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18 year old is pushing me to the limit with rudeness

132 replies

Myhouseisnotahotel · 19/08/2024 23:38

I have name changed. My ds1 is 18 and was offered a university place. He has decided to defer his place and take a year out. He spends all day in bed and either games all night until the early hours or goes.out. He has a pair time job. I work different hours so I might be at home during the week and work weekends. Some days I work at home aswell. This week I'm off work. My.husband works nights. When we cook dinner for the family he doesn't come down for it until he decides he will. Yesterday he didn' have any of his dinner dh chucked it in the bin untouched. Today we decided as im off and dh was.stsrting at.430 we'd have.dinner at lunchtime. I called him down for dinner to be ignored over.and over. So I put.it in the fridge. Mr and ds2 went school shoes shopping this afternoon. At 9pm I found ds1 in the kitchen cooking loads of.pasta..I.said what about the dinner in the fridge no he said I don't want that you have it. But it was.nice.i said. Well you said yesterday's dinner was nice but it was disgusting so your opinion doesn't count. Today's dinner got binned aswell. I wouldn't mind but when I don't cook for him he says where's.my dinner why haven't you cooked.for me but obviously that's why!

This is how he has lived.since he's left school apart from doing a couple of shifts a week. He's so rude. His bedroom is strewn with takeaway packages. Even when we went away on holiday he drank all night and slept past lunch every day He came on holidaywith no.money and constantly asking us for money. Atleast if he was going away to university it'll be over soon but now he's not going to do that now.he says. I just feel so stressed thinking that he's going to live like this with no end. Am.i being unreasonable to want things to change?

OP posts:
ADaisyADay · 21/08/2024 19:59

@Partylikeits1985
No, not just refusing to partake in family meals, unless I have read entirely different posts from the OP/

He has told her to fuck off, to go away, he drinks all night and sleeps all day, he whines for money, he is rude, his room is a shit-tip, he works the minimum hours and it seems as if he has the intention of laying up on the OP for at least the next year..

Different strokes for different folks I guess and a few soft shites might think that is acceptable for whatever excuse they can dream up-usually containing phrases like, 'mental health' depressed' or 'brain not fully developed,'.

I wouldn't and don't accept that sort of behaviour any more than my mother would have done before me, I have a duty to society not to send out twats into the world and I havea duty to my own home to make sure no one lays down the law except me. Everyone knows where they stand and everyone over 18 knows where the door is.

I accept it's easier for me than the OP because I threw The Explosive Child book in the bin and decided to make myself chief police woman, judge and executioner in my own house.

Partylikeits1985 · 21/08/2024 12:19

ADaisyADay · 20/08/2024 12:48

Firstly, I would ignore any advice that refers to his mental health.

Advice like that is what has led to a lot of shitty behaviour from everyone from 3 to 93. Wondering why someone is treating you like shit instead of doing less wondering and nipping it in the bud. Granted, nipping it in the bud is a bit tricky when he is 18 and you should have addressed this some time ago,

However, You can try.

Do not buy in any food at all for him-get a lock for the fridge. He is earning, he won't starve. Let him buy his own.

Take his bedroom door off its hinges and put it in the garage. If you think he is capable of putting it back, saw it in half. Make as much noise in front of the gap where the door was as you please.

Remove the plugs from every electrical device in his room-you are paying for the electricity.

Do not wash as much as one smelly sock.

Ignore him-don't speak a word when he comes wailing unless it is to tell him to fuck off.

Try this approach. It may not work but it has a better chance of success than pandering to him. You're in charge. He has treated you like shit. Return the favour with the added power that it is your house and he is only in for as long as you say he can be.

Or you can wring your hands, wonder how you can stop him behaving in this way, address his mental health and make life misery for yourself and the rest of his family.

If you choose this approach get thee to to a local tattooist and have Walk Here stamped on your and your husband's foreheads.

This seems like a lot of fuss for someone who’s (if you read the OP) has done little more than refuse to partake in family dinners. I would be worried if he was planning on living with his parents /not working indefinatly but if he’s actually going to university he can sink or swim as any other young adult.

Some of these responses seem to have missed that he’s 18 not 14. The time for grounding him and withholding pocket money has passed, leaving home will be the best learning experience for him now.

Calliopespa · 21/08/2024 10:49

00BonneMaman00 · 21/08/2024 09:41

Is he depressed?

I think there must be an element of that. Read the post above that says he sleeps till three then shouts go away. That’s more than just rude. Rude alone would be having his mates over and treating op like their maid; or going out and coming in demanding food . But there is a withdrawal element in this and the backing off university. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t need grappling with however. It’s not helping him to continue as is.

00BonneMaman00 · 21/08/2024 09:41

Myhouseisnotahotel · 20/08/2024 00:17

Whe I try to talk to him usually when he's in bed as like today he didn't get up until gone 3pm, he is so rude. Today he just kept saying shutup and go away

Is he depressed?

EBoo80 · 21/08/2024 08:47

Also it might help you to reframe this clamp down as what parenting looks like now? I lived with boys at university who continued to live like this and it was a) disgusting and b) often meant they ended up dropping out of their degrees because they’d learned to live only for what they fancied doing that day.

Partylikeits1985 · 21/08/2024 08:43

Let him cook his own meals? If he doesn’t want what you’ve cooked he won’t eat it out of politeness as he’s not mature enough for that. Just leave him to it 🤷‍♀️

gardenmusic · 21/08/2024 08:35

His offer changed to unconditional last Thursday morning at 8am. So he has a place. He showed me. But then insisting on emailing to request to defer. I keep asking have they replied yet and he just says I haven't checked or I haven't looked yet

I don't think he wants to go to university.

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 21/08/2024 07:45

All I hear is excuse OP. What exactly is it you want from him?

You change the router password and only give the password to those who need it, your ds does not need it to game.

He cooks his own meals, you’re not waisting your time, effort and money on the whim he may eat what you’ve made.

You give him an ultimatum, he takes a gap year he does something F/T he does not get a gap year to be lazy and a spoilt, rude entitled brat.

He tidys his room… if not the whole lot goes in the bin!

You allowing him to walk all over you, if he doesn’t like it and refuses to respect you, he knows where the door is!!

greengreyblue · 21/08/2024 07:40

DD had a gap year. She worked full time and we didn’t charge board on the proviso that she saved for uni In the end she didn’t go so bought a car . She now works and pays us 10%. This will increase as her pay does.

SabbatWheel · 21/08/2024 07:33

Myhouseisnotahotel · 20/08/2024 01:00

How much board is a reasonable amount? Me and dh are finding this an unexpected minefield

We charged DD 20% of anything she brought in, including UC for the time she wasn't working, over 7 years.

We kept it aside in an account and by the time she was in a position to buy a flat age 26 it contributed £6k towards her deposit.

greengreyblue · 21/08/2024 07:31

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dLuEY6jN6gY
Show him this and tell him he’s 5 years too late for that behaviour. Gap years mean full time work or full time travel.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dLuEY6jN6gY

Chocolateorange22 · 21/08/2024 07:30

'shut up and go away'

'ok sound you want your own space, you are now an adult. You've got 30 days until we serve notice on you to move out. If you aren't happy about this then 8pm come and have a chat with dad and I in the living room like an adult would. If you don't attend then we'll assume you will be moving out'.

Don't pander to him

Starseeking · 21/08/2024 07:26

Stop cooking for him and stop giving him money.

TheaBrandt · 21/08/2024 07:24

We are not charging Dd living costs for her gap year as she’s working full time then will use the money to go travelling. But happy to do so as she is delightful made tea last night and is doing my supermarket shop today. If she was behaving like this lad I would not be being so generous that’s for sure.

MumChp · 21/08/2024 00:41

Myhouseisnotahotel · 20/08/2024 14:50

We do

He is 18 yo. On a gap year. He can work and pay his own bills. Why shoukd you?

mathanxiety · 20/08/2024 18:35

Myhouseisnotahotel · 20/08/2024 00:17

Whe I try to talk to him usually when he's in bed as like today he didn't get up until gone 3pm, he is so rude. Today he just kept saying shutup and go away

Get your husband to dad up.

The two of you need to sit down together and decide what you want, then make it plain to this lad that his behaviour won't be tolerated.

Decide on consequences for refusing to a certain the house rules. Follow through.

Flyhigher · 20/08/2024 15:58

He's depressed.
Doesn't make it any easier to deal with. If he's depressed.
Tough love. I think although that's hard.
He doesn't have a girlfriend presumably?
Turn off WiFi and stop paying for his phone.

oakleaffy · 20/08/2024 15:55

Myhouseisnotahotel · 20/08/2024 00:17

Whe I try to talk to him usually when he's in bed as like today he didn't get up until gone 3pm, he is so rude. Today he just kept saying shutup and go away

As this is MN someone will soon be along to excuse this behaviour with “ Is he neurodiverse?”

That’s the go to answer on here.

There is zero excuse for his appalling disrespectful behaviours.

He should be travelling on a year out, that’s what a year out is for.

Don’t cook for him!

Flossyts · 20/08/2024 15:50

Myhouseisnotahotel · 20/08/2024 14:50

We do

Should you be?

I8toys · 20/08/2024 15:46

Sorry but I wouldn't put up with that behaviour. I have 18 and 20 year old DS's. . Two both at uni now with DS2 keen to go and be independent.

Is it out of the blue or has he always been like that? Is he worried about the future? If its a change in behaviour then I would try and get to the bottom why.

Spybot · 20/08/2024 15:37

My son just left for Uni. If he had taken a gap year it would have been similar, probably minus the rudeness. A lot of the behavior is very typical. Agree with stopping making him meals. He needs to do more than a few shift or work a week though. He should be doing at least 30 hours a week so he stays out of your hair, is not mucking up the house and is making more money. Can you ask you husband to have a word with him next time one he's back?

Myhouseisnotahotel · 20/08/2024 14:50

NerrSnerr · 20/08/2024 14:06

Who pays for his phone though?

We do

OP posts:
Calliopespa · 20/08/2024 14:20

Starlight1979 · 20/08/2024 13:44

No. He's a rude, entitled, spoiled little shit.

Sick to death of all the excuses for bad behaviour these days.

It’s not really a feature of spoiled behaviour to withdraw from life though. He does sound unusually withdrawn - including the banking out of university. Most spoiled individuals can’t wait for that hedonism IME.

TheCompactPussycat · 20/08/2024 14:19

@Myhouseisnotahotel Look up "Soiling the nest". It's a well-documented phenomenon often displayed by teens about to head off to uni.

Stay calm and try to engage him in conversation about his plans for this coming year. What does he want to do? Earn money for uni? Earn money to go travelling later in the year? Give up on uni and find a full-time job? I would also try some subtle mind-games - "you don't have to go to university this year if you don't think your ready to be quite that independent", "it's quite a big-step so if you don't feel ready, that's understandable", "we can spend this year helping you get a bit more independent before uni, so charging a bit of rent, letting you make your own meals and do your own washing, etc.". He might suddenly find that accepting that unconditional place is better than feeling babied at home!

NerrSnerr · 20/08/2024 14:06

Myhouseisnotahotel · 20/08/2024 13:48

Yes starlight that's exactly what he does

Who pays for his phone though?

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