I stopped speaking to my mother - venting and looking for advice (salaam)
Assalamu alaikum. I’ll try to keep this short but I need to get it off my chest. Sorry if it still feels long. A few days ago my older sister and my mother keep coming into my room to tidy or put new furniture without asking. I’ve told them many times - as a Muslim man in my early 20s who shares a room with my little brother - not to touch my things. I don’t mind some cleaning, but coming home to find a shelf I never saw, half my stuff moved on my small bed and desk is really frustrating. I’ve asked my mother repeatedly to at least knock or ask before entering. We live in a flat: my sister has her own room and I wouldn’t dream of going into hers because both she and my mother would confront me. But with my room they walk in and out whenever they like. I’m also a light sleeper, so any small noise wakes me up. To be fair, after I complained a lot my mother has been trying to be quieter when waking my little brother, so some change came from that. But sharing a room for five years has been awful for my privacy. My brother comes and goes, my sister and mother do too, and even my father sometimes opens the door to look for something without saying anything. I feel like I have no space at all. Sometimes I cry thinking about how my friends have their own rooms and big beds and TVs, while I have to beg my parents to at least knock or close the door behind them. Last weekend I finally lost my cool. I came home and half my important papers were moved and some missing. When I asked my mother she brushed it off, saying they just rearranged things. I stayed quiet and went back to my room. An hour later she asked when I’m off work and I ignored her. She then shouted, cursed, and stormed out. Since then she hasn’t spoken to me and I haven’t spoken to her. I’ve reached a point where I don’t want to apologise because I feel disrespected and believe my boundaries aren’t taken seriously. They treat my sister and little brother differently, and that hurts. I feel alone sometimes, even from my own mother. If anyone has been in a similar situation of not speaking to parents, how did you cope or mend things? I appreciate the brothers and sisters telling me to apologise - jazakallah khair - but right now I’m struggling to bring myself to do it. I know stubbornness isn’t always good, but I also want to be respected. Sorry for the long post and casual writing. Thank you for reading and any advice.