Storage Cabinets

My cousin, his wife, and his two children (ten and six) have been staying at my parent’s house (where I live, since I’m 15) since the 31st of July. It is now the 1st of December. It has been four months, and they show no signs of leaving. Let me explain why they are here.

Four months ago they managed to leave Cuba based on political refuge. Our extensive family here decided that we were going to help them (and by help, they mean dump them on us and visit once in a while). Our parents decided that they would house them until they get jobs and can move out. Well, they planned on maybe two months. But first, the work permits took very long. Eventually, about a month ago, they both got jobs. Yet they’re still staying.

Now here’s the situation: I had to give them my room so they could live with us. I agreed because I thought it would be for a couple of months. Both my parents are saying, however, that even after FOUR months, they’re staying for at least two more, making it officially at least half a year. When I gave them my room, I agreed to sleep in the office, which is a small, ten by ten room. There are two large computer desks, a filing cabinet, a night stand, all the movies, a tower, and three computer chairs in that room. I’m sleeping on an air bed. The room, even though I’m sleeping in it, is still being used as an office, meaning there are people in it ALL THE TIME and I don’t have anywhere to go. I have three drawers and half a closet for all my clothes. The closet is brimming with storage things like a piano, another filing cabinet, boardgames, and various other things. The closet is also tiny.

All four of them are sleeping in my room, where more than half of my stuff still is. They have my computer. The youngest one is constantly eating and drinking in there, and we have hardwood floors. In case you didn’t know, food and liquid can permanently damage hardwood floors. He is also constantly throwing things on the floor, leaving dents. Neither of his parents ever discipline him, so he has no respect whatsoever. He will literally yell back and kick and scream and disobey whatever you say. The older one is more calm, but she doesn’t understand the meaning of punishing. Whenever my sister and I try to punish the younger one for being highly disrespectful (using his toy gun to throw bullets at people’s faces, calling everyone fat, stupid monkeys, taking our stuff gleefully, ect.) she immediately comforts him and gives him whatever she wants. I know she’s a good kid at heart, but she doesn’t understand that her brother is literally spoiled rotten to the core. It’s hard to describe his atrocity.

Neither of his parents understand and rarely take action against the kids. They allow them to watch obscene movies and TV shows in front of OUR TV for hours on end. They allow them to use OUR Wii without permission (if it were up to me, which it should be, no six year old would be allowed to USE a Wii), and use all our computers endlessly.

I cannot stand sleeping on an air mattress any longer. I have nowhere to do my homework, there is never peace and quiet, and now I hate being in my house. The parents always comment on everything we do and make us uncomfortable in our own home. And when asked why it appeared that they weren’t looking for an apartment, my cousin said that he was worried that he would be fired and wouldn’t be able to pay for it. To me that sounds like an excuse, because people do that every day.

They are living under our house, using our resources, wasting our water and energy (because they use highly energy-inefficient things like hair dryers daily for thirty minutes each), and live under their OWN rules. Is it right of them to intrude upon this house any longer, or do you think four months of this ungratefulness is enough?

Hey I suggest you do a couple things, Sit your parents down with this post and let them know how bad this is demand that they clear up all that extra crap in the "office" which is now your room so that you have space, stop using it as an office tell them to move all that crap into thier room, it’s clear that they are not overly inconvenienced like you are. Secondly tell them you are going to your school counselor and asking them to call social services, child welfare whoever it is in your state, you have too many people in the house and not enough places to sleep. Warning you may in fact be placed in foster care. (i’m a foster parent) Your parents have taken their good deed as far as it needs to go, They must set a firm date and stick to it. For example You people need to be out by January 1st and then call all the other soooo helpful relatives and tell them, Come get them or clear out the basement because helping someone is not worth ruining our house and our lives.

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