# Has Anyone In Your Family Ever Had Their Own Chair? Side Of The Bed? Place On The Couch? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608 "2010-10-28T01:42:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/41 "2010-10-28T16:24:43Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I’ve never been had a “side of the bed” or favourite place to sit, or my own chair. I don’t really care where I sit or sleep or anything. That’s interesting. I consider things like “forbidding others to sit in a particular spot” to be extreme, but everyone I know pretty much has a “their side of the bed” at the very least. My side is where _my_ crap is on the end table. If I slept on his side all willy-nilly, how would I reach my books? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/42 "2010-10-28T16:27:54Z")
My husband and I have our own “spots” in the living room, but I think that’s mostly because we each have our own laptop parked by that spot. We’ve each got our own side of the bed too. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/43 "2010-10-28T16:52:58Z")
When I was growing up, every mammal in the house tried to lay claim to the easy chair next to the heat vent in the living room. It never really stuck, though: If someone or something was already in that chair, they wouldn’t relinquish it, and at most you’d end up with two beings sharing the chair, if the previous occupant were feeling generous. At Gramma’s house, though, there was one chair that was Grampap’s and nobody else’s. Not only that nobody else _would_ sit in it, or that nobody else _should_, but nobody else _could_. That old chair was broken in exactly the way that Grampap liked it, with the result that if anyone else even tried to sit in it, something inside would fall apart in such a way that the occupant ended up dumped out onto the carpet. Grampap made everyone swear that we wouldn’t get rid of that chair as long as he lived. So the day of his funeral, we dragged it out to the parking lot, doused it with kerosene, and all of his children took a candle each and burned it. It seemed the only proper thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/44 "2010-10-28T18:27:29Z")
> [@Electric\_Warrior](#): > > We all have ‘our’ chairs at the dinner table. Nothing horrible would happen, I don’t think, if someone hypothetically were to sit at someone else’s chair, but it simply doesn’t happen. Unless it’s someone’s birthday and they get the special place at the end of the table. The kids in my family were all born in the early 90s so I don’t think it’s an age thing. By saying it’s an age thing I was thinking that as we age we get more set in our ways (not always a positive thing) and the older you get the more adamant you are about insisting on your spot. But after I read your dissent I believe that you are correct. I remember my children each having their own side in the back seat and the pandemonium that would ensue if one sat in the other’s spot. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/45 "2010-10-28T18:29:52Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > When I was growing up, every mammal in the house tried to lay claim to the easy chair next to the heat vent in the living room. It never really stuck, though: If someone or something was already in that chair, they wouldn’t relinquish it, and at most you’d end up with two beings sharing the chair, if the previous occupant were feeling generous. > > At Gramma’s house, though, there was one chair that was Grampap’s and nobody else’s. Not only that nobody else _would_ sit in it, or that nobody else _should_, but nobody else _could_. That old chair was broken in exactly the way that Grampap liked it, with the result that if anyone else even tried to sit in it, something inside would fall apart in such a way that the occupant ended up dumped out onto the carpet. Grampap made everyone swear that we wouldn’t get rid of that chair as long as he lived. So the day of his funeral, we dragged it out to the parking lot, doused it with kerosene, and all of his children took a candle each and burned it. It seemed the only proper thing to do. I’m laughing. That is not only a touching story, but is also hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/46 "2010-10-28T19:13:04Z")
I haven’t lived at home since I went off to college, but when we visit the parental units, my siblings and I automatically sit Where We Always Did at the dining table. And say things like “Hey, that’s Momma’s chair,” at meals. Any other time, the chairs are free game. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/47 "2010-10-28T19:34:07Z")
My dad has his chair, much like Archie’s. If you ever sat in it you had to hop up when he came in the room. He has been gone 5 years his chair only gets used by the youngsters who don’t know any better. None of my siblings would go for it first. I have a favorite spot on the sofa and a favorite spot at the table but the fact that I like something seems to cause my wife and kids to want it. If I bought a chair especially for myself I would come home to find my whole family trying to fit into it. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/48 "2010-10-28T21:54:56Z")
I am very uncomfortable with people sitting in my computer chair, but that’s because I am supposed to be sitting there. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/49 "2010-10-29T12:36:22Z")
Of course we normally sit in the same chairs in the living room or places at the table. What benefit would there be to changing places? The way it is now, we just sit down at our normal places, and don’t have to think about it. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/50 "2010-10-29T16:15:46Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The idea of not having your own spot seems foreign to me. My sister and I even had which side of the backseat belonged to us, although that’s become less of a problem now. Yes. I think _everybody_ in my family and friends has their own special spot. Even regular visitors to my house have their own regular spots. A social worker recently visited my home and immediately went and say in _my_ chair. I’d say it’s fairly obvious that it’s the chair belonging to the head of the household, because it’s in the best position - in front of the computer (where I work) and the TV, with a view of the whole room and with everything like a lamp and a side-table within reach. So when the social worker sat there it felt like she was asserting her own dominance. It was probably unintentional, but it discomforted me to be pushed over to the ‘guest’ chair. Not that I mentioned this, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/51 "2010-10-29T16:21:05Z")
I have my side of the bed, but doesn’t everyone? ---
**Author:** ![axaxas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@axaxas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/axaxas)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/52 "2010-10-29T17:07:53Z")
I have my own room and my own bed. It teases me a lot that everyone likes to chillout in there when I’m not at home (they are messy with my things). I think i’ts the bigger TV screen and the new mattress. Also, we used to have spots on the car. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/53 "2010-10-30T03:25:20Z")
Yes. My daughter has the high chair. And I always pick the side of the bed closest to the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/54 "2010-10-30T13:29:27Z")
My SO and I have so thoroughly gotten used to me sleeping on the left and her sleeping on the right that she had trouble sleeping the one night she wanted to switch it up as an experiment. We have our spots on the upstairs and downstairs couches too. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/55 "2010-10-30T14:00:53Z")
Oh, yeah. All of us who share a bed have our own side to sleep on, and I would suspect that most people who sleep in a full bed alone have a favored side of it. As kids, we all had our own spots at the dinner table and in the car. Actually, come to think of it, my brother and I tended to have a “spot” in other people’s cars if we rode with them regularly. When I was a teenager, a group of us had our own spots when riding rides at the fair, places to sleep at slumber parties, and positions in the lineup when we had pictures taken together. And my grandpa has a chair. His own special chair that you Do Not sit in, not even when he’s not home. It’s been that way as long as I can remember. The chair has changed several times over the years, but its position and its verboten-ness are eternal. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/56 "2010-10-31T04:16:51Z")
My parents both have their own chairs. They have matching arm chairs in the living room and an end table between them. That way, my dad can keep his laptop, antacids, etc. on his side of the end table, my mom can keep her work laptop, spare scrunchie, and nail file, etc. on her side. It’s been that way as far back as I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/57 "2010-11-01T23:49:35Z")
Sure. My mom and dad both had their own chairs. My wife and I have our own spots at the dinner table and on the couch and we also have our own sides of the bed. I thought pretty much everyone did. ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/58 "2010-11-05T03:40:11Z")
The right side of the bed as seen from the foot of the bed is always mine except during conubs. Then it is the other side of the bed, and the center for her…we have a California King, so it could sleep 3 with no touching - not that such an arrangement is one of my goals. Although we have our normal assigned seating at the breakfast bar, with guest we both seem to sit wherever makes the best sense when considering our dinner guests. But when we eat out, I always must have the seat facing the door. ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608/59 "2010-11-05T07:33:49Z")
We have sides of the bed. If we’re in a hotel and we switch sides (usually for outlet access for his CPAP), it feels funny. Not so funny I can’t sleep, but weird. We have one of those oversized chair and a half jobbies in the living room. It’s very much mine. It’s where I feed the babies when they’re little, and where I read stories out loud before bedtime, and where I sit down to comfort them when they cry. It’s where I sit to knit, and to read. Guests sit in it - often couples, as it’s large enough to accommodate two adults if they’re willing to be close enough to cuddle - and that is fine. My sister sits in it a fair amount. But if it were time to read bedtime stories and someone was in my chair? You bet your sweet little butt I’d boot 'em. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-in-your-family-ever-had-their-own-chair-side-of-the-bed-place-on-the-couch/558608.md?page=2)