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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

19 year old daughter not speaking to me because of boyfriend situation

465 replies

StewPots · 08/09/2021 05:14

My daughter is 19 and still living at home - not an issue - but has stopped speaking to me. Basically it’s because of her 20 yr old boyfriend, and my partner.

For context - my daughter has been with her bf for a year and a half, he lived with his mum and stepdad ( very tense relationship there ) but stayed here with her 3/4 nights a week. So far so good.

But then around two months ago, she split from him - he’d been in live porn sites, dating sites etc but my daughter says he never spoke to anyone, just had a pic up in the dating site. Anyway - big drama where my daughter and I packed all the bf stuff and my partner drove my daughter to bf parents house to drop it off etc. We were both very supportive towards her and helped her through it. However, 3 weeks later, she got back with him. Ok… I wasn’t keen on having him in the house as the dynamic changed for me, but I relented and he came back here and there.

Then he had a huge falling out with his stepdad - it got physical and from what I gathered the stepdad is a controlling abusive idiot - but we let the bf stay on the condition it being short term as in a week or two. 6 weeks later, he’s still here, has contributed £200 in that time, despite earning fair money in a full time job. My partner at this point has got fed up and asked could the bf go stay at his dads or something 2/3 times a week. To be clear, I agree as I don’t want another adult in the house, but at the same time I can’t see someone on the streets.

So yesterday I said to DD that it was time bf went elsewhere for a few nights a week - that he was still welcome here 3/4 nights like before, but my partner in particular was tired of this short term arrangement. It’s been a major source of tension the last few weeks especially, where patience has ran out. DD and bf do nothing to help in the house - I have a long term health condition which forced me to give up work late last year, and I’m still raising a 7 yr old DS. I’ve had awful relationships in the past but current partner is a decent man who has no issues with either of my kids, even taking DD out for driving lessons.

But now it’s escalated where my DD has threatened to move out, thinks my partner is playing “man of the house’ making rules ( he pays all our rent btw and supports me financially whereas daughter has only been paying £100 pcm ) and basically won’t speak to me because I’ve “taken his side not hers”. The bf apparently can’t go to his dads because there’s no room he’d have to stay on sofa and it’s two towns across from work. Yet my partner travels to work 4 towns away everyday and bf drives so…

I’ve been stuck between my partner and my daughter for weeks now, negotiating and allowing the time to be extended regarding bf, but they have both just moved in downstairs full time with no consultation and no reasonable rent offering. My partner says it’s not money per se that’s the issue here but it’s the fact of having another adult forced into the house when actually that’s not what we want. The stress is making me ill and I lost my dad a month ago yet haven’t had time to process any of it because of all this drama between DD and her bf. Help please!

OP posts:
Plumtree391 · 08/09/2021 18:18

StewPots, what you said to your daughter is absolutely spot on. Well done. Let's hope it produces some good results.

ChargingBuck · 08/09/2021 18:20

I did all this calmly and was met by absolute silence….so I left the room because there was nothing else to say

Well done - you did absolutely the right thing.

You don't need her to respond - because you don't need her permission to set your reasonable boundary about b/f.

Once she realises that sulking, manipulation, an entitled attitude & insinuating she might "do something stupid" aren't working for her, she'll start talking to you again.

bigbaggyeyes · 08/09/2021 18:23

Well done op.

Viviennemary · 08/09/2021 18:24

What a rude way to behave. I'd be furious if my DD did this. I think you did the right thing leaving the room. She wants to guilt trip you into giving way. Dont fall for it.

PersonaNonGarter · 08/09/2021 18:24

Absolutely spot on, OP. Well done.

ChargingBuck · 08/09/2021 18:24

My bet is she doesn't really want to move out.

That's not a bet it's a dead cert!
It's obvious she doesn't want to move out. She wants b/f to move in.
She also wants to commandeer the entire ground floor of the house, not do any household chores & not pay rent.

ALL OP needs do is hold on to her boundary while DD grows up a bit.
Whether DD does that at home, or moves out with b/f, is up to DD, & either way she is still morally supported by her mum & DP, while she does that growing up.

TatianaBis · 08/09/2021 18:25

You’ve done so well OP congrats. Flowers

TatianaBis · 08/09/2021 18:27

I hope if she makes a decision to stay at home, you keep your big girl pants on and request that she fully pays her way and behaves like an adult at home - tidy space, domestic chores etc.

beastlyslumber · 08/09/2021 18:30

What you said was lovely, OP, and I really hope it sinks in with your daughter. If there's no response, I agree that the next move is to put a time limit on the bf being there. Your daughter will appreciate your support - one day!

whynotwhatknot · 08/09/2021 19:01

Sounds lazy and entitled to me

whynotwhatknot · 08/09/2021 19:06

If she does stay make her do chores at least and stop doing her washing

julietmaria · 08/09/2021 19:18

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

ThePluckOfTheCoward · 08/09/2021 19:29

Well done Op, that can't have been easy, but sounds like you handled it well. I agree that if she does stay, she has to start paying more rent, I'd double it to £200 pm, that's still a very good deal for her and she does more chores and helps with laundry and cooking.

I also wouldn't be too sure she hasn't eaten or drunk anything, she could have any amount of snacks and drinks hidden in her room that she has been munching on all day.

I hope things calm down and that you have the time to really grieve your loss properly. Flowers.

Billybagpuss · 08/09/2021 19:59

Well done, once she’s processed it she’ll start talking again. With my dd she tends to do what I ask, but we never talk of it again.

JasonMomoasgirlfriend · 08/09/2021 20:53

That was a great talk and I imagine she was quiet because there isn't actually anything to come back with! Everything you said is absolutely fair and reasonable and she knows it.

Well done.

billy1966 · 08/09/2021 21:39

Well done OP.

Your daughter desperately needs more expected of her.

Teens can be very selfish but this is just awful.

Get that waster boyfriend out before the weekend, he isn't your responsibility, just get him out and she can follow him or buck up.

As parents we all may have the experience of having to tell out kids to buck up and cop on.

This is a big part of parenting.

Helping them become decent, responsible, respectful adults.

Allowing her to disrespect your home and abuse your kindness is just encouraging her to become another CF that decent people will actively avoid.

In real life people will not tolerate selfish people.
They clock it and move on.

Help her become a better version of herself by showing her that kind decent people like you, will not accept her selfish bullshit.

HollowTalk · 08/09/2021 21:46

She's not answering because she can't think of a thing to say to justify her own behaviour!

StewPots · 08/09/2021 21:46

The bf left last night because it was so bad here, and he hasn’t been back. DD is still in her room refusing to speak to me when I went and checked on her and to say goodnight.

OP posts:
EwwSprouts · 08/09/2021 21:57

Great news, hopefully he's looking for permanent accommodation as an independent employed young adult.

RedToothBrush · 08/09/2021 22:05

@StewPots

The bf left last night because it was so bad here, and he hasn’t been back. DD is still in her room refusing to speak to me when I went and checked on her and to say goodnight.
Want to bet he has given her ultimatum to sort out his freeloading accommodation or he will split up with her?

Something tells me it's even more of a deeply toxic relationship than you are currently aware of.

disco123 · 08/09/2021 22:08

Stand firm. You're doing the right thing for all concerned. Don't give in to the silent treatment or threats to stop eating etc. Those are manipulation tactics.

disco123 · 08/09/2021 22:14

You might be interested to read 123 magic. It's about child behaviour and lists 6 tactics children try to get their own way including
Badgering
Temper
Threats
Martyrdom

Your daughter is just about going through the list! She might try butter up next. She's really acting like a much younger child. You are now helping her to become an adult. Stand firm!

19lottie82 · 08/09/2021 22:23

I did all this calmly and was met by absolute silence…

Of course you were…… that’s because she knows you’re right!

Well done OP, please stand your ground here!

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/09/2021 22:25

RedToothBrush has a good point. The thing about you kicking him out to sleep in his car and demanding the money back is probably from him. Hopefully your standing firm will get rid of him for her.

The speech you made was great and heartfelt. I know it doesn’t feel like it right now but your dd will appreciate this given time.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 09/09/2021 06:27

She's holding you to ransom with her silence.
You must not give in.
I expect she does have a food stash somewhere, so I wouldn't worry about that.
She'll come out when she's ready.
In the meantime, she's emotionally abusing you (yes she is!) with her refusal to engage or speak to you, and ignoring you completely. If she were your partner, other posters would be saying the same and would tell you to LTB because he's abusing you - you can't LTB when it's your own DD, but you can tell her that she doesn't get to treat you like that in your own home and if she can't talk to you like a civilised human being then she probably does need to move out.

Of course you don't want her to - but she's using her MH as a sword of Damocles above your head and you're letting her, because she's your DD. If you don't take a tougher stance with her now, but back down, she'll ride roughshod over you for as long as you let her.

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