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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Should I tell my daughter she's got post?

136 replies

statement · 10/09/2026 13:24

DD(21) is home from college for the summer. She acts like nothing more than a lodger. Will grace us with her presence when it's time to eat only and will spend 24/7 on her phone locked in room otherwise. Never makes time for the rest of the family but will happily go out with friends. She's had a few letters and a parcel which has been on the coffee table for two weeks. For context it's not a messy house, there's nothing else on the table but her letters and parcel. But this is her way, she notices nothing about the household and acts like it's a hotel. If something has fallen on the floor she will step round it. Everything has to be pointed out to her every single time. This has happened before when her driving licence arrived. It was on the table for a few weeks and she asked me if it had come and I said yes there it is. If I hadn't told her it would have been there for the rest of her life. No ND, all regular.

AIBU to leave it, even though they look like important letters?

OP posts:
TeenLifeMum · 10/09/2026 15:09

It’s a weird age to know where you fit in the family. I’d have taken it up and put it on her bed.

I’m not really sure how you want her to spend time with you as she’s joining for meals. Dd is 18 and she’s off out and about or in her room, eats with us and occasionally joins film nights, but she has her own life. I did ask her to cook once a week and she washed up on week nights. I think you need to allocate jobs rather than magically expect her to start noticing. I don’t think that happens until they have their own homes.

AFPotts · 10/09/2026 15:06

What would you have liked your mum to have done for you OP?

WaryCyanStork · 10/09/2026 15:03

I tell DP if she's got post, in the past I've told flatmates I barely know that they've got post!

I think I'd actually find it a bit odd if someone moved my post from by the front door and didn't mention it to me. I wouldn't assume that a parcel someone else had put on a table was for me.

Wouldn't you rather say one sentence to your DD than stare at her post for weeks?

AprilMizzel · 10/09/2026 14:59

Ifeeltheneedtheneedforcoffee · 10/09/2026 13:35

Isn't it basic manners to say "post has arrived for you, I've put it on the coffee table"
Ive said it several times this week I didn't know it was information that needed to be earnt

This.

The kids have had various attitude when they've come back - DD1 been like you describe some trips back - mostly I get round it by communicating clearly expectations asking if I want something done and letting rest of it pass with time and not playing stupid games to win stupid prizes.

AmberTigerEyes · 10/09/2026 14:56

DD sounds normal for her age? They have their own lives, you can’t keep them tied to your apron strings forever. You’re lucky she eats meals with you, talk to her then.

And yes, tell her she has post and take it up to her room to give to her.

arethereanyleftatall · 10/09/2026 14:54

Workplacedilemma84 · 10/09/2026 13:49

"I'm so lucky that my DD still wants to stay with us in the summer. She is off enjoying her independent life, and I'm so proud to see her branching out and living her own life. She joins us for mealtimes so I get t9 see her regularly. She trusts us enough to leave her post in communal areas. I'm so glad she is home and she is safe"

There ya go OP, I fixed it for you :)

This is absurd. The adult in question is getting everything paid for, and is surly and rude in return. Maybe raise your bar.

alcovecupboards · 10/09/2026 14:53

I can't imagine having to make a thread on Mumsnet to decide whether you should communicate with your child. Good god.

NeatJoker · 10/09/2026 14:52

Purely from a clutter point of view, I would just put the post somewhere obvious in her room like the bed. Then think no more of it.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 10/09/2026 14:52

statement · 10/09/2026 14:30

Interesting split of opinions. I haven't made up my mind yet. We don't necessarily say there's a letter for you or whatever. Yes sometimes we do, but not if we've not seen the person for a whole day or whatever then it's normal to forget. The post is always left in the same place. Also, if there are letters on the floor by the door DD would never never pick it up. In fact she'd step over it to go in or out.

You haven’t forgotten though, you are just being a bit odd about it. When does she leave?

FannybygaslightinGovan · 10/09/2026 14:50

statement · 10/09/2026 14:27

Come on, this should win an award for the most ridiculous post out there. She trusts us enough to leave her post in communal areas? Is it normal in your world to pilfer things from your kids?

Why aren't you telling your daughter she has post? Are you 'punishing' her for not communicating the way you want her to or not spending time with you?

Also she's 21. Yes, technically she's an adult but an immature one... give her a break ❤️

AlexandraCarrington · 10/09/2026 14:34

Isn't it basic manners to say "post has arrived for you, I've put it on the coffee table"

Isn't it also basic manners to interact with the people you live with?

statement · 10/09/2026 14:30

Interesting split of opinions. I haven't made up my mind yet. We don't necessarily say there's a letter for you or whatever. Yes sometimes we do, but not if we've not seen the person for a whole day or whatever then it's normal to forget. The post is always left in the same place. Also, if there are letters on the floor by the door DD would never never pick it up. In fact she'd step over it to go in or out.

OP posts:
statement · 10/09/2026 14:27

Workplacedilemma84 · 10/09/2026 13:49

"I'm so lucky that my DD still wants to stay with us in the summer. She is off enjoying her independent life, and I'm so proud to see her branching out and living her own life. She joins us for mealtimes so I get t9 see her regularly. She trusts us enough to leave her post in communal areas. I'm so glad she is home and she is safe"

There ya go OP, I fixed it for you :)

Come on, this should win an award for the most ridiculous post out there. She trusts us enough to leave her post in communal areas? Is it normal in your world to pilfer things from your kids?

OP posts:
Workplacedilemma84 · 10/09/2026 13:57

Cocopogo · 10/09/2026 13:54

Oh great, now we should be grateful for our kids to bother turning up? Wow.

Yeah, yeah you should.

Createausername1970 · 10/09/2026 13:55

I think it's usual to tell someone they have post when it first arrives.

The standard rule in our house is that whoever picks the post up off the mat does say "there is post for you in the kitchen".

Anything still sitting there when I give the kitchen a bit of a once over gets opened by me, regardless of who it's addressed to. Anything that needs to be kept gets filed away and added to the calendar if appropriate, the rest goes into the recycling bin.

Cocopogo · 10/09/2026 13:54

Workplacedilemma84 · 10/09/2026 13:49

"I'm so lucky that my DD still wants to stay with us in the summer. She is off enjoying her independent life, and I'm so proud to see her branching out and living her own life. She joins us for mealtimes so I get t9 see her regularly. She trusts us enough to leave her post in communal areas. I'm so glad she is home and she is safe"

There ya go OP, I fixed it for you :)

Oh great, now we should be grateful for our kids to bother turning up? Wow.

Workplacedilemma84 · 10/09/2026 13:49

statement · 10/09/2026 13:24

DD(21) is home from college for the summer. She acts like nothing more than a lodger. Will grace us with her presence when it's time to eat only and will spend 24/7 on her phone locked in room otherwise. Never makes time for the rest of the family but will happily go out with friends. She's had a few letters and a parcel which has been on the coffee table for two weeks. For context it's not a messy house, there's nothing else on the table but her letters and parcel. But this is her way, she notices nothing about the household and acts like it's a hotel. If something has fallen on the floor she will step round it. Everything has to be pointed out to her every single time. This has happened before when her driving licence arrived. It was on the table for a few weeks and she asked me if it had come and I said yes there it is. If I hadn't told her it would have been there for the rest of her life. No ND, all regular.

AIBU to leave it, even though they look like important letters?

"I'm so lucky that my DD still wants to stay with us in the summer. She is off enjoying her independent life, and I'm so proud to see her branching out and living her own life. She joins us for mealtimes so I get t9 see her regularly. She trusts us enough to leave her post in communal areas. I'm so glad she is home and she is safe"

There ya go OP, I fixed it for you :)

BudgetBuster · 10/09/2026 13:45

She probably thinks you're keeping letters and crap on the table. She probably has no idea its her post cluttering the place.

I can't fathom why when you see her at mealtimes etc you don't just naturally say "oh I left your post on the table" each day when it comes... thats just basic politeness. Leaving it pile up seems passive aggressive.

LilyBunch25 · 10/09/2026 13:42

Just put it in her room? Regardless, though, I'd be expecting more effort from her side.

Sparrowsandbudgies · 10/09/2026 13:40

My dd aged 23 is very similar. I put her post in the doorway to her bedroom.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 10/09/2026 13:40

grumpygrape · 10/09/2026 13:38

It makes a difference to the situation.

I disagree. Why would you say ‘post has come for you’ if the person pays keep, but say silent if they don’t (even though that’s your choice). That’s just strange

risingup · 10/09/2026 13:39

Yes just tell her. Otherwise you're being as bad as she is really.

grumpygrape · 10/09/2026 13:38

ToKittyornottoKitty · 10/09/2026 13:29

Why? Do you think if she pays keep it makes a difference to saying when post has come?

It makes a difference to the situation.

Lurkingandlearning · 10/09/2026 13:38

.

Ifeeltheneedtheneedforcoffee · 10/09/2026 13:35

Isn't it basic manners to say "post has arrived for you, I've put it on the coffee table"
Ive said it several times this week I didn't know it was information that needed to be earnt