Malaika
Not everyone has OCD.
When I talk about OCD, I mean the scientific term for it, not people who callously admit to having it. However, just because you have a compulsive need to keep things clean, wash your hands, and do other things does not mean that everyone else will feel the same way. When it comes to cleanliness, everyone has different standards and preferences. Understanding and accepting that not everyone has the same level of cleanliness can result in more harmonious relationships and interactions. To avoid misunderstandings and conflict, communicate cleaning expectations openly and respectfully.
Now, I’m not saying that being generally clean isn’t desirable, but dirtiness and messiness are not synonymous. For example, you may be annoyed with your flatmates because they did not pick up after themselves, but instead of yelling at them, you can always ask nicely first. That is precisely what the original poster (OP) of this story did not do. She mentions having OCD, and as a result, she hired expensive cleaning services because she couldn’t keep everything as clean as she wanted while also working. However, her patience was tested when she returned home one day to find a mess left by her stepdaughter and her friends.
Scroll down to find out how she reacted after seeing the mess.
Source: Reddit
Just by the title, we can tell that the OP thinks her stepdaughter completely ruined the house.
OP has been married to her husband for a few years, and both of them had children that they brought over from previous marriages.
Stepparents and stepkids can sometimes have a contentious relationship, but OP worked it out with O (the stepdaughter), and it all seemed to be going well for both of them.
According to OP, O has always had a hard time making friends, but that has changed since she went to college and has not brought over her friends to hang out at home.
OP is happy for O, but what she is not ecstatic about is the mess they leave behind, as OP already pays for an expensive cleaning service.
Via Reddit
OP usually ignored the mess as O cleaned up after herself, but this time they left behind pizza crumbs and dirty footprints, which apparently severely impacted OP.
OP’s husband tried to calm her down, as O has always had a hard time making friends, but that didn’t work on OP at all because of how expensive the cleaning services are.
So OP decided to request the exact amount she paid for the cleaning services from O, her stepdaughter, because of the mess they left behind.
OP also gave her an ultimatum: either she pays for the services or OP stops paying for her phone, which O thinks is quite unfair.
OP herself believes that she may have reacted harshly, as it isn’t as if OP has a lot of money to pay her with.
Via Reddit
In my opinion, the OP’s reaction was overly dramatic. While I’m not sure how she felt at the time, as an adult, blowing up on your stepdaughter is not the way to go. She could have simply asked the daughter to clean up after herself.
Furthermore, according to OP, her daughter does not have a job, so how is she supposed to pay for her cleaning services? Putting that aside, pizza crumbs and a few filthy footprints do not seem like a significant issue to me; however, that may be my own perception.
People in the comments were generally not on the OP’s side either.
This was not the best way to handle the situation.
It would have been better if the OP had asked her daughter to clean it up.
I have to agree that nothing was permanently damaged.
Everyone can make a mess at any time, no matter what age they are.
Via Reddit
To be fair, it is sort of funny.
I do wonder how the younger kids fare with these strict rules.
I don’t want to judge her fully just because of one incident, though.
It really should be as simple as this.
OP is being a bit childish, in my opinion as well.
Via Reddit
What are your thoughts on how the OP handled the situation? Do you think she overreacted and could have handled the situation more calmly? Do you think her stepdaughter should pay for the cleaning services? What would you do if you were in her position? Comment below to let us know, and don’t forget to share this story with your friends so they can add their thoughts as well.
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