📝 AITA for telling my cousin to not come over unannounced?

By lilheartandjoy • Score: 6 • April 8, 2025 7:10 PM


I (23) F live at home, in my 3rd year of college, and Anne (19) F cousin lives next door with her parents. Anne used to come over often and I had an open door policy of "come over whenever you'd like". During this time Anne would come over quite often, and I would just listen to her talk and we would talk. Anne would go through stuff growing up, I would be the main go to person to listen to her when she was dealing with issues with her mom or brothers. I started to get a bit tired, but I didn't mind Anne coming over since it became a habit. I started getting annoyed during last summer. She came over all the time, with her dog when she found out I was fostering a dog with my friend. She would give unsolicited advice and I had to address that I don't like it when people give advice that I didn't ask for consistently for everything, so she understood. She stopped giving me advice, which helped. Anyways fast forward to recently, Anne graduated a few months ago from University, and now has more time on her hands. She works full time in shift-based job, and has a small social circle consisting of her boyfriend, boyfriend's friends and her one friend with a disability. I set a boundary in the beginning of the semester, stating I had internship and would be busy. That she could come over to visit my grandma or sister when she is visiting our parents house but to just message me let me know beforehand. Anne took this personally, and said no it's fine we can just hang out in group settings. I also talked to Anne and clarified boundaries at a family birthday gathering. So I thought she understood. Presently, she will sometimes call or text my sister, but won't let me know. So since I already stated my boundary twice, I got annoyed because she came over unannounced yesterday, so I tried to be polite, say hi. It was very uncomfortable. Just awkward silences and forced small talk with Anne. After dinner, while I was putting away the food dishes, she went to talk one on one with my sister, telling my sister how hurt she is that I set this boundary, and how she doesn't want me long-term in her life because of it. My sister tried to reason with Anne, saying that relationships ebb and flow, and related it to her own preference of not wanting anyone to come over to her place unannounced. Anne admits she has a small social circle mainly of her boyfriend and her boyfriend's friends. She is feeling lonely so my sister listens to her, but does so out of empathy and family obligation. My sister made me feel bad for feeling this way, so did my brother. I am now seen as someone who should just suck it up and be okay with this dynamic of being uncomfortable. Although my brother, cousin and Anne's own siblings have expressed feeling annoyed at Anne's presence sometimes. Anne talks a lot and will often talk about herself to others, and doesn't ask questions about the other party. She has always been this way. We were close before but now I feel fed up with her company and now retreat into my own room so I'm not spending time with my sister when she comes to visit. Anne always comes over once she sees my sister drive over to visit our parents. So AITA for setting this boundary? My family is making me feel guilty for feeling uncomfortable and expressing my concerns. How do I navigate this uncomfortable situation?

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