A new mom finds herself at a crossroads as she reflects on her decision to transform her guest bedroom into a home office. This choice has sparked a heated debate with her father, who labeled her "selfish" when she suggested he sleep on a mattress in the newly converted space. In a post shared on Reddit's Am I the A——? forum on Saturday, Dec. 14, she details her and her husband's housing arrangement in their three-bedroom apartment.

The Battle between Home Office and Guest Room

Initial Housing Arrangement

The woman and her husband initially had a master bedroom and two other rooms - a guest room and an office space they shared. Once their son was born in October, they decided to turn the guest room into a nursery. She works in person from an office but also does some freelancing from home occasionally, while her husband has a hybrid work arrangement. They believed they needed the office more than the guest room as it provided a more comfortable and less chaotic work environment, especially with a baby now in the picture.

They considered sacrificing the office but realized its importance for their work. And if guests did come over, the office was large enough to set up a normal mattress on the floor.

The Father's Visit

The woman's father, who lives in another country, planned to visit for a week around Christmas to meet his grandson. He had previously stayed in the guest room. However, when the woman informed him that the guest room had been converted into a nursery and he would have to sleep in the office, he became irritated.

He questioned why they didn't keep the guest room and sacrifice the office for the nursery. After a heated exchange, he hung up on her and later texted, calling her and her husband selfish and inconsiderate for keeping an office they "didn't actually need" over a room for potential guests.

Sibling's Perspective

The woman's sister, who still lives with their mom about 15 minutes away, has said she would be okay with sleeping on the office mattress. This has added another layer of complexity to the situation.

Some commenters on the Reddit post argued that a home should be set up for the best interests of those who live there. The woman and her husband regularly work from home, and sacrificing the office would cause inconvenience. It's absurd for someone not paying rent or living there to demand routine inconvenience in the home.

Alternative Housing Solutions

Adding some clarity, the original poster shared that there are alternative housing solutions like having an office with a built-in Murphy Bed on the wall or a project room with a pull-out couch.

Some people questioned the need to keep a full room dedicated solely to something that might not be used for months. It seems wasteful to have unused space when it could be used more flexibly.