[WillsnAlly]

I'm 25 years old with a job and still living at home with my Mum and younger sister. Well not much younger but clearly old enough to understand that helping herself to my belongings behind my back is really frustrating. It's no longer a case of "Oh could I borrow this?" as a matter of urgency or anything, as with using my mobile phone for instance to call someone, but it's constantly happening now and she doesn't even ask for permission first a lot of the time. Lately, she's taken to sneaking into my room, taking advantage of my absence when I head out to work every day, and then helping herself to my laptop because her own is broken but she doesn't have a job yet, and so can't afford to pay for it to be repaired. However, we have an iMac, so I don't see why she can't just use that instead for whatever personal projects and things like that she is working on. What's most annoying of all though, whenever I have a word with her about it, is how entitled she acts, as if I'm the one who's at fault or creating conflict out of nowhere and it's somehow an inherent right for her to barge in and take my things, yet she would very likely hate it if I did the very same which I don't because I know better. It makes me wonder sometimes if she has any realisation that a person has the right to a sense of personal ownership over things that belong to them and that should not be violated. If she wouldn't do that to anyone else outside of the family, why would she do it to an immediate family member? It's getting to the point now where I'm running out of options as to how to get through to her about this without ruining our relationship. I've tried everything, from hiding any items she'd be likely to take from me, but she always somehow finds them and takes them for herself, to having a gentle but firm word with her about it as I've mentioned already, but clearly with no success. So what am I to do now?

[ma0641]

Put a lock on your door and keep the laptop in there when you go to work.

[talaniman]

She disrespects your relationship while you worry about ruining it? What's wrong with that picture? Wake up and stand for yourself.

[Fr_Chuck]

Lock the door, put security on you computer/phone and so on. It should have anyway.

[teacherjenn4]

Speak with your mother. If you’re paying rent, then you certainly have the right to install a lock. If that doesn’t work, maybe it’s time to get your own place.