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For having reacted the way I did when I caught my 14 year old daughter’s…

409 replies

madonninamia · 17/04/2025 09:01

Boyfriend in her room last night at 1am?
He must’ve crept in while I was sleeping and it was only ‘cause I had to go to the loo that I saw a light under her bedroom door and thought she was on her phone that I walked in and saw him shoot out of her bed like lightning. Thank god they were both in pjs although my daughter was wearing tiny shorts and vest that I’d never seen before.

God knows what my neighbours must have thought as I did some major screeching first in shock when I saw him leap out of the bed in the semi dark but I was just so upset that she would already be sneaking about like this. I admit I was doing the exact same thing but I was 16/17 at the time, and me and my boyfriend had been together more than a year before I was even ready to start having sex with him. 14 is too young to be having her boyfriend round for frigging “sleepovers”, isn’t it?!?
My mind is blown, they’ve been together a couple of months now, they are both 14 and as I stupidly believed pretty innocent and sweet. Of course I had the talk after I noticed how into each other they were and I broached her about sex but she promised she wasn’t wanting to do anything like that. She knows that having sex at 14 is considered way too young (illegal!) but after last night I’m having serious doubts about where they are at in their relationship.

I’m at a loss what to do, my DH was of little help last night as he stumbled about half asleep and not knowing what to do or say when the boyfriend was looking like a deer in headlights last night. He’s at work now lucky git, I took time off work due to Easter hols, we were going to go out shopping today but that’s not going to happen now.
How in hell do I go about this? Ground her? Take away her social media? I don’t even know his parents but I think I should contact them to let them know their son is sneaking out in the middle of the night and cycling 3 miles to sleep with his girlfriend, shouldn’t I? Any advice would be gladly appreciated as at the moment I’ve not slept much and all I want to do is lock her in her bedroom until she turns 16.

OP posts:
BashfulClam · 17/04/2025 17:46

She needs contraception. Yes she says they just wanted to cuddle but hormones take over and common sense gets put under the bed. Get her told that every time she has has sex her boyfriend wears a condom for the full time.

TheAmusedQuail · 17/04/2025 17:38

JHound · 17/04/2025 12:38

Judgemental?

you have maybe unwittingly eatablished a behaviour in your teen that this kind of thing is to be expected

Her response at this event was horror. I think it's safe to say that her morals / ethics (or whatever the right word is) are firmly in place and communicated to her DD.

It could be possible I suppose, but no evidence of that shown in her posts.

Walkden · 17/04/2025 17:35

"If they’re both 14/15 it’s not illegal - it’s only if one is over the age of consent and the other isn’t that it becomes a legal issue."

Well yes it is. Anyone in a safeguarding position would be obliged to report it for instance. The CPS are unlikely to take prosecute or take action though.

StupidBoy · 17/04/2025 17:12

I don’t even know his parents but I think I should contact them to let them know their son is sneaking out in the middle of the night and cycling 3 miles to sleep with his girlfriend, shouldn’t I?

Yes you should tell them. He could have got knocked off his bike and killed, cycling around in the middle of the night. They could have gone to his room and found him missing and had the police out looking for him. He needs to know it's not an adventure to do things like that, it's dangerous and irresponsible.

Them knowing what he did should make pretty sure he doesn't try it again.

NeringaCS · 17/04/2025 17:11

She knows that having sex at 14 is considered way too young (illegal!)

If they’re both 14/15 it’s not illegal - it’s only if one is over the age of consent and the other isn’t that it becomes a legal issue.

Tulippilut · 17/04/2025 17:11

Speak to his parents, they have to know what’s going on.

Take your daughter and get her on the pill or a serious chat about protection ( I would get her on the pill/ implant though if it was me ) - I would make it clear this isn’t permission and I would be setting some very clear boundaries - room checks , phone checks , phone with you when she’s in bed. But the fact is the only way you stop this is locking her away which you can’t do and it’s likely that any punishments are going to be met with rebellion . You may not be able to stop her having sex , that’s the truth of it and so you need to make sure that she is protected and also you need to be careful - yes, you have to parent her but if you push her too far then she will not come to you if she’s ever in trouble and you do not want a pregnancy.

I would certainly have a punishment - grounding her, no shopping etc - but I would make it clear that it’s because of the lies and sneaking her boyfriend in - breaking your rules .

I have a stepdaughter , mom not involved . I found out she was having sex when she was 15. I had always been open with her and because of that she came to me after having unprotected sex. Because she did , I could take her to the clinic and get her the morning after pill , get her on the pill and get her an sti check ( that sadly showed she had an sti ) so then she had treatment for that. This was a wake up call for her , I never told her dad . She’s 21 now and she trusted me because of that and never got herself in that predicament again but I know if she had she wouldn’t have tried dealing with it alone because she had me to talk to . I was honest with her about my own experiences and she really took it on board .

JustMyView13 · 17/04/2025 17:07

I mean, to be clear OP you shouldn’t be ‘putting her on the pill’. It needs to be her informed choice. At the end of the day, if she doesn’t want to take them, she can flush them. You’ll never know.
I’d really caution against that kind of approach. She needs to come to that decision after being provided the information.

WearyAuldWumman · 17/04/2025 16:51

madonninamia · 17/04/2025 16:44

Again thanks everyone who’s given me some pure nuggets of wisdom and ways to deal with this as rationally as possible, considering how emotionally exhausting the last hours have been since catching sight of dd’s boyfriend in her bedroom.
First of all I have texted the parent as they were not picking up my calls. I wrote my side of what happened in a non accusatory way but as yet no reply.
I also made a point to apologise for not having the mindset to call them at 1am to come pick him up from ours, but I would like to point out that we do live in a pretty safe area and there are cycle lanes everywhere. But if the tables were turned and they’d made my daughter go back home alone I know I would’ve been upset and I still feel really bad about that.
My daughter and I have spent most of the day talking and I believe her 100% when she says they did not have sex. He’s not pressuring her to do it either and I believe this too, if you talked to this boy he just seems too innocent to be wanting sex BUT my guard is now firmly up and my trusting nature left the moment when I saw him leap out of dds bed. And to clarify his pjs were under his joggers (for those of you who have pictured him with an overnight case and toothbrush)! Dd says he was there for cuddling only although admitted it was the excitement of it all and again to explain we have a walled in side shed which is far too easy to climb when you are a tall lad and from there it’s my dd’s window, so that’s going to be permanently locked from now on.
I’m beyond drained and undoubtedly there will be many more discussions about sex and where she’s at and I now know that the more we talk about sex and her relationship the less defensive she’ll get and hopefully be more honest with me. I’m still on the fence about putting her on the pill and she has said she really does not want to have sex so I have to try to believe her.

OP, I remember one of my pals telling me that you could sleep with a boy without having sex with him - that was the line that her boyfriend used.

Gradually, however, she did have sex with him. Call me an old cynic, but that might have been the way the boyfriend's mind was heading.

In any case, it's simply not worth the risk.

madonninamia · 17/04/2025 16:44

Again thanks everyone who’s given me some pure nuggets of wisdom and ways to deal with this as rationally as possible, considering how emotionally exhausting the last hours have been since catching sight of dd’s boyfriend in her bedroom.
First of all I have texted the parent as they were not picking up my calls. I wrote my side of what happened in a non accusatory way but as yet no reply.
I also made a point to apologise for not having the mindset to call them at 1am to come pick him up from ours, but I would like to point out that we do live in a pretty safe area and there are cycle lanes everywhere. But if the tables were turned and they’d made my daughter go back home alone I know I would’ve been upset and I still feel really bad about that.
My daughter and I have spent most of the day talking and I believe her 100% when she says they did not have sex. He’s not pressuring her to do it either and I believe this too, if you talked to this boy he just seems too innocent to be wanting sex BUT my guard is now firmly up and my trusting nature left the moment when I saw him leap out of dds bed. And to clarify his pjs were under his joggers (for those of you who have pictured him with an overnight case and toothbrush)! Dd says he was there for cuddling only although admitted it was the excitement of it all and again to explain we have a walled in side shed which is far too easy to climb when you are a tall lad and from there it’s my dd’s window, so that’s going to be permanently locked from now on.
I’m beyond drained and undoubtedly there will be many more discussions about sex and where she’s at and I now know that the more we talk about sex and her relationship the less defensive she’ll get and hopefully be more honest with me. I’m still on the fence about putting her on the pill and she has said she really does not want to have sex so I have to try to believe her.

OP posts:
Ilovelurchers · 17/04/2025 16:43

mathanxiety · 17/04/2025 16:01

Eyeroll....

That's how women end up becoming grandmothers at 37.

There is nothing to be lost and everything to be gained by showing teenagers who the adults are in your home and demanding their respect. Teenagers answer to you as long as they live in your home, and parents have every right to demand and receive honesty, cooperation, and respect for the values you are teaching them and the behaviour you wish them to follow.

But you can't "demand respect" can you?. Respecting someone isn't decision, it's a construal. Personally I would never feel any respect for somebody who believed I was obliged to respect them, whatever their actions, qualities and values, simply because they were older than me and owned the house I lived in.

You can of course compel someone you have absolute power over to pretend to respect you. If you own the house someone lives in and they are entirely dependant on you then yes, you can threaten to render them homeless if they don't do what you say. And they probably will. That isn't the same as them respecting you (and I'd venture to suggest isn't the relationship everybody wants to have with their children).

I'd say true respect is earned, and earned by being compassionate, altruistic, fair, kind, and not a bully.

mathanxiety · 17/04/2025 16:36

x2boys · 17/04/2025 16:12

Doesnt stop from having sex though.

Of course it does.

Contrary to what's being said on this thread, teenagers do listen to pare ts, they do follow rules, they are not seething pots of bubbling hormones unable to control themselves, and they are well able to understand what consequences are, for both unacceptable bahaviour if you've been consistent in your enforcement of house rules and clear in your expectations, and for sex when they're not mature enough to handle that element of a relationship or deal with a pregnancy.

Parents who make sure their teens are kept busy, have their sights set on their futures, make sure they know the parents of their teens' friends, and direct their teens into developing their talents via extracurricular activities, as well as requiring they contribute to family life via cooking, cleaning, laundry, and doing their own tine management tend to have teens who respect them and what they're trying to accomplish.

Ilovelurchers · 17/04/2025 16:35

If they are having sex at 14 they won't be the first. I fully agree it's too young ideally - I think I have more liberal views about sex on here to most and even I have always told my daughter I would strongly prefer her to wait till 16 at the very youngest, as I think sex is a big thing to process emotionally as an adult, yet alone as a child....

But the reality is, by 14 (or younger in some cases) many people have pretty much the body of an adult, and moreover both their libidos and the risk taking parts of their brain (I forget all the technical terminology) are at an all time high in adolescence - they are actually doing what comes naturally, and though your daughter may well respect you and wish she could follow your instructions, that part of her is having to battle a massive weight of evolutionary biology....

Punish and berate her and all you will do, in my opinions n, is weaken her respect for you. (Unless you have a highly conditioned child who is very scared of you - and if that was the case I doubt she would have risked sneaking him in in the first place).

Much better to talk, and listen. Explain to her your reasons for not wanting her to be sexually active at this stage (IF she even is). And acknowledge that there are lots of forms of intimacy that she can safely practice which might be more appropriate for their age, and which are not full penatrative sex....

But if she is determined to have sex she will, and I would actually prefer my underage daughter to have sex in the safety of our own home, where she is far less likely to get hurt, than in a bush in a park somewhere, if those were the only options......

And you said that going shopping was obviously cancelled - why? I would think you really need to be spending quality time with your daughter and really talking to her at this point - and nurturing your relationship with her so that she will be more honest with you in the future. The more she believes you love and value her, the more likely she is to care about your advice......

It must have been horribly shocking though, and I see why you are very stressed out. Good luck!

Whooowhooohoo · 17/04/2025 16:18
  1. pregnancy test
  2. birth control

He’s not allowed at your house right now without permission, they both lost your trust.

Silverstars21 · 17/04/2025 16:17

There were girls & boys in my year at school having sex at 14. Admittedly they were in a minority & to be honest they didn't have the best reputations despite as you mentioned OP it being natural.

At 14 they are still children & far too young to appreciate the possible consequences such as STIs & pregnancy. I am sure you've had a serious chat with your daughter although whether she adheres to your advice is another story. As far as punishments go while she is under 16, each time she breaks your parental rules I would stop all forms of pocket money or agreeing to new clothes etc.

lefthandedcat · 17/04/2025 16:13

Its 4pm and no mention of you having contacted his parents yet?
Has he managed to sneak back into his own bed with his parents none the wiser as to his nocturnal adventures?
Give him a week or two to get over his fright and he'll be boasting to all his mates about the escapade and playing the big sex stud!
His parents really need to be in the picture!

x2boys · 17/04/2025 16:12

mathanxiety · 17/04/2025 16:01

Eyeroll....

That's how women end up becoming grandmothers at 37.

There is nothing to be lost and everything to be gained by showing teenagers who the adults are in your home and demanding their respect. Teenagers answer to you as long as they live in your home, and parents have every right to demand and receive honesty, cooperation, and respect for the values you are teaching them and the behaviour you wish them to follow.

Doesnt stop from having sex though.

ThejoyofNC · 17/04/2025 16:05

SporadicMincePieMuncher · 17/04/2025 15:53

I would be very reluctant to endorse a 14 year old starting hormonal contraception. Give her hormones a chance to find their natural rhythmn first before messing with them!

Agree with this. Not a chance. Research the effects of long term hormonal birth control started at such a young age.

WearyAuldWumman · 17/04/2025 16:05

SporadicMincePieMuncher · 17/04/2025 15:53

I would be very reluctant to endorse a 14 year old starting hormonal contraception. Give her hormones a chance to find their natural rhythmn first before messing with them!

It's a dilemma - what's worse: mucking up your natural rhythm or risking becoming pregnant?

Unfortunately, I know of cases where young girls have been given implants because a pregnancy would have been catastrophic.

mathanxiety · 17/04/2025 16:01

x2boys · 17/04/2025 12:07

So you would assault a 14 year old and then terrify him half to death and slso destroy any future relationship with your daughter?
It would be you that might be facing criminal charges
Not two 14 year olds who are equally culpable of having sex with a minor.

Eyeroll....

That's how women end up becoming grandmothers at 37.

There is nothing to be lost and everything to be gained by showing teenagers who the adults are in your home and demanding their respect. Teenagers answer to you as long as they live in your home, and parents have every right to demand and receive honesty, cooperation, and respect for the values you are teaching them and the behaviour you wish them to follow.

SporadicMincePieMuncher · 17/04/2025 15:53

I would be very reluctant to endorse a 14 year old starting hormonal contraception. Give her hormones a chance to find their natural rhythmn first before messing with them!

WearyAuldWumman · 17/04/2025 15:42

x2boys · 17/04/2025 15:05

They are both 14 its highly unlikely hes going to have much if any previous sexual experience.

True, but it only take one encounter with the virus if you're unlucky.

mathanxiety · 17/04/2025 15:40

Contact his parents.

Read them and him the riot act. Your husband needs to be part of this.

This boy grossly disrespected you and your husband. He needs to know that you will not countenance that. He should not be welcome in your home again.

Take DD's phone. Ground her. If she wants a phone again, it will need to be on condition that you have strict control over it. You will have access to the phone whenever you ask for it and will be able to read all conversations and see all photos.

You need to take the phone asap. You need access to the conversations between her and the boy. You need to determine whose idea this was and what else has been going on.

You need to show her your complete disapproval of whatever part she played in this escapade.

DD needs to be put in every extracurricular activity that exists in your area so that she can return to reality and have no time to spend with this boy.

SiobhanSharpe · 17/04/2025 15:37

The deception, secrecy and bad behaviour are of course really scary and very concerning for the OP but there are elements of farce too, the BF cycled round, bringing his pyjamas with him, and then changed into them!
Meanwhile DD had bought new, sexier nightwear. Then the parents caught them in bed together. Sitcom land - but also potentially serious drama territory.
It may be they didn't want, or weren't ready, to be naked together, but they did want to be more intimate. They might have had sex if they hadn't been interrupted...or not.
They sound so young still - but if they had already had sex I doubt whether they would bother with the nightwear.
I'm sorry if it seems that I'm not taking it seriously, I really am. But what they did shows they are are still very young teenagers, thoughtless and hormones-driven.
But it's not my DC -- so huge sympathy to the OP. It sounds like she has a great relationship with her DD and will do her absolute best to keep it that way.
(DS slept in CK pants from about the age of 12, but I could imagine at 14 he'd be self conscious and would wear pyjamas getting into bed with a GF for the first time...We did have some problems with him - cars, weed, booze, fags. But he's doing well now, specially considering he had little or no focus till about 25.)
Teenage behaviour, eh? Surprising, fucking scary, annoying and sometimes a bit amusing. But I repeat, lots of sympathy and good luck with it all, OP.

MsDoof · 17/04/2025 15:25

PooksBear · 17/04/2025 14:34

She was the sweetest loveliest dd, to keep you onside and use your naivety to hoodwink you, to have nookey with her boyfriend. Or do you think he co-erced her into it, which is another thing altogether. If you believe the sentence: I know that a lot of her friends are doing similar things and her best friend is sleeping with her boyfriend and apparently her mum is ok about it leads me to believe you believe everything she tells you. You need to check her phone messages

She said up until a year and a half ago, are you really saying her daughter has been sweet and lovely to her mum for 12-13 years of her whole life to shag some boy at 14? (Also with NO evidence they’re having sex, a boy in your bed doesn’t mean that at all, the drama on here about that and how they must be having sex is ridiculous).

JustMyView13 · 17/04/2025 15:21

The pill does not = safe sex.
The pill = hormones which many women don’t get along with. At 14, if her menstrual cycle is otherwise normal, I would be seriously talking to her about all forms of contraception. Many women in their 30’s resent being put on the pill at such a young age and not being informed of all the side effects.

The pill will not protect her from STI’s, and if she isn’t vaccinated against HPV, she’ll want to understand the long term risks associated with that too.

I think she seems like she wants to act like an adult, so time to start talking to her like one. If she wants to have sex, sit her down and give her some proper lessons about sexual health, relationships, what’s legal etc.