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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Son drove home drunk

68 replies

frozendigits · 24/01/2023 09:50

Bit of backstory.
Ds (22) moved back home last month after a 3 year relationship ended.
His ex didn't like us so they had no contact with us until the relationship ended and he moved back home, we've had no explanation other than "oh that was her, she didn't like anyone."

Anyway now he's home we feel like we're walking on egg shells, It's like having a teenager back in the house, he plays loud music and when asked to turn it down, we have to ask several times and then we get huffing and puffing.

He doesn't have any chores to do but finds it too much to put his plate in the dishwasher after eating the meal I've cooked him.
I put clean sheets outside his door on Saturday morning and they are still there, he steps over them every day.
I try and make light conversations but all I get is one word answers eg Me: did you do anything nice today? Ds: yeah.

Last night was a new low, he went out and came back visibly drunk after having driven home.
I have a breathalyser in the motorhome from when we went to France as it's a legal requirement to carry one there.
He blew 0.12 which bearing in mind he'd been home an hour already was probably higher at the time he got in the car, I think the legal limit is 0.3.
Worse bit is he'd taken a girl for a date so presumably she was also in the car. He could have killed both of them.

I didn't bring him up to be like this, he has a good job and before he left home we were all very close and we were proud of the lovely young man he'd become.
I just don't know what steps to take, he's a grown man, I can't discipline him now and he walks away when we try and speak to him but he's behaving so irresponsible and seems to disregard anything we have to say.
He has younger siblings who look up to him as well. I just don't recognise him anymore.
I don't want to rock the boat in case he goes nc again.

OP posts:
TheGuv1982 · 24/01/2023 09:59

Could he be suffering from depression?

Starlight86 · 24/01/2023 10:05

My DH has a brother like this.

Very similar situation with his partner and hes back living with parents ( hes older than your son)

Parents walking on eggshells but they are facilitating this behavior by not calling him out on it, he has zero boundaries and gets away with murder, this has been the case since he was young and he has grown into a weak weak man with no get up and go about it.

Its your house, your rules, if he doesn't like it he should move out. He must know you know about the drink driving if you made him do a breathalyzer test, yet you havent called him out on it?

Im afraid you are pandering to him, he will continue to behave like this.

frozendigits · 24/01/2023 10:08

TheGuv1982 · 24/01/2023 09:59

Could he be suffering from depression?

He could well be, he's drinking a lot lately and does say he wants to find himself again because he says his ex was controlling and he wasn't aloud to see any of his friends so feels he's lost them now.
He does all the overtime available and throws himself into work and the gym.
He would also really struggle to do his job without a van if he was banned from driving.

OP posts:
Mischance · 24/01/2023 10:10

Sounds depressed to me.

You cannot live like this and perhaps need to say this to him. It is your home.

frozendigits · 24/01/2023 10:14

Mischance · 24/01/2023 10:10

Sounds depressed to me.

You cannot live like this and perhaps need to say this to him. It is your home.

It has crossed my mind, although I think it's more that he's lonely.

OP posts:
MermaidEyes · 24/01/2023 10:16

No you can't discipline him, but you can give him an ultimatum - he pulls his weight or he finds somewhere else to live. He's 22, not 12. He helps out with food, loading the dishwasher, any other jobs you require. Regarding the bedding, honestly, leave it. If he wants to sleep on dirty sheets let him. Less laundry for you. The drink driving, well, that's just idiotic. Beyond letting him know you think he's a complete imbecile for doing that, there's not a lot else you can do apart from threatening, or actually calling the police, if you suspect he's doing it again.

picklemewalnuts · 24/01/2023 10:19

Are you sure she was controlling, given his behaviour with you? Maybe she just didn't like his behaviour.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 24/01/2023 10:20

I think he needs to move out. You complain its like having a teenager home again, yet you plate him up dinners, supply fresh sheets weekly and make him take a breathalyser test. Stop treating him like a teenager.

He doesn't sound like a good house guest, so it's time to move on. But in the mean time, just act as if he is a lodger. Stop doing stuff for him.

AreOttersJustWetCats · 24/01/2023 10:22

You're treating him like a young teen.... why doesn't he have any chores to do? He's an adult who lives in the house, so why wouldn't he be expected to contribute?

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 24/01/2023 10:23

Oh and a quick Google will show you lose 0.015g per hour so if he was 0.12, and drove home an hour before, then he would have been about 0.135g. So still less than half the legal limit.

I'm not condoning drink driving, I don't drive after a single drink, but he Hanslope actually done anything illegal by driving at 0.135g on a BAC.

Fraaahnces · 24/01/2023 10:24

Fuck depression. This is why his relationship broke up. You need to take his keys and give him an ultimatum. He gets professional help and starts contributing financially and physically to your household like an adult or he’s on the streets. It’s time to adult up and stop being a self-indulgent, selfish waste of oxygen.

Saz12 · 24/01/2023 10:26

Maybe he has depression. Maybe he’s still low from breaking up with partner. But either way, he needs to know your expectations of his behaviour whilst he lives with you. EG
a) Rent & bills
b) Cooking
c) cleaning, laundry, other chores.
d) nothing illegal (eg drink driving)
e) basic politeness

Tell him how nice it is to have him around again. Tell him you know it must be hard. Tell him his younger siblings all look up to him. But also tell him you expect him to do some basic things, as above. If he won’t listen (ie he walks away) then you leave him a note. Tell him, if it doesn’t work, that if he just can’t follow your rules then you’ll help him find somewhere else nearby, because living like this isn’t good for anyone. If he does leave then you stay in touch by kindness - eg bring him his favourite home cooked meal or whatever.

GraceUnderPresure · 24/01/2023 10:32

Am I missing something here? He didn't drive home drunk, he'd had a drink and was still well under the legal limit.

Everything else you've said says to me that he's probably the reason his relationship ended if this is how he acts though.

IMHO he's an adult and needs to either pull his weight at your home or find his own.

ladymacbeth · 24/01/2023 10:37

.12 is below 3?

ladymacbeth · 24/01/2023 10:37

Sorry, 0.12 is below 0.3*

abigailsnan · 24/01/2023 10:38

You need to stop treating him like a child and walking on eggshells around him,I bet you do his washing and ironing for him as well as his meals cooked for him.
Does he pay you board or are giving him free board & lodging he will never grow up if you do this for him.
As for drink driving that is very serious and needs addressing how would you like a Police Officer to be calling on you telling you he had had a bad accident my SIL has had to do this many times and it is not a pleasant thing to hear.
Give him a list of rental flats to view and you will surely see a difference in his attitude.

frozendigits · 24/01/2023 10:41

Our breathalyser is a different format so 0.3 is the same as 35m and he blew 0.12

OP posts:
purpleboy · 24/01/2023 10:41

Your allowing him to treat your home like a hotel.
He is a grown up, start retreating him like one. If he wants to stay in your house he needs to start pulling his weight.
Does he pay rent?

frozendigits · 24/01/2023 10:43

purpleboy · 24/01/2023 10:41

Your allowing him to treat your home like a hotel.
He is a grown up, start retreating him like one. If he wants to stay in your house he needs to start pulling his weight.
Does he pay rent?

Yes he pays his way, it's just his attitude towards us and the law.

OP posts:
GasPanic · 24/01/2023 10:44

Sounds to me far more likely that he had taken something else if he was displaying "drunk" behaviour, because that reading after 1 hours gap is not really high.

If you don't address the behavioural issues then they will either continue until a) you kick him out or b) he leaves of his own accord.

Sometimes you have to figure out which is worse. NC, or putting up with the currrent behaviour. If you have kids that look up to him then you need to find a way of improving his behaviour or else they may well just repeat it.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 24/01/2023 10:50

and the law

What law did he break?

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 24/01/2023 10:51

frozendigits · 24/01/2023 10:41

Our breathalyser is a different format so 0.3 is the same as 35m and he blew 0.12

0.12 is lower than 0.3.

Soakitup37 · 24/01/2023 10:52

“we love you and want to support you especially while/if you’re feeling low/lost after your break up, however this is still our home and we expect the respect we deserve from you while you’re here, inc and up to doing your fair share of housework etc, if you don’t like it then i’ll have to assume this isn’t suitable for you and you can make alternative arrangements for accommodation”

He’s a full grown adult he should be treated so.

Soakitup37 · 24/01/2023 10:54

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 24/01/2023 10:50

and the law

What law did he break?

He was notably drunk, regardless of the breathalyser- he would defo be over the limit to drive.

wreckless dangerous behaviour.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 24/01/2023 10:57

Soakitup37 · 24/01/2023 10:54

He was notably drunk, regardless of the breathalyser- he would defo be over the limit to drive.

wreckless dangerous behaviour.

The breathalyser disagrees with you, and the OP hasn't detailed exactly how he acted like he was drunk

The fact is the devise she made him use refutes her argument.

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