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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:
Twinkie01 · 08/09/2021 08:43

I wouldn't let him stay at all. I think you've been far to generous in the beginning and are now being taken advantage of.

They'd get a bill for £500 a month and a list of chores that need completing each day or I'd be telling them they need to find their own digs.

stonebrambleboy · 08/09/2021 08:45

I'm sorry about your dad.
It's time for tough love, she's not a child she's an adult. She threatened to move out so let her do that. For God's sake don't lose your partner over this .

BananaPB · 08/09/2021 08:45

@StewPots

DD messaged yesterday in the middle of all this saying they’d enquired about a flat in the next town and she kept saying “it is what it is” to me all day. I think she was trying to force my hand
I think that you need to let her go so that she learns. If they have been having fun with their money rather than saving then they'll try to pull the "need time to save a deposit" so stay strong and brave yourself for that excuse.
Beamur · 08/09/2021 08:46

Good news that they're actively looking for alternative accommodation.

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 08/09/2021 08:46

We expect you to go and look at them and be out by the first week of October.

I would not act as if they will move out, or in, together. They are both young, they aren't married and their relationship is unstable (at best). His behaviour with the porn is worrying. The boyfriend needs to move out and sort himself out pronto. DD can take things more slowly. She can follow him or not.

If she chooses to move in with him then OK. But I wouldn't make that decision for her or assume that she had already made it.

CaptSkippy · 08/09/2021 08:46

OP, I think the time for negotiations are over. It's time to enforce boundaries

Serve the boyfriend notice and if your daughter wants to leave it's her choice. Yeah, she will do silly things, but it's a right of passage for the young and you can't protect her forever. At some point she needs the opportunity to learn from her mistakes.

Seesawmummadaw · 08/09/2021 08:46

Your daughter is selfish.
They pay a decent rent or they go. You don’t owe them.

Longdistance · 08/09/2021 08:55

The bf wouldn’t have crossed my threshold to move in when they got back together. He’s 20 and earning money. She is too. They are both taking the piss. She’s threatening to move out? Let her move out.

Travelledtheworld · 08/09/2021 08:55

@StewPots I do sympathise as I had 5 adults living here over winter lockdown and things got very tense. In the end DD and her BF did move out and started a new life together. we are stil revelling in our reclaimed space! Good luck.

TatianaBis · 08/09/2021 08:55

@StewPots

DD messaged yesterday in the middle of all this saying they’d enquired about a flat in the next town and she kept saying “it is what it is” to me all day. I think she was trying to force my hand
I hope you responded that that is the optimal outcome for everyone and you thoroughly support her move towards independence.
butterpuffed · 08/09/2021 08:58

I can understand that you feel torn but your daughter is taking advantage of that. Time to tell her that this situation is upsetting the whole household and that she and her boyfriend need to find a place of their own.

Jemand · 08/09/2021 08:59

@StewPots

DD messaged yesterday in the middle of all this saying they’d enquired about a flat in the next town and she kept saying “it is what it is” to me all day. I think she was trying to force my hand
It might be worth a conversation with her about whether it has now clicked that she has to pay rent for a flat and buy her own food etc if she moves out, therefore it is only fair that she should do that when she and her boyfriend are living long term with you.
BingBongToTheMoon · 08/09/2021 08:59

@StewPots

DD messaged yesterday in the middle of all this saying they’d enquired about a flat in the next town and she kept saying “it is what it is” to me all day. I think she was trying to force my hand
Good.
RacistAngst · 08/09/2021 09:00

I would tell them

  • you appreciate they want to be together all the time
  • you appreciate they want to start living like a couple
  • as they are both working, they have this huge opportunity to start their life together and find somewhere to live together. Where they want and more I portant it HOW they want. No need to be careful with noise, following some rules etc…
  • wanting to do things your own way is part of growing up. It’s lovely to see that’s what they want to do.
  • the best way to do is for them to find a flat to live in.
  • dd (and only dd!!) will always be welcome back to live in the house if she needs to.

I’d not mention again how you feel about the bf, you want some space etc… because they will just latch onto that and make it out you are prioritising your couple over dd.
I also think they deep down both know they have an easy life and they don’t want to give up any of that. Esp not the money side i suspect (who wouldn’t want to live rent free and have £2k disposable income?)
I also think your dd knows that what she has is probably not a LT relationship. So she might well want the security of being at home when everything goes down hill again.

Beautiful3 · 08/09/2021 09:01

Honestly the boyfriend is taking liberties. They both earn enough money to move out. I would tell the boyfriend that Friday is his last night, he needs to be out by Saturday. Visiting is fine, but no more than 3 times a week. If your daughter wants to move out, that's fine, she can. I'd tell her she's welcome home anytime.

Winter2020 · 08/09/2021 09:02

“Yesterday DD said she wanted the bottom part of the house for her and bf to live in and she’d pay for the bottom bathroom to be fixed so they didn’t make noise coming to the top for the bathroom up there. She’s made me feel awful when partner said no fecking way… my mate agrees with her”

I assume your mate is excitedly cleaning up her house to give part of it (exclusively) to a working couple for £100 a month then - no - not such a good idea after all?

If your daughter wants to live with her boyfriend she needs to mive out and live with him. “Bad mum”? You think people will judge you as a bad mum for asking a young working adult who wants to live with her boyfriend to go and do it then? If it goes to pot she knows she is loved and can come back.

As for your daughter mentioning the flat buy her a nice kettle and tell her how exciting it is!

SofiaMichelle · 08/09/2021 09:04

@Longdistance

The bf wouldn’t have crossed my threshold to move in when they got back together. He’s 20 and earning money. She is too. They are both taking the piss. She’s threatening to move out? Let her move out.
Absolutely.

Why on earth would anyone allow an adult DC's 'partner' to move into their home?

He wouldn't have been in my home even 1 night a week as a regular, ongoing arrangement!

It seems to be the MN way, I know, but if they're adult enough to want to live together then they do that somewhere else.

RacistAngst · 08/09/2021 09:04

@StewPots

DD messaged yesterday in the middle of all this saying they’d enquired about a flat in the next town and she kept saying “it is what it is” to me all day. I think she was trying to force my hand
Good! They are looking for a flat.

Make it a positive. Don’t try and be in the between with your dd and your DP.
Just emphasise she is starting a new stage of her life and it’s amazing. Congratulate her. Be happy for her (and not happy she leaves iyswim).

I suspect she is going to find meeting Head on the reality of being financially independent, paying bills etc a real shock.

RacistAngst · 08/09/2021 09:07

@Longdistance

The bf wouldn’t have crossed my threshold to move in when they got back together. He’s 20 and earning money. She is too. They are both taking the piss. She’s threatening to move out? Let her move out.
You see I would have done the same than the OP. I would have agreed for him to stay a couple of weeks until he had a flat, esp as he was staying a lot of the time already.

Thé issue is that the OP is kind and is assuming the person on the other side is a decent person.
Whereas the bf is clearly NOT a decent person. and was ready to take a massive advantage of the situation.

I don’t think you can blame the OP for that.

therealsmithfield · 08/09/2021 09:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nixandwotsit · 08/09/2021 09:07

Your landlord should fix your bottom bathroom...
Anyway "We're looking at a flat in town".
"Brilliant, you'll love having more privacy and independence"
"You're forcing us out"
"No, I'm not forcing you out, you can decide for yourself. I am asking your boyfriend to leave by the end of Sunday though".
"Boyfriend will have to sleep on dad's sofa".

"I'm sure he'll cope".
"You don't love me".
"You know I love you very much but that doesn't mean you can be so nasty to me".
"We'd be fine if DP wasn't involved".
"I think DP is right, it's time for a change".

Scoobydoobywho · 08/09/2021 09:07

Sounds like your partner is practically paying to house your daughter and her b.f. I can't say I would be happy either, especially as they do bugger all in the house.

Thebookswereherfriends · 08/09/2021 09:10

Honestly, if they’re both working and earning money then they need to find a place together. You’re not “taking sides”, you are requesting something entirely reasonable in your house. If they don’t like then they move out. They shouldn’t be emotionally manipulating you, they need to grow up and realise it’s time to make their own way.

TatianaBis · 08/09/2021 09:11

The issue is that the OP is kind and is assuming the person on the other side is a decent person.

There’s kind, and then there’s letting people walk all over you through lack of boundaries.

Bf should not have been allowed to stay more than a few weeks. DD and bf now have completely unrealistic ideas of what to expect and feel aggrieved that their absurd indulgence is being withdrawn.

The text from DD that she’s looking at a place in other town is designed to manipulate OP into backing down.

JasonMomoasgirlfriend · 08/09/2021 09:11

I mean he isn't going to be out on the streets is he? He has a job so he can't rent a room anywhere at the minimum.
Your daughter should go too and grow up a bit.