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AIBU?

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AIBU to stop DD contact with GF

416 replies

jcsc · 29/10/2024 21:44

DD is 14 year 10 at school. She has a gf whose 16 and in college, this is the hard bit for me, they’ve never met but just spoke on the phone and via text/social media for the last 3 months. They met via mutual friends in a group chat. Blown up last 24 hours as GF is controlling imo and my DD close friends opinion. GF makes her sneak into toilets (no phones allowed at school) to text back or gets angry. Wants to know where she is, who she is with and you can’t leave a message ‘on read’ and not reply or she hounds her. Makes her stay awake as long as possible texting sometimes until 3-4am. She apparently has come out of a toxic relationship and tried to kill herself last year . Gf dad also messaged my daughter asking if she was ok and that they all love her, I found out yesterday after the girls had a bust up and GF was controlling.I am raging that some girls dad is messaging my DD who I’ve never met. Instant red flags. My DD says sorry all the time when she’s not done anything wrong and that I’m not understanding and she’s in love with her. I can’t quite understand how’s she in love with her and that these next years of her life are so massively important that I want her to stop all contact. I’ve stated I won’t allow them to meet (gf lives about 45 mins away from us) and if this carries on I will text the gf myself and remove my DD phone. I’m now the worst mum on the planet that doesn’t understand her feelings or the love she has for this girl and she now hates me kicking me out of her bedroom with a slammed door behind me. Tried to explain it’s my job as her mum to protect her and I think this is a toxic phone relationship that my DD is infatuated with and it’s now spiralling out of control. She’s stopped messaging her friends, hardly comes out of her room, isn’t doing her homework and just isn’t her normal self.
AIBU for saying stop contact or should I let her continue

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anotherbusybee · 17/01/2025 12:23

Absolutely brilliant update @jcsc

May you both have a wonder life going forward!

MoodEnhancer · 17/01/2025 12:02

Well done, OP. You have done the right thing and one day she will recognise that and thank you for it.

PeggyMitchellsCameo · 16/01/2025 13:35

Thanks for the update!

Zanatdy · 16/01/2025 06:39

I’d be taking the phone at 9pm, and telling her to leave it at home when she’s in school. Hopefully things will cool with this girl. I’d be checking her phone too.

Billybagpuss · 16/01/2025 06:25

Thank you so much for updating, I think it’s important for everyone to read how this has resolved and the impact of this sort of thing on young people and how she has changed back to normal once the threat was stamped out.

you are also very brave posting here again as you will get another string of posters telling you YABU and more etc when they haven’t bothered to read the whole thread. (Just ignore them)

B0xes · 16/01/2025 06:02

You were being unreasonable for allowing her to be on her phone until 3am! The sooner these things are banned for youngsters the better

I'm glad you've resolved this and your daughter and your relationship is doing OK.

Glittertwins · 16/01/2025 04:42

That's really good that you've got through to her and things are much better.

Vermeers · 15/01/2025 23:54

Great update OP.
So glad things have unsurprisingly turned out well.
You sound like such a lovely mum.
She is a lucky girl.
Some posters were unnecessarily nasty, but that is MN.
For many parents it is a lot to keep up with, technology is changing all the time.

We are parents first, not friends, much as we love to chat to them.
That means sometimes we have to fall out with them to show them that we are prepared to do whats necessary to keep them safe.
Mind yourself.

Bannedontherun · 15/01/2025 22:41

Good news and Thankyou for sharing

jcsc · 15/01/2025 22:34

anotherbusybee · 04/12/2024 18:35

How are you doing @jcsc . Hope daughter is happy and settled again and this is a distant bad memory

Sorry for the extremely late update. Life has returned to normal. My daughter started talking to me properly again within a few weeks, the cold shoulder lasted a little longer than I thought it would have. I have downloaded tiktok and snap chat and can see who she messages and recently added friends on the family centre. No contact from said girl now since this started. All prank phone calls and text messages stopped within a short space of time. She’s back enjoying time with her school friends, her fire cadets and football. We had a lovely family Xmas. She seems happy albeit a stroppy hormonal teenager, which is normal.
i am much more aware of the dangers lurking online. I’m happy I posted on here originally it gave me the bashing and eye opener needed to never make the same mistakes again and be so naive. I talk to her regularly about what happened. She fully understands where I was coming from. Although I know deep down she won’t fully 110% realise until maybe one day she has a child of her own.

OP posts:
anotherbusybee · 04/12/2024 18:35

jcsc · 03/11/2024 22:26

Thank you. I hope one day she will understand why I have done what I’ve done.
i feel like I’m on an emotional rollercoaster. She’s been out with my husband today as she had an away game for her sport (and her team lost, they were players down already so she couldn’t not go) . I cooked a massive family roast. Had my mum round whilst they were out and then my childhood friend I’ve grown up with since infant school came round with some flowers for me and I cried my eyes out. My mums now sending me constant grooming articles - I think it’s opened her eyes too. My son has gone back to university tonight and that hurt my heart more than normal.
DD is back to school tomorrow. I’m back to work Tuesday. I’m hoping routine helps. She’s still cold towards me but it is what it is. I refuse to find her dead in a ditch somewhere. I will do my best to protect her and my other children forever.
my own stupidity never really hit me until this week. I still drop her to school and one of us always pick her up every day as I’m worried about her walking home, yet I never really truly knew the dangers lurking on her own phone in my own home.

How are you doing @jcsc . Hope daughter is happy and settled again and this is a distant bad memory

ChemicalStatement · 23/11/2024 22:57

Just wanted to add that I think you are a good mother, I wish my parents were like you. 🤗
Good luck.

PS This thread has been reposted on Bored Panda, which is where I saw it first.

ChemicalStatement · 23/11/2024 22:45

Another Netflix interesting documentary is The Worst Ex Ever. All were heavy in controlling the victim.

ChemicalStatement · 23/11/2024 22:39

The predators can easily get a voice modulator app to sounds like anything they want.

ChemicalStatement · 23/11/2024 21:52

OP could play her daughter "Sweet Bobby my ten year catfish nightmare."
It's on Netflix.

There is also the issue of why the teen accepted to be controlled. It seems she needs therapy to build her self esteem and healthy boundaries.

I was raised by a sigle father, who was controlling and always thought he knew better than me for me, even if he really loved me.
I hated it and he hated to openly talk to me. Drove me to marry at 18 with a toxic person.

There are many predators out there, we need self love and agency to successfully navigate life.
I would also pray for her.

Lanzar · 09/11/2024 22:15

How has your week gone @jcsc

CowboyJoanna · 07/11/2024 18:47

OP stay strong.

Your DD may be sulking with you now, but when she's older she will fully appreciate how proactive you were in keeping her safe and will be so grateful to have you as a loving caring mother Flowers

Snipples · 06/11/2024 17:47

How's it going OP? Have you had anymore prank calls or harassment? I hope by now things are calming down a bit with your DD and she's opening up to you.

Please don't feel you need to share anything as appreciate it's sensitive and still so fresh for you. Just wanted to say we're all thinking of you, especially with the return to school this week.

LasagneLasagne · 04/11/2024 13:06

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/11/2024 04:49

Will your dd have her phone on her at school? If she’s being dropped off and picked up it does she need it? It sounds as though she will very likely contact the gf. I also imagine you’re contacting the school. Idk if you’re doing that by phone. If you are emailing, I found a snappy title worked wonders when there was an event, which could have had catastrophic consequences.

Yes, use an email header like 'Safeguarding concern' and it won't be put to one side.

OP, well done for taking action. I hope that one day, your daughter will see that you acted to protect her.

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/11/2024 04:49

Will your dd have her phone on her at school? If she’s being dropped off and picked up it does she need it? It sounds as though she will very likely contact the gf. I also imagine you’re contacting the school. Idk if you’re doing that by phone. If you are emailing, I found a snappy title worked wonders when there was an event, which could have had catastrophic consequences.

GildedRage · 04/11/2024 03:23

thank you @jcsc for opening my eyes to this issue.

Vermeers · 03/11/2024 22:45

OP, honestly be kind to yourself.
You are doing your best.
This will pass and she will eventually realise that her safety is your priority.
She is too mad to see it now, which is normal for her age.
As parents sometimes we have to just accept that parenting our children will piss them off!

SlimMcSlim · 03/11/2024 22:44

@jcsc I wanted to say thank you for sharing this and the updates. You’re not alone in finding yourself/your child in a really tricky situation. I think your story will help other people think about what their children might be accessing. I hope your daughter is ok.

WearyAuldWumman · 03/11/2024 22:40

jcsc · 03/11/2024 22:26

Thank you. I hope one day she will understand why I have done what I’ve done.
i feel like I’m on an emotional rollercoaster. She’s been out with my husband today as she had an away game for her sport (and her team lost, they were players down already so she couldn’t not go) . I cooked a massive family roast. Had my mum round whilst they were out and then my childhood friend I’ve grown up with since infant school came round with some flowers for me and I cried my eyes out. My mums now sending me constant grooming articles - I think it’s opened her eyes too. My son has gone back to university tonight and that hurt my heart more than normal.
DD is back to school tomorrow. I’m back to work Tuesday. I’m hoping routine helps. She’s still cold towards me but it is what it is. I refuse to find her dead in a ditch somewhere. I will do my best to protect her and my other children forever.
my own stupidity never really hit me until this week. I still drop her to school and one of us always pick her up every day as I’m worried about her walking home, yet I never really truly knew the dangers lurking on her own phone in my own home.

You're a good mother, OP. Stop beating yourself up.

I wish that all the parents that I worked with over the years were as conscientious as you.

jcsc · 03/11/2024 22:26

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Thank you. I hope one day she will understand why I have done what I’ve done.
i feel like I’m on an emotional rollercoaster. She’s been out with my husband today as she had an away game for her sport (and her team lost, they were players down already so she couldn’t not go) . I cooked a massive family roast. Had my mum round whilst they were out and then my childhood friend I’ve grown up with since infant school came round with some flowers for me and I cried my eyes out. My mums now sending me constant grooming articles - I think it’s opened her eyes too. My son has gone back to university tonight and that hurt my heart more than normal.
DD is back to school tomorrow. I’m back to work Tuesday. I’m hoping routine helps. She’s still cold towards me but it is what it is. I refuse to find her dead in a ditch somewhere. I will do my best to protect her and my other children forever.
my own stupidity never really hit me until this week. I still drop her to school and one of us always pick her up every day as I’m worried about her walking home, yet I never really truly knew the dangers lurking on her own phone in my own home.

OP posts:
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