Mom 'Uneasy' About Sharing Bed Sheets With Her Adult Daughter Sparks Debate

A mom who admitted she's "uneasy" about sharing bedsheets with her adult daughter, and her boyfriend, has sparked a fierce debate online.

The parent posted her query to Mumsnet, under username MakeMineALarge1, on Sunday, where it's amassed more than 250 replies.

In it she explained she recently treated herself to some new bedding, for the bed she shares with her husband.

As usual, after changing the sheets she popped them in the washing machine, but noticed her 24-year-old daughter took the fresh laundry and put it on her bed.

Airing her concerns, the mom wrote: "I don't know why but it makes me uneasy, obviously its washed between uses etc, I can't verbalise it but [it] makes me uncomfortable."

Explaining more about the living situation, she said: "I really don't know if I am being weird here, but I have my sheets on my bed that I share with my husband and my daughter has hers that she shares with her boyfriend.

"I bought myself some new bedding last week, I have used it once, washed it etc and now she has put it on her bed!"

The mom claimed that, as well as feeling an "ick factor" at sharing her bedsheets, she was also annoyed at her daughter for constantly borrowing her things.

"Yes it gives me a funny feeling, but it's also the fact she just takes what she wants. My coats, shoes, bags etc. I'm sorry you're 24, start buying your own stuff." she added.

Mom and daughter relationships are known to be simultaneously close and volatile, as therapist Holli Rubin was quoted by website Welldoing as saying: "Mother-daughter relationships are complex – eliciting a special set of emotions reserved only for the mother-daughter couple. Even the healthiest of relationships can be at times fraught with real challenges."

She advised a good basis for a healthy mom-daughter relationship is to establish boundaries by "making sure both mother and daughter feel safe, comfortable and satisfied within the relationship."

Rubin explained: "A 'healthy' mother-daughter relationship is one that allows for closeness and togetherness – but simultaneously – for independence and space."

She shared tips to move towards a healthy relationship, citing guilt as a "useless" emotion, encouraging both parties to "be yourself," be "open to conflict," allow each other to make mistakes and importantly, spend time together.

In the comment section, the mom claimed all the bedding was stored in the same cupboard at home, so she couldn't "hide" it, but revealed: "I told her it's not acceptable and made her strip it off."

While she fumed: "She knows damn well that is not her bedding! She has just seen it liked it and thought she would have it!"

People were divided over the situation, with some thinking taking the bedding was worse than sharing with family members.

Bimblybomeyelash admitted: "I'd be annoyed that she had stolen my new bedding! But I don't think I'd have the ick factor. Tell her that she's bloody rude and if she wants some new bedding to buy some herself!"

Starfishmummy joked: "You'll need to burn them now."

Inheritancetrack thought: "Would definitely give me an icky feeling."

Mrsm43s said: "I wouldn't have an ick factor, but we all have our own bedding, and I'd be pissed off if someone else used my bedding. Just because it's mine, really."

Norgie commented: "I wouldn't be bothered that she'd slept with her partner on them. I'd be furious that she'd taken MY new bedding without so much as asking."

Kittensinthekitchen wrote: "Surely if you've slept on it one night, it was due for incineration anyway?"

Pumasonsatsumas advised: "Go into her room and borrow a couple of intimate apparel items. See how often she pinches your stuff after that."

While NazMedusa added: "I feel the same. Just very icky... And hugely rude of your daughter to not even ask you before using your new bedding. I'd be well annoyed."