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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell my dad to stop giving my son money incase he's spending it on fags.....

41 replies

Dickorydockwhatthe · 10/12/2020 18:42

He's just 16 and in with a rough crowd. Started drinking and smoking. Before his birthday he asked for money. I told him if I found out he brought fags with the money I or anyone had given him I would be fuming and I'd take it off him. 2 weeks later he tried lighting up in his bedroom which I obviously found out due to the smell. He obviously panicked and tried putting it out. I eventually sniffed out a pack of 20 in room and conviscated it from him and gave him a telling off as he was warned and then the fact he tried to smoke in the house made it worse! However now his money has run dry but he's still coming home stinking of smoke but saying a friend gave it to him. He visits his granddad now and then and is very close but he often gives him money. Today I have asked my dad not to give it to him for this reason as want to stop the opportunity or at least limit them and I sometimes wonder if he sees him for this reason 😔. My Son has basically said we aren't giving him money for his tea or feeding him when he comes home (he comes home 9/10pm when out with his friendssome nights so I'm hardly going to cook a tea then) !! He can have tea or lunch before he goes out but this is obviously not good enough. Last night he came in at 9ish and so I said he could have beans on toast but again he wants to fry or cook something and it all rusbish food and I don't want him using all my food and making a mess so late in the evening. Anyway my son now knows I've told my dad not to give him money, my dad's upset and now my son isbecause he says he wouldn't use the money for fags but obviously he's lied in the past so I wanted to make sure. It's all kicked off and I'm feeling like shit. It's not just the smoking I'm worried about he's young and vulnerable, and if he has money he's a sitting target.

OP posts:
blueluce85 · 10/12/2020 19:00

How can people say YABU?? For wanting your child to be healthy and no support a bad habit?? Plus isn't smoking now illegal at 16?

BoomBoomsCousin · 10/12/2020 19:08

YANBU but at the same time, I don't think this is a sustainable approach. A 16 year old with no disposable income is going to find less savory ways to get things. It's unlikely to stop him smoking in the long run.

pursuedbyablackdog · 10/12/2020 19:09

It's illegal. The shop shouldn't be selling cigarettes to anyone under 18.
Obviously your are not being unreasonable! I'd also tell your DF the reason why you don't want him giving your ds money. Maybe your df would put the money in the bank for your son instead or put it towards future driving lesson etc. As I'm guessing your DF has a close relationship with his grandson and wants to treat him?

JustLikeStitch · 10/12/2020 19:39

Your son isn’t allowed to cook a meal for himself because you don’t want him using your food or making a mess? How often is he expected to have beans on toast for dinner? How often does he go without real food? No wonder he goes to his granddad for money.

It’s not at all unreasonable to not want your son to smoke, it is entirely unreasonable to cut off the only place he can go to in order to eat.

Dickorydockwhatthe · 10/12/2020 19:47

We cook tea and try make him eat before he goes out. He often chooses not to. sometimes I will save some but he refuses it. He comes home past his curfew at 9 or 10pm and wants to be cooking what ever he wants!! He thinks he can come home when he wants, expects us to pick him up of not and also will eat all the food in the cupboards with no thought for anyone else if they want it and then deny hes ate it. We also have a puppy who sleeps in the kitchen so he knows she's asleep and it's not fair. He won't even clean up after himself. He has options and choices and he chooses not to take them. You obviously don't have a teen!!!

OP posts:
Ohalrightthen · 10/12/2020 19:52

Are you employing any lind of discipline or consequences for this young man? Did you ever?

Not letting him eat because he came home late is neglect.

flaviaritt · 10/12/2020 19:53

I’m with you, OP. He gets given meal options and a curfew. He wants to refuse his meals, ignore his curfew and come home and disrupt the rest of the household (not on) and he wants to spend your money smoking and drinking (not on). He’s old enough to get a part-time job.

flaviaritt · 10/12/2020 19:55

Not letting him eat because he came home late is neglect.

Rubbish. He is offered a meal before he goes out.

Davros · 10/12/2020 19:57

It could be weed. Are you sure it isn't?

Dickorydockwhatthe · 10/12/2020 20:03

I'm actually laughing at this comment. Neglect seriously!! A child who is neglected doesnt have a choice whether they get fed or not!! Their parents also wouldn't care if they were smoking or what time they come home. I beg him to eat before he goes out or ask him to come home straight for school and il put something quick on. He refuses!!

OP posts:
HarrietSchulenberg · 10/12/2020 20:07

Re the food, leave him a plate of whatever you've had in the oven to warm up if he's hungry when he gets in. Don't let him start doing a fry up at 10pm but he has a meal if he wants it. If it's congealed he might think about eating earlier if he doesn't like it.

Re the fag money, absolutely cut off the money supply.

Been there, had horrific 4 years (sorry) with teen, now a functioning and usually pleasant adult. Still smokes, though.

Ohalrightthen · 10/12/2020 20:07

Interestig how you've completely skipped my point about your parenting and fixated on my opinion that withholding food from a minor is cruel. At 16, he's old enough to decide to eat later if he isn't hungry when you want him to eat!

Dickorydockwhatthe · 10/12/2020 20:08

No im not sure. I can't stop him going out that hasn't worked before he climbs out or smashes his room in temper. I can try and limit his opportunities, and speak to him about the dangers but it's hard. He doesn't listen. I'm so annoyed my dad told him as now it's made things worse between us and he will probably now go out with his mate more or move in with them. Alot are in care or have their own places. Obviously I'm worried.

OP posts:
JustLikeStitch · 10/12/2020 20:12

@Dickorydockwhatthe I do not have a teenager no, though my eldest is entering that stage and in all honesty I am petrified. I may be more sensitive to this issue than most as I spent a lot of my childhood not being allowed to eat. I’d not properly read the part of your OP where you’d said you tried to get him to eat before he went out, I’m sorry. A teen choosing not to eat is completely different to a teen not being allowed to eat

Dickorydockwhatthe · 10/12/2020 20:15

Yes very interesting. Of course he's had boundaries and discipline but at 16 and a it's hard to enforce some things right now without the worry of pushing him further away!! If I tell him to keep away from these friends I will push him closer to them, if I take his phone away he will just go out without it and then il worry even more. Its hard at this age he's nearly a man but still very much a young nieve boy. But you can't just go and eat 20 packets of crisp or a whole pack of biscuits others live in the house too. He wouldn't even clean up after himself. He's acting completely unreasonable.

OP posts:
x2boys · 10/12/2020 20:15

He's sixteen sometimes they rebel a bit I have a fourteen year old son whilst I wouldn't be happy if he started smoking it's not the end of the world,obviously it's an unpleasant habit and it costs money and makes you a bit anti social ,but it's not the 80,s I can't imagine many teens thinking smoking is a good idea long term ,.

Leaannb · 10/12/2020 20:16

@blueluce85

How can people say YABU?? For wanting your child to be healthy and no support a bad habit?? Plus isn't smoking now illegal at 16?
Her shitty attitude about the food
AllTheCakes · 10/12/2020 20:18

Your getting some seriously harsh responses here. Completely agree if you have made him dinner and he doesn’t want it then he can’t come in and start frying at 9. You’ve done the right thing cutting his money off too.

Dickorydockwhatthe · 10/12/2020 20:21

That's fair enough Just. I often do try and accommodate him but he won't meet me in the middle and the more I do try and please him the more he pushes those boundaries. Even if I gave him money he would the expect it daily and I can't guarantee it will even be spent on food and he's already lost my trust. He can help himself to snacks buti just ask don't take the piss and eat all of them! We are not made of money.

OP posts:
Dickorydockwhatthe · 10/12/2020 20:23

Yes but people aren't giving him the money to buy fags that's the point!! If he wants them that badly then he pays for them!!

OP posts:
x2boys · 10/12/2020 20:23

They have hollow legs at that age ,my fourteen year old is as tall and big as a sixteen year old he eats everything going he's always hungry .

christmasmiserymary · 10/12/2020 20:24

Op I hear you I've got three older children 18,18 16. If they want to smoke nothing you or anyone does will make them stop. I found out this year that my eldest (19 in jan) smokes she smokes infront of me but not in the house, she apparently been smoking fags since she was 14 I had no idea.
My son who was 18 last month was a little shit, I found weed in his room when he was 15 I grounded him for a month and took his phone and console off him. When the month was up he went out and smoked straight away so I repeated it all over again for another month. Low and behold he went out again and got caught. 3 months of being grounded with no phone,console,money did not make him quit. I told my dad to stop giving him money too which he did but ds got fags and weed from his mates. He's 18 now with a full time job still smokes both but he's an adult what can I do?
Dd doesn't do either and I know this for a fact because she's gone 24/7.

All I'm saying is reglardless of what punishment you throw out there if they wants to do it they will. I was the worst teenager and pity my parents for what I put them through. bringing up teenagers is no picnic in the park is it?

And for those saying neglect must be on a wind up.
There is no way in hell I'd let mine come in at night and cook food. Make a sandwich or go without if you can't come in at a decent hour and eat.

HavelockVetinari · 10/12/2020 20:24

@Ohalrightthen

Are you employing any lind of discipline or consequences for this young man? Did you ever?

Not letting him eat because he came home late is neglect.

GrinGrinGrin

I bloody love it when MN gets crackpots posting stuff like this, it's a bit of humour in a shite covid life.

Dickorydockwhatthe · 10/12/2020 20:26

Which bit exactly?? So I should pay for his fags and feed him when ever ans what ever he wants and clear up after him during all hours. OK then!!

OP posts:
x2boys · 10/12/2020 20:28

Smoking isn't really cool these days ,it's an expensive unpleasant habit whilst I wouldn't be happy I would just say he needs to smoke outside .