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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to 'change my mind'.....?

129 replies

whatsthepointinwasps · 13/04/2016 22:10

Ok so this is my first ever post but I've followed some of the other AIBUs so here goes....
My youngest is 18yrs old so not technically a child (oh yeah right hahaha)
I'm off work with a nasty chest infection and feeling pretty
grotty but not totally incapacitated (can still move about, just slowly with lots of rests)
I was lying on my bed with Nflixs when my son (said 18yr old) came in and asked me what I wanted for tea, I was touched and surprised he offered so I asked for tinned soup and banana sandwich.

He asked me if I wanted it now so I said 'yes that'd be nice thanks' and he went downstairs.
He put on his music and there were noises from the kitchen.
Fast forward nearly two hours .....no food appearing....
I ventured downstairs to find him in dining room on his laptop with the remnants of his meal beside him. 'Er I thought you were going to do my food too,' I said......'Oh yeah, I'll do it now,' he replied.
Another half an hour passed.....he appeared at door of my room....
'Can you just do your own tea as I don't feel like doing it now,' he said.
'But you said you would, you offered to do it in the first place' I answered.
He said 'I know but I've changed my mind now.'
The thing is I wasn't expecting him to offer to cook for me but the fact that he did then was so blasé about his 'change of mind' actually hurt me.
I feel this is dragging on so I'll cut to the chase (thank god finally I hear you all sigh)
Would it be unreasonable of me to wait till the next episode of 'Mum would you...' or Mum can you....', initially agree, make him wait a while then say 'Well actually I've changed my mind now'?
Is that petty? I had been planning to rustle up the soup/sandwich myself before he asked anyway.

Should I just forget it? Put it down to 'He's a teenager and it's better to pick your battles'?
Sorry about the length of this but if anybody who has struggled through to the bitter end would care to comment I'd be most grateful

OP posts:
Dutchess61 · 14/04/2016 00:41

18 is a bit of a give away.. it has teen in it Grin

MirriVan · 14/04/2016 00:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

corythatwas · 14/04/2016 00:44

So your 18+ is not going off to university then, Dutchess? Because clearly they cannot be expected to cope with making their own decisions and not being looked after by mummy. But you can hardly be unaware that it is very common for 18/19yos to move away to go to uni. And once they are there, they are expected to cope with adult life like...well, like adults.

For the record, I have a 15yo and a 19yo. And I would be very surprised if either of them said I wasn't allowed to be ill because of the effect on them; they are not babies. The 19yo the other week sat by what we thought was her grandmother's deathbed, holding her hand and comforting her (she survived but it was a very close call). The 15yo in the meantime stayed at home (different part of the country) and looked after the house.

Rocco14 · 14/04/2016 00:45

My son is a dick, he has no concept of anyone else in his life apart from himself, his hairspray and his decks xxxx

corythatwas · 14/04/2016 00:47

By the time I was 18 I had a flat of my own, by the time I was 19 I was working abroad. The idea that my parents would be telling me what to do, or still be spending time on "great parenting" would have seemed pretty ludicrous.

As Firstlaw points out, whatever you may think as a parent, by the time your child is 18 they do have legal rights to make their own decisions- and legal responsibilities if they make the wrong one: mummy can't take the rap for them.

Dutchess61 · 14/04/2016 00:48

I would point out his errors OP and leave it at that. Its not uncommon for a teen to not show empathy in certain circumstances. It doesn't mean you have done anything wrong as a parent.

18 is not 20 same way 3 is not 5.

Firstlawofholes · 14/04/2016 00:48

Dutchess61, no, I don't have an 18-year-old yet, but I do have a younger brother who stayed with us on and off through his teenage years / twenties and that behaviour would never have been tolerated! He's now turned into a lovely young man (about to get married, in fact). Any 18-year old displaying the entitled attitude that you describe wouldn't have lasted long in our household I'm afraid!

Dutchess61 · 14/04/2016 00:52

Teens do act out at their parents in a way that they would never dream of in any other situation. It doesn't mean the parents have brought up a demon and I know a lot of parents of teens will vouch for this.

Rocco14 · 14/04/2016 00:54

My ds is 19 but he may as well be 10 compared to my dd honestly he is so completely self obsessed, we have just taught him to ask if anyone needs the loo when he goes in the only bathroom in the house for hours xxx

corythatwas · 14/04/2016 00:55

I am sure you are right about that, Dutchess. But I also think it is the duty of a parent to point out to their child how adults behave. I have a very good relationship with my dd, but I will not accept her behaving like a petulant child any more: she is not a child. Since I have to respect her right to have the freedom of an adult, she needs to behave like one.

Dutchess61 · 14/04/2016 01:00

Im sure the OP will address this as I'm sure you do, a lot Grin

Bogeyface · 14/04/2016 01:04

Anyone with an 18 year old on here by any chance?
Yes me. She is upstairs as I type. She is the one who took herself off to prepare dinner for her, me, her stepfather and her 4 siblings without even discussing it, because I was ill. The other one (now 25) is living in his own flat and worries about me. Not sure why but he says it often!

If a person doesnt have empathy by 18 then you may as well give up. There is no time for parenting after that, you had your time and you failed.

Firstlawofholes · 14/04/2016 01:04

*OP, don't worry about him.

Teenagers are selfish arses.

They come right with great parenting*

Whilst I'd agree with this for younger children (up to 15, maybe) I definitely don't agree for an 18-year-old. They are old enough to make adult decisions. Very worrying if these decisions show no empathy, but not much you can do about it at this stage.

Firstlawofholes · 14/04/2016 01:06

Bolding fail, sorry!

Bogeyface · 14/04/2016 01:07

BTW that is not to say that OP has failed because I dont think her child lacks empathy, clearly he understood that his mum wanted food and offered so he has empathy. However, he needs a rocket up his arse about following through and that is something that I think a lot of people need, regardless of age.

Firstlawofholes · 14/04/2016 01:07

Cross post with Bogeyface!

Bogeyface · 14/04/2016 01:08
Wink
JokesLOL · 14/04/2016 01:10

OP, I would return the favour to your son and I would have a laugh about it too.

I've done it myself when I've repeatedly asked the kids to do something and when they haven't bothered I haven't 'bothered' to do something for them. It's all done light heartedly but it get the point across.

MirriVan · 14/04/2016 01:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dutchess61 · 14/04/2016 01:14

Would you want any of your children to have a child at 18 Bogey? Why do your children worry about you? My DS doesn't worry about me, he has no need.

So you see, we can all judge.

Your DS is not a demon OP. He's a fucking teenager Grin

Bogeyface · 14/04/2016 01:25

Would you want any of your children to have a child at 18 Bogey? Why do your children worry about you? My DS doesn't worry about me, he has no need

No I wouldnt want them to become parents that young, because I know how hard it is. Physically it no harder than doing it later, but the judgement you get when you are young makes you question everything and thats not good for ones self esteem or confidence. Having my youngest at 38 was harder on me physically but I didnt care what people thought of me, so that made my decision making processes much easier as I didnt have to factor in the judgey pants.

I have no idea why DS1 "worries" about me. In fact in all honesty I dont think he really does. He says it while giving me a hug, he says "You know I worry about you Ma!". If he really did worry, or have anything to worry about, he would tell me or his grandad who he is very close to. I think its another of saying "I love you".

No one said that the OPs son was a demon, or your son for that matter, but at 18 he is physically and legally a man. Sadly your babying of him wont see him become one emotionally any time soon.

Dutchess61 · 14/04/2016 01:31

I don't think he needs to be a man just yet Bogey. Whether or not he legally and physically is classed as one. He is a teenager and I'd be rather worried if he didn't act accordingly.

DixieNormas · 14/04/2016 01:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Keeptrudging · 14/04/2016 01:35

My son is 20. He's been away from home since he was 16 1/2, working/self-supporting, cooking all his own meals etc. He's living in a lovely flat, set up his own business and is very much an adult. I don't buy this 'an 18 year-old is still a child' stuff. They're only still a child because it's cushy for them/they get away with it. Nobody expects girls to be similarly helpless until they're in their twenties - it's bloody sexist the way boys are molly coddled until they're older!

GuiltyPleasure · 14/04/2016 01:36

18 is the official age of adulthood Dutchess in terms of 2 year physical and emotional development, a 3-5 year old is still developing substantially, an 18-20 year old is not. It's not a reasonable comparison. Special snowflakes may of course develop at an individual rate