via u/JudeTheBear555
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply Oh I just do at this point since if I try and defend myself it wont work
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • lobsterbuckets Step mom laying it hard on the 17yo because she knows she can control him where she cannot control her husband.
    via u/lobsterbuckets
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply She is laying it hard on me because legit I seem to be the only one with a semblance of common sense. They treat me as a third parents without respecting me as a equal. I act like a third parent. I dont know how many times I jave come home from work just to have to yell at my brothers to go to bed (I get off work either around 9:30 or 10:30 depending on the day). I am the kne who is expected to do everything for my brothers. I am in my room, relaxing on
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Fioreborn NTA She's a grown woman yet you're the one having to parent?
    via u/Fioreborn
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply yeah. seems that way. such a lovely family, right?
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • No-Introduction3808 How old is your dad? And where is he in all this?
    via u/No-Introduction3808
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply He is 35. He just bumming. He sleeps till 7 cause that is when he needs to get up
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Top view of relaxed young man lying on bed
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • oldnowthinker Tell her to make your brothers responsible for getting her up, as she is getting up for them, not for you.
    via u/oldnowthinker
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply I did that, and that was rhe reason I lost my XBOX. Cause I was "disrespectful"
    via u/Consistent_Act4575
  • Glad_String_5141 NTA. Obviously. Is there anyone trusted around you that you can speak to about this? Her behaviour is wildly unfair and manipulative and if she wont listen to reason an adult needs to take her to task about it. Where's your dad in this?? Or bio mum?
    via u/Glad_String_5141
  • Consistent_Act4575 Original Poster's Reply Bio mom is thankfully not in the picture. Dad just doesn't get up till 7
    via u/Consistent_Act4575

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stepmother school alarm clock routine sleeping in parenting morning dad stepson waking up
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