A woman has sparked outrage after moving her 9-year-old daughter's bedroom onto the balcony to repurpose the larger indoor space as her office.
Gabriela Lins, who runs a lunchbox business (Diário da Lancheira) with her husband from their home in Brazil, explained that the move was the most practical decision for her, as the stock and other items such as bubble wrap didn't fit on the balcony.
Highlights
- Gabriela Lins, a mother and businesswoman from Brazil, revealed that she’s turned her daughter’s bedroom into an office.
- She repurposed the balcony as a bedroom for her 9-year-old daughter and now stores her lunchbox stock in the larger room.
- The decision, which she documented online, drew harsh criticism from thousands of users.
On TikTok, she gave viewers a "room tour" of her daughter Esther's balcony-bedroom, saying she didn't want to be "canceled" and that she wanted Esther to feel "comfortable" in her new space.
"Many people don't know that she has more luxuries than most people," Gabriela said in a video that has amassed over 2.4 million views and drawn fierce criticism from viewers.
Image credits: gabrielahosch
Gabriela painted the walls, enclosed the balcony with glass, installed blackout curtains, and equipped the room with an air conditioner and a TV.
She decorated Esther's cramped bedroom with plants, her favorite books, and a small lamp.
The entrepreneur estimated that the balcony-to-bedroom makeover cost approximately $1,800 (R$10,000).
Image credits: gabrielahosch
"The view from here is so much nicer," the mom concluded in her viral video. "What about you? Would you use a bedroom like this in your house?"
Viewers quickly took to the comments to question Gabriela's decision and her parenting choices.
"Who came up with the idea? 🤨JK Rowling?" one person asked, while another described Esther as a "modern Harry Potter."
"Not even my dog stays on the balcony 🤣" a third shared.
A separate user chimed in: "Who could sleep there with the noise from the street and the air conditioning?"
She equipped 9-year-old Esther’s balcony room with an air conditioner, a TV, and enclosed the space with glass
Image credits: gabrielahosch
Others raised concerns about the child's lack of privacy on the balcony and the potential discomfort from getting too cold at night, since the air conditioner could freeze the small room within minutes.
Meanwhile, others defended the momfluencer, writing, "I didn't see anything wrong with it, she just adapted the place... but it would have been easier to make the living room a bedroom."
Image credits: gabrielahosch
In a follow-up video, Gabriela explained that she didn't move her office to the living room because it has an open kitchen, and working with lingering food smells would be "unpleasant."
She also emphasized the importance of separating work and living spaces, calling the decision "essential" for her family's mental health.
"Having our office there means we can work during the day, shut the door when we're done, and the rest of the rooms become our home."
Many people joked that the situation reminded them of how Harry Potter lived at his aunt and uncle’s house
Image credits: gabrielahosch
The family had trouble sharing the space, such as when one wanted to watch TV while the other wanted to go to sleep early.
Gabriela and her husband run a lunchbox business in Brazil
Image credits: gabrielahosch
Image credits: gabrielahosch
"People are getting confused," Gabriela added. "They think she has to change, play, and study in her bedroom, but that's not the case. She's not confined to her room.
"The bedroom is only for sleeping. She doesn't have to go straight to her room when she gets home. She also lives here with us.
"If I'm cooking or watching TV, she's here with me. Imagine trying to do all that among our office stuff. It wouldn't make sense."
Gabriela said the decision was “essential” for saving money and improving the family’s mental health
Image credits: gabrielahosch
Image credits: diariodalancheira
In a separate video, Gabriela explained that Esther is on the autism spectrum, and the money she earns from her lunchbox business goes toward paying for her daughter's mental health treatments.
"All of that depends on me—both financially and in terms of time. Thanks to my business, I've gained financial freedom, I can pay for my daughter's healthcare, and I can have enough time to support her."
The mom defended herself, stressing that the 9-year-old is not "confined" to her balcony-bedroom
Image credits: diariodalancheira
Addressing her critics, the mom said, "I know you try to draw conclusions from a one-minute video and think this is absurd.
"You might believe your ideas would work better, but this is our reality. We know what we need, and we've thought it all through. It wasn't an overnight decision."
Some users strongly criticized Gabriela's decision, while others were more understanding
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