The parents chose to give their younger daughter the family apartment, since their elder daughter already had her own home. However, they were stunned by the unexpected reactions from both daughters.

My sister is utterly obsessed with her career, completely absorbed in her work, says Rebecca. Shes forty, single, and doesnt have any children. Shes already bought herself a flat and a car. She rarely speaks to me or our parents, but still expects something from us.

Rebecca and her older sister have always had a distant relationship, ever since childhood, largely due to their starkly different appearances and personalities. Rebecca is calm and family-oriented; she married young, has three children, and focuses on running the household. Her sister, on the other hand, is driven and ambitious, always striving hard to reach her goals. She often travels for business, which means she seldom keeps in touch with the family, especially during family holidays at their parents house. Rebecca maintains a close bond with their parents, who help her with the kids, take them to events, and even celebrate birthdays and holidays in their spacious three-bedroom flat.

Right now, Rebecca and her family live in a cramped one-room house. Seeing how tight things are, Rebeccas parents spent a long time deliberating. Eventually, they decided to offer Rebecca a housing swap. Their own one-bedroom flat no longer meets their needs, but they cant afford to expand or get a mortgage themselves since only Rebeccas husband works. Their plan was to help Rebecca by exchanging flats and immediately transferring the ownership to her.

However, they hadnt anticipated the reaction from their older daughter. The elder sister voiced her displeasure: So the whole flat goes to Rebecca, and what about me? Arent I your daughter too? Their mother tried to explain: Dear, please understand our situation. We arent neglecting you. Youve accomplished everything yourself, and if you want something bigger, we know youll succeed. Rebeccas situation is more urgentshe has a family, children, and only a one-bedroom flat. Despite her mothers explanation, the older sister felt overlooked and reacted with resentment. Rebecca weighed in: She acts like a spoiled child who didnt get her sweets. Mums right, we need the help more. Shes got everything she wants. Wants another holiday in Ibiza? She chose to keep her distance, not answering the phone for weeks at a time. Shes selfish.

So the question stands: Is the older sister selfish for ignoring Rebeccas needs, or does her independence and status as a daughter mean she deserves consideration regarding the family flat?