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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel I can't cope with dsd coming to live with us. Beware - epic post attached!

153 replies

screamsprout · 20/10/2007 20:22

Dsd will be 20 next month. She had a gap year which wan't an enormous success (did about 6 weeks work in the UK and 5 months travelling in SE Asia). She has just started university but it is not going well. She isn't going to lectures or studying and isn't settling into the social side of things either. She has already fallen behind and this week her cousin is going down to see her (she is over from Oz) so that will be another week where she doesn't work/catch up. This isn't sustainable and dh thinks she is likely to drop out before xmas.

She has fallen out with her mum and refuses to live there any more (the feeling is mutual, so this isn't going to change). About 4 years ago she did the same with dh and while their relationship is good, she has not stayed with us for quite a while now. In the mean time we have had ds who now has her old room. This has been fine with her until now.

She is going to need to come and stay with us during uni holidays but, it's also extremely likely she will need to come and live with us longer term if/when she drops out (which will happen the way things are going).

I am 25 weeks pregnant and ds is 3 (this week). Given that we currently live in a 2 bedroom flat, we now have to either a) move house asap or b) try to accommodate her here.

Despite the madness of embarking on a house move at 6m pregnant, we have put our flat on the market and I have spent many hours surfing/travelling to view houses/looking at finances etc. It would seem that it isn't going to be possible as we can't find anywhere big enough without moving much further away than I want to at the current time. We would have to leave the area and for my sake and ds's this is not a good time to do it.

So, in that case, she will need to live here. She is not easy to live with. Dh will be the first to say she has no regard for others. It's easy to say that she should take some responsibility, but the reality is that she doesn't. Dh will be at work 5 days a week and I will be at home with a toddler, a new born and a 20 year old in the middle of a life crisis that she won't be doing much about.

After a lot of soul searching I am at the stage where I really don't think I can take all of this on. A lot of people say "oh, we all manage" but I have a history of not quite managing and I am concerned about my welfare and that of my dcs. Dh thinks I am being selfish and unreasonable and that I am asking him to reject his daughter. I am not but we can't find a middle ground. At the moment, I can't see a way forward and am at my wits end.

Everyone in RL is telling me I can't take this on but dh is adamant I should.

Any advice would be welcome (and thank you for even reading this far!)

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 20/10/2007 20:28

Por you. I don't know what to suggest.

She hasn't dropped out yet so is it possible that she won't come to you, other than for a short stint in the holidays?

If she comes for any longer though I don't think you have room for her, do you? You can't share with a toddler and a baby adn if you only have 2 bedrooms she can't expect to have one of them to herself. So I really think she has to stand on her own two feet. Is there anywhere else she could live? Relatives? Halls? Flat share? Could dh and her mother jointly contribute to the cost of her living elsewhere?

stoppinattwo · 20/10/2007 20:28

Have you a camp bed and a tent she can borrow??

I think your needs are paramount at the moment and she has a little growing up to do

i have 3 step sons btw so i speak from experience.

lady007pink · 20/10/2007 20:29

If she's going to drop out of uni, she should be forced to get a job and find her own accommodation. Then she might re-consider uni and work hard next time round.
She's 20, she's an adult.
I think your dh is mollycoddling her too much.
It's awful you're being put through this while you're pregnant and rearing a small child.
Would she even be of any help looking after your children?

WideWebWitch · 20/10/2007 20:30

I think helping her make a success of uni so she DOESN'T drop out is the way to go. Can dh offer her an incentive? What does she want to do? What motivates her? Does anyone else have any influence over her? Might she listen to someone else?

WideWebWitch · 20/10/2007 20:31

Yes, I'm a bit inclined to think she drops out, she takes the consequences. I dropped out at 17 and had to make a living immediately to pay rent /bills/for life. Fair enough I think.

Anna8888 · 20/10/2007 20:32

Your DSD is 20 ie an adult. Adults have to take responsibility for their lives. Either she stays in full-time education or she gets a job and supports herself and lives independently.

I think that your DH is being very unreasonable, given your circumstances (two very small children, small flat). You do not have room in your life for his daughter. Tell him to sort it out with her.

sKerryMum · 20/10/2007 20:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fawkeoff · 20/10/2007 20:33

if she isgoing to drop out of uni then let her get a job and if she cant find one then let her claim job seekers allowance, she can put her name down for aflat and they will pay for her rent.she is 20 years old and need to learn to stand on her own 2 feet

lady007pink · 20/10/2007 20:34

sKerryMum, for how long are we responsible for our children? 20? 30? Pension age?
This girl is not a child or a teenager any more.

CarGirl · 20/10/2007 20:36

You could off to help/support her by finding her some lodgings nearby if she drops out paying the deposit and month rent in advance - presumably whilst she is looking for a job she would be entitled to income support etc?

stoppinattwo · 20/10/2007 20:36

you dont want to be the wicked step mum so you have to play it cute!!

have contingency plans in place.

If she drops be ready with the jobs pages, i mean you know how much she will want to be independant and pay for her own nights out ets >

or if she says in uni how much better it will be to stay in a flat or halls with her matses rather than you fuddy duddys. She cant possibly study with a new born baby around.

you could tell her how lovely it would be to have her around to help with the new baby, bwt she runs a mile

try to be nothing but helpful, but dont leae it to your DP or he will give in to your DSD i promise. I know from experience XX

fawkeoff · 20/10/2007 20:37

the local coincil actually help toward bonds when applying for private accomodation

WideWebWitch · 20/10/2007 20:37

skerrymum, this is not a child, she's nearly 20!
I agree when we're talking about a child (i.e. a minor) but we're not. and I have 1 ds from marriage #1 and a dd from marriage #2, if dh#2 hadn't been prepared to take on my son from my first marriage we wouldn't be together so I agree, but this is

a) a 20yo
b) a 2 bed flat, soon to have FOUR people living in it, one of them a newborn

screamsprout · 20/10/2007 20:37

Her mum has never worked. We already allocate £500pm (!) in various allowances etc for her and we are going to struggle as it is when I go on maternity leave, so can't afford to give her any financial support.

Dh is concerned that she isn't coping and I would say that if she can't manage to pull off being student, trying to live independently in London is going to be a much greater challenge. She has a history of emotional crises and not coping with exams/gap years/life in general. This is why dh is adamant that we should support her. He believes that she won't be able to support herself and thinks it is either us or a hostel for her and as such, we have to do whatever it takes to support her.

OP posts:
Santasmissyontheside · 20/10/2007 20:37

I've only read your post not the replys. But i'm sorry i would be saying no to her. Its outrageous that your dh thinks you should. I've grown up with sfamilys and now a sm myself. We had a two bed and it was a nightmare when dsc came to stay.

lady007pink · 20/10/2007 20:37

Brilliant post, stoppinattwo!!!

fizzbuzz · 20/10/2007 20:37

Have some sympathy here. She is an adult and should be able to live on her own,I know I was at 19 years old. She will still have you and dh to support her emotionally.

We have too may people in our house due to being a combined family. Now dss's (21) girlfriend is here all the time, and it is just too much, there is not enough space for us all

Step families are supposed to need more "space" than natural families, and with a campbed/too many people I think you willl just feel invaded. Your dh has to see there is not enough room ATM. I also don't think you should try and move at 6 months pregnant, and tbh I think he is selfish expeting this.

WideWebWitch · 20/10/2007 20:38

A fifth person moving in really doesn't sound viable.

mrsdelboy · 20/10/2007 20:38

Has she any grand parents she could stay with?

I have a step son who lives with us and his half brother on his mum's side was in a similar situation and he went and lived with his grand parents.

screamsprout · 20/10/2007 20:39

WWW - it will be five (me, dh, ds, dsd and newborn!!)

Am sure that the Council would rehouse us at this point!!

OP posts:
stoppinattwo · 20/10/2007 20:39

you are responsobe or your kids 100% i agree kerrymum but there is a point where they need to take responsibility and i think this girl is beyond this age.

20 years old fgs......your can advise but she is old enough to vote, drink, smoke, marry etc. be there to support but too much support and you are not doing her ant favours she needs to be standin on her own 2 feet

ravenAK · 20/10/2007 20:39

Could you afford deposit & first month's rent on a bedsit nearby?

Then she could claim housing benefit whilst getting on her feet.

Must be cheaper than you moving!

WideWebWitch · 20/10/2007 20:42

I don't think the £500 is outrageous, I get more than that for one child from my ex dh.

OK, well it sounds like your dh needs to come up with strategies then and tell you how he thinks it's going to work. Because it sounds as if he's just presented you with this and made it your problem but isn't playing enough of a part in finding a solution.

5 people in a 2 bed flat will be hell on earth. I think you could move at 6 months pregnant (I did it at 8 months) but it needs to be a good move for lots of other reasons.

3littlebats · 20/10/2007 20:42

She is 20. She needs to grow up - and your dh needs to understand that. If she drops out of university he should be taking her down to the job centre. He is not doing her any favours by allowing her to put off behaving like an adult.

stoppinattwo · 20/10/2007 20:42

Thankyou lady007pinkXXX