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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel a bit sad for my DS 16

374 replies

MagnificentBottom · 20/06/2021 22:51

My DS 16, just left school. He’s not academic, didn’t like school or get particularly good exam grades, messed around a lot, hung around with the more ‘spirited’, but he’s essentially a good person who has a good heart. His girlfriend is very bright, just got great GCSE results and this weekend her friend organised a party to celebrate leaving school.
My DS was not invited, when she asked why she was told it was because he was in the wrong ‘friendship group’ and others felt intimidated by his presence. She also said that people generally when they see him deliberately walk on the other side of the road to avoid him. He’s tall, wears hoodies and a base ball cap. AIBU to think this is incredibly petty or are teenagers generally this fickle?

OP posts:
Hallyup6 · 21/06/2021 09:46

Why should anyone have to invite your son to their party? He sounds like everyone's nightmare guest. I get that, as his mother, you feel that the sun shines out of his backside, but you should honestly be ashamed of the pair of you. He's made his bed, so he should suffer the consequences. He's not a baby and knows exactly the result his appalling behaviour is having on others. Not going to a party is the least of it. There'll be no parties once he's in prison.

You need to start parenting, although sadly I feel you've left it too late and don't actually care.

misssunshine4040 · 21/06/2021 09:51

@vegas888

All those people complaining about weed and it being a drug, I assume you neither smoke, drink or take prescription drugs. Look at hospital admissions for alcohol and smoking related illnesses and then look at the same for weed.
The ignorance and snobbery on this thread is vile
PiersPlowman · 21/06/2021 09:53

@vegas888

“ All those people complaining about weed and it being a drug, I assume you neither smoke, drink or take prescription drugs.“

Here, folks, is an illustration of what weed does to one’s IQ.

Hoppinggreen · 21/06/2021 09:53

You know the lovely funny side of your son, you have seen him grow from a baby so you know the wonderful boy he really is underneath the person the people see at school.
However, for whatever reason this group don’t like the person THEY know and dont want him at this party. It’s really up to whoever’s party it is.
Your son is also learning that his actions have consequences

vegas888 · 21/06/2021 09:53

@misssunshine4040
Yes, couldn’t agree more.

I know some absolutely lovely parents who have hugely troublesome teens.

vegas888 · 21/06/2021 09:54

[quote PiersPlowman]@vegas888

“ All those people complaining about weed and it being a drug, I assume you neither smoke, drink or take prescription drugs.“

Here, folks, is an illustration of what weed does to one’s IQ.[/quote]
Again, completely ignorant comment as I’ve never smoked weed in my life.

Hoppinggreen · 21/06/2021 09:55

@vegas888

All those people complaining about weed and it being a drug, I assume you neither smoke, drink or take prescription drugs. Look at hospital admissions for alcohol and smoking related illnesses and then look at the same for weed.
I dont smoke, rarely drink and occasionally take the odd paracetamol. No idea why that means weed is completely harmless.
Meredithisgrey · 21/06/2021 09:56

Yes because smoking weed regularly in your teens years, because you need to chill, is the same as taking prescription medication for an illness.

Of course it is Hmm

Rhiannon13 · 21/06/2021 09:59

Of course you feel sad for your son OP, nobody likes to be left out and it's the nature of some parents to think their child can do no wrong.

I feel more sad that we still live in a society where girls are subjected to intimidating male behaviour. Maybe time to have a chat with your son about his friendship choices, his behaviour when he's with these friends and how he's perceived?

DrinkingWishingSmokingHoping · 21/06/2021 10:08

[quote HonestlyFuckThis]@SnappedAndFarted18 is a perfect example of that type of poster who gets so irate when the OP doesn’t instantly kowtow to their opinion that they get more and more unreasonable and aggressive in their responses to punish the OP. There’s no way you can judge the OP as a shit parent on the basis of one mumsnet post, but the absolute fury that OP hasn’t donned sackcloth and ashes on your say so is palpable.[/quote]
Couldn’t agree more. There are some laughably hyperbolic posts on this thread. I don’t understand this need to be as rude and nasty as possible - do they think it makes them look clever? Confused Because it doesn’t!

RedToothBrush · 21/06/2021 10:08

I'm learning a lot from this thread.

Apparently its mean of girls to not to automatically like their friend's BF. And its wrong that they should have an opinion of him which isn't absolutely glowing and in line with his mother who thinks the sun shines out of his arse.

The mother has clearly swallowed all the euphamisms that teachers have probably used over the years or has created them herself because no one is allowed to say 'your son mucks about, hangs out with the wrong crowd and has behaviour that disrupts and has a negative impact on everyone else'. Apparently being "spirited" is how you phrase being what we'd have called being "a little shit" in my day. And if you point out how this behaviour is not particularly well recieved by others, you get called close minded and not accepting of others. Forgetting of course, that these girls have had to probably put up with the disruptive inconsiderate behaviour for years in class. It seems all these euphamisms aren't really helping matters and instead are being used to hide behind rather than face up to reality.

Instead, as well as having to put up with a troublesome lad and his friends for years in school, which undeniably will have disrupted their education to a degree, when they are finally shot of the disruptive, disrespectful and arrogant behaviour and decide to do something without the extra hassle, this is somehow deemed unfair and they should be more accepting and tolerant and should all be friends. Lala la. We all live happily ever after. Damn those girls for not being tolerant throughout every class at high school.

If your friends are funny, and make their mother laugh, they are a good sort. Never mind their behaviour at other times and whether they may be 'spirited' at inappropriate times. The thought that being the class clown constantly performing for attention when you are trying to learn algebra might not go down so well with everyone for a reason clearly doesn't enter everyone's head.

The fact that doing badly in your exams is A Ok 'because not everyone can get 8s and 9s' whilst simulateanously admitting your son has a drug problem isn't cognitive dissonance. Its the prejudices of others that are the issue. And the kid should be allowed to P-A-R-T-Y even more with his gf's mean friends. Who obviously won't be at all worried by the boy's drug habit and are mean for this.

Of course, if you say that how all this might add up to being 'a bully and disrespectful to girls' its twisted as snobbery. Rather than accepting that your son's drug habit is impacting on others, your son's mates and their behaviour is impacting on others, and this is generally negative and not respecting others who feel uncomfortable with this and maybe want to focus on education rather than dicking about in class. It is ok to minimise and be dismissive of this, because its 'spirited' behaviour and its 'funny'.

On top of this its not 'just weed'. Its other anti-social behaviour like getting drunk. And actual criminal activity like shop lifting in this circle of friends. But you should be mates with people with all backgrounds on the one hand, but also on the other you don't really like the behaviour. Which leaves you wondering about this phrase 'consequences of actions' and wondering about how its ok to worry about hanging out with the wrong crowd whilst simulataneously saying others should be hanging out with someone who is part of the wrong crowd.

Its almost as if putting 2 and 2 together is beyond a mother's love. Its easier to live in cognitive dissonance land and whinge about 'mean nice girls being snobby and unfriendly' rather than think about how choices of your own child are having ramifications and are of their own god damn making. And of course this is stella parenting.

OP, you are not being unreasonable to feel sad for your son. But your reasoning about why you should feel sad is way off.

But really, stop it with the defence of what sounds a lot like the indefenciable. Your son is now 16. He's going to be starting work. He needs to grow up and realise that if he hangs out with certain people its not going to be a positive thing in his life, even if they are funny. And you need to be the one blasting that message home cos no other fucker will. Anyone who put up with it for the last 11 years in education doesn't have to anymore. A bad attitude and inconsiderate behaviour in the work place won't be tolerated for long from a 16 year old. Especially one with a drug habit. Even if its 'only weed'. Hanging out with people who haven't helped with supporting you in the face of academic challenges, isn't going to help you with your career in the long run.

The idea that there are kids that are not academic, leave school at 16 but manage somehow not to take weed or hang out with shop lifters is clearly a stretch here too.

Wakey wakey OP.

This isn't about the goddam party and 'mean friends of his gf'.

Good luck with the next few years. I hope they aren't as turbulant for you as the writing on the wall looks like it might be.

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 21/06/2021 10:13

My DS was not invited, when she asked why she was told it was because he was in the wrong ‘friendship group’ and others felt intimidated by his presence. She also said that people generally when they see him deliberately walk on the other side of the road to avoid him. He’s tall, wears hoodies and a base ball cap. AIBU to think this is incredibly petty or are teenagers generally this fickle?

It is not his girlfriend's party, he is not part of the host's friendship group and his girlfriend is allowed to go to parties without him whether he is invited or not. They are not an old fashioned married/engaged couple where invitations are normally both or neither. The host clearly doesn't like your son or the people he hangs around with apart from his girlfriend. You may think he "has a good heart" but the host doesn't and it's her party not yours. Nothing fickle about it unless he and the host were close friends last week. it is sad but hopefully his "spirited" friends are nice enough to make up for it.

Dweetfidilove · 21/06/2021 10:17

Yawn

ArthurBloom · 21/06/2021 10:30

I would not want to invite a weedsmoking, exam failing guy who hangs around with a bunch of loudmouths to my party with people who actually make effort in their lives.

Gallowayan · 21/06/2021 10:43

@Corianderbee . Ok thanks . I still think this is turning nasty. Some transferrance going on perhaps. I don't think a troubled child and his mother should be used as verbal punchbags by parents of 'good' kids.

00100001 · 21/06/2021 10:54

This 16yo lad who got poor grades at GCSE is leaving school at 16 going on to have a "lucrative career" that his mum got him 🤣

RedToothBrush · 21/06/2021 10:58

[quote Gallowayan]@Corianderbee . Ok thanks . I still think this is turning nasty. Some transferrance going on perhaps. I don't think a troubled child and his mother should be used as verbal punchbags by parents of 'good' kids.[/quote]
Tbh, its clear the mother needs it spelling out rather than blaming the girls who didn't want to invite her son.

Is everyone is supposed to be empathising with the OP and her son, whilst no one is supposed to think about the reason - which the OP herself has raised - might be the source of the issue.

The cognitive dissonance by the OP is a massive problem here. It casts the girls into a role where they should be sucking up behaviour which they don't like (and the OP herself doesn't really like) for the sake of her son, who goes along with the behaviour either by turning a blind eye or by being an active participant in and never challenges.

How is that fair?

There is one thing about accepting people from all backgrounds. Are all people from a less academic / more working class background weed smokers and shop lifters? Do they all just hang out with weed smokers and shop lifters? No. There is almost an excusing of this because these aren't academic kids and thats ok. Its not when it impacts others.

People fed up of anti-social behaviour by another circle of friends are absoluetely within their rights to not invite them to a party.

The constant minimising and excusing is the problem here. Its not the fact its a troubled kid. People actually have sympathy for that but lose patience at a parent hitting out at others who are completely innocent and just want to get on with life troublefree, because they don't want to face up to the parenting role of challenging their child and behaviour that is having a negative impact on others.

Being academically less able isn't a get out of jail free card in either metaphorical or literal senses.

Confusedandshaken · 21/06/2021 11:15

There's a saying 'if you lie down with a dog, you'll get up with fleas'.

Your son has had a great few years hanging out the 'spirited'', 'naughty', shop lifting, weed smoking class clowns. He probably felt like cock of the walk. He's now realising the downside to being part of that crowd as the rest of his cohort grow up and grow away from that group.

No one has to hang out with people they find intimidating. They can choose who to invite into their home. In this case it's their parent's home and they might well be aware that inviting one of the spirited week smokers might not meet with their parent's approval.

Your son has some choices to make.

Beautiful3 · 21/06/2021 11:15

A group of girls find her boyfriend and his mates intimidating. They shouldn't have to invite them if they feel this way, right?

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 21/06/2021 11:17

I don't think a troubled child and his mother should be used as verbal punchbags by parents of 'good' kids.

Who said we are all parents of "good" kids? She is a mother who needs a wake-up call because she doesn't think that her DS is troubled. She just thinks he is goodhearted and his friends are funny and spirited and the rest doesn't matter. But there's a diffference between having friends from all kinds of backgrounds and choosing to be part of a friend group who are badly behaved and intimidating.

championthewonderhorse70 · 21/06/2021 11:25

I'm Wales too and all our schools have had results already

Gallowayan · 21/06/2021 11:29

@Red ToothBrush. By all means address the issues poor family dynamics and so on Your post was constructive. The comments I was referring to were simply malicious and worse than the bullying behaviour being complained about. I mean the ones predicting a dead end career and life in prison for this child.

MagnificentBottom · 21/06/2021 11:34

Just wanted to clarify a few points…

The gf asked if DS could go because she wanted him there - not his friends. Her female friends actually really like DS, the issue was because of others boys feeling intimidated by my DS not the girls.

I’m not sure why some posters are painting an image of my son as being a hardened drug addicted, shop lifting criminal. Yes he does have a few friends who are undesirable and I would like to steer him away but it’s not easy to control who a 16 year old hangs around with. I’m not sure why shoplifting comments have been made, my DS has not been involved in any kind of shoplifting (to my knowledge), but I think in was mentioned in a previous post? I may have referenced one of his friends as being caught shoplifting. He does have a wide circle of friends most of which are desirable. I also said his friends make me laugh, which is not the same as me finding the situation funny.

His behaviour at school wasn’t great, I did attend meetings regularly with his head of year to improve matters and try and encourage him to do better. I also paid private tutors to help with his maths and English. He wasn’t in the same class as the others invited so I don’t think it was because he disrupted them at school. Truth is he just wasn’t interested in school, not all children are. I accept that and accept that his grades could have been better, but what’s done is done. His behaviour has been vastly improved since leaving school.

I am not aware of any of his behaviour as being intimidating. As someone previously mentioned, he is judged by who he hangs around with whether rightly or wrongly. He is actually very well behaved when around certain people so I’m wondering if a lot of this is peer pressure.

To those slating my parenting, I’d like to ask how you would deal with this? When I first found out about the weed I was upset and cross, we had a heated discussion about drug use. No drugs are allowed in the house and I certainly don’t fund it, he uses his own wages. I regularly speak to him about my concerns and try and convince him smoking weed is not a good idea, I think keeping communication open is important. I don’t like it but I’d prefer him to be open with me. His gf also smokes weed and drinks vodka probably her friends do too, so I don’t think the weed has anything to do with not being invited.

I am very proud of my son, he is kind and caring, funny and generous and generally does (or at least tries) to do the right thing. He helps me take care of his little brother who has additional needs, carries his grandma’s shopping and buys his gf’s mum a birthday and Christmas present.

To the poster who claimed his job is chief executive of selling fruit and veg at Asda that was a bit insulting to those people who do either work for Asda or sell fruit and veg. He would actually probably like that job though! He’s started off working at one of his Dads businesses packing and labelling goods. We’re hoping to develop his role into maybe sales or have a more active and responsible role in the business. I think he’ll be just fine.

I would just like to say that experimenting with drugs is typical teenage behaviour- hopefully he will (like most) grow out of it.

OP posts:
MagnificentBottom · 21/06/2021 11:35

Oh and he’s certainly not a bully. He has intervened in school where someone else was being bullied and he got in trouble because he had an altercation with the bully whilst trying to defend and help the victim.

OP posts:
HasaDigaEebowai · 21/06/2021 11:35

Obviously the comments about prison and dead end jobs are uncalled for. But most posts have been fairly reasonable.

I think OP expected a response of “how awful for him to leave him out just because he’s tall and wears baseball caps”