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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DS hates me almost adult

100 replies

Flojoohno · 28/02/2023 22:14

DS (17) has form for seeing someone new and behaving horribly.
We have different opinions on transgender and he becomes offended when I call his trans-boyfriends girls. We have often debated trans topics and I thought respectfully disagree albeit with a little teasing and eye rolling when I call his friends by their original gender to him (never met them).
Anyway, in my opinion gender isn’t relevant to the events. At the weekend unbeknownst to me DS had a trans-boy (16) stay over, they left the house untidy, DS didn’t sleep at all before a big event (training all year for) and had bites all over his neck for said event in front of an audience of several hundred people, he missed the start of the event because they went together (which wasn’t the plan) and arrived late letting team mates down. Anyway I got home to house strewn with energy drink cans and untidy and smelt funny, maybe vapes but I cannot be certain.
I shouted at DS that he was out of order having someone here without my consent and when I wasn’t home. DS then refused to discuss the matter so I drove to the trans-boys/girls parents home to let them know what happened and that they may or may not have had sex and they may need to check if protection was used. I was calm and polite as were they and that was that. On Monday my DS and the other person were clearly talking about it and DS took it upon himself to apologise to the parents on my behalf and apparent the parents said I was batshit and overprotective and they felt sorry for him. I am so upset that he has apologised on my behalf for nothing.
At night DS hands his phone in as he always has and I infrequently check it, probably not checked it for a year or two but I wanted to know what the full story was and why he had apologised and what the parents had said that for and his messages to that person were nasty like ‘I hate my mum and if I had anywhere else to go I wouldn’t be here’ ‘she’s a bigot’ ‘your dad should have punched her for turning up uninvited’.
To add fuel to the fire I then messaged this person, thinking it was DS, telling them that I didn’t mean it and my mum is lovely actually just a bit protective because she cares etc.
DS has told this person it was me and they’ve clearly both been bitching about me all day. DS who was ok about it when I told him what I’d done this morning and apologised then text me later telling me how I broke the law and his human rights etc.
It’s a mess. He’s due home any minute and should be handing his phone in for the night because he is a screen addict and won’t function of no sleep. For context I tried leaving him with screen in summer and he was sick as a dog from lack of sleep.
His college grades have gone down hill rapidly from A*s to D’s in a matter of months and his finals are three months away.
He’s also gone extreme lazy around the house and won’t be a single thing without being nagged.
I’ve handled this very badly but how do others manage with almost adults?

OP posts:
FoxInSocksSatOnBlocks · 28/02/2023 22:20

You have handled this terribly. He’s pretty much an adult - you have no right to take his phone and check it, that is invading his privacy, and to then pretend to be him is awful.

It was also terribly shameful of you to drive to the other persons house and speak to their parents. They’re right - you are batshit, and you’re doing nothing but driving your kid away.

You need to apologise and hope he forgives you. Your parenting is shocking and this whole thing is a mess because of you.

Pondweed · 28/02/2023 22:22

So you are very disrespectful to your nearly adult child and are wondering why he's disrespectful to you?

Flojoohno · 28/02/2023 22:23

Why is it shameful? Perhaps if you explained rather than slating me I’d understand better

OP posts:
Boogismyname · 28/02/2023 22:25

FoxInSocksSatOnBlocks · 28/02/2023 22:20

You have handled this terribly. He’s pretty much an adult - you have no right to take his phone and check it, that is invading his privacy, and to then pretend to be him is awful.

It was also terribly shameful of you to drive to the other persons house and speak to their parents. They’re right - you are batshit, and you’re doing nothing but driving your kid away.

You need to apologise and hope he forgives you. Your parenting is shocking and this whole thing is a mess because of you.

My thoughts. You have to let go of how you want your child to be and let him be who he is.
Why the fuck are you going through his phone at his age, waaaaay too intrusive.

FoxInSocksSatOnBlocks · 28/02/2023 22:26

Flojoohno · 28/02/2023 22:23

Why is it shameful? Perhaps if you explained rather than slating me I’d understand better

Because they’re both pretty much adults and it’s none of your business.

You do not treat your son with any respect at all, you don’t even treat him as an adult, so why should you expect the same?

ForensicFlossy · 28/02/2023 22:26

Your ds is virtually an adult, I can't believe that you are still making them hand their phone in at night. Also even if he was having sex, they are both over the age of consent, it was bat shit to turn up on the other parents doorstep.

Flojoohno · 28/02/2023 22:28

So I should let him be sick all over the carpet? And have his lecturers call me at work every other day because they are concerned about him?
I get what I should not have done. I guess what I’m looking for is how do I balance his welfare with him taking responsibility.

OP posts:
AloudAlot · 28/02/2023 22:29

You are purposely rude about his friends, treat him like a child and then embarrass him by turning up at his friends house and you need people to explain to you why all that is wrong? Confused

Oh, wait….nearly got me there!

TimeForTeaAndG · 28/02/2023 22:30

Well if he's incapable of getting himself to the bathroom to be sick I'd be investigating whether it's just lack of sleep or there are drugs involved.

Apple95 · 28/02/2023 22:30

This is awful, he’s 17 and if you carry on like this he will move out and likely never speak to you again. I don’t disagree with limiting his screen time but you shouldn’t be going through his phone that’s just outrageous. Discipline him for trashing the house and not keeping to his commitments but he is a teenage boy at the end of the day, he’s going to want to start relationships. Tbh it sounds to me that you’re more worried about the fact he’s doing it with a trans person.

Pardon45 · 28/02/2023 22:30

Unless your 17 year old has additional needs that you haven shared you are really overstepping boundaries. He is entitled to some privacy. He should have to hand in his phone to be monitored. You shouldn't be impersonating him. It does actually sound batshit. You have no respect for him and he has no respect for you. He's a teenager and hardwired to rebel and overstep boundaries but what is your excuse? If he leaves your home dirty tell him to clean it. If he's snagging have an adult convestation about condoms don't embarrass him or his sexual partner.

Nancydrawn · 28/02/2023 22:32

Did you actually impersonate your son in a text message to his significant other?

I'm genuinely asking: I didn't fully understand that part of your post.

Flojoohno · 28/02/2023 22:32

He might be nearly an adult but we also had parents evening last week, he also won’t get a job, he also won’t tidy up, he also expects lifts everywhere, he also won’t shower or brush his teeth or do anything without me telling him to. So I find it hard to know how to handle it.

OP posts:
FoxInSocksSatOnBlocks · 28/02/2023 22:34

Flojoohno · 28/02/2023 22:32

He might be nearly an adult but we also had parents evening last week, he also won’t get a job, he also won’t tidy up, he also expects lifts everywhere, he also won’t shower or brush his teeth or do anything without me telling him to. So I find it hard to know how to handle it.

It’s too late now. Your time to parent him has gone. It’s done.

And you majorly fucked it up.

This behaviour has happened because you have allowed it to over the years and now you’re both paying the price for your mistakes.

anythinginapinch · 28/02/2023 22:35

Like fuck is he an adult. When he starts behaving like one ... AND what happened to the "my house my rules" line? The OP sounds worried about him and rightly so. He's in a trajectory for a major fuck up.

anythinginapinch · 28/02/2023 22:35

oP, he's possibly neurodiverse. Have a loo at adhd and autism symptoms.

Pardon45 · 28/02/2023 22:40

Flojoohno · 28/02/2023 22:32

He might be nearly an adult but we also had parents evening last week, he also won’t get a job, he also won’t tidy up, he also expects lifts everywhere, he also won’t shower or brush his teeth or do anything without me telling him to. So I find it hard to know how to handle it.

When my brother was being a bum my mum told him to get a job or go to college but he wasn't going to be bumming around at home. She put him out of the house ever morning at 7.30 and he wasn't allowed home until 5.30. He got a job pretty quickly.

If he won't tidy up let him live like a pig in his own space. Although, if he had friend come over send them up into his shit pit.

If he doesn't shower. It's his body and his choice.

If he doesn't get the grades again it's his life. Study now and get a reasonable job or the chance at further education. Don't study and you can get a shot job but you will get a job or you'll find somewhere else to live.

InstagramBitchWife · 28/02/2023 22:40

Whatever you're doing is not working.

Please be careful how you approach this or you risk losing him completely.

The going to his BFs parents house, and texting pretending to be him is absolutely outrageous, and is only going to drive your DS away. Those were both terrible decisions.

Having someone stay over without permission, having hickys, and turning up late to something because you've been shagging is absolute bog standard 17yo behaviour. You're acting like he's 13.

You're modelling really toxic behaviour to him, so it's no wonder he's not responding well. Shouting, confiscating his phone, and going to other kids parents houses is absolutely the wrong way to deal with any of this.

Motnight · 28/02/2023 22:47

Flojoohno · 28/02/2023 22:32

He might be nearly an adult but we also had parents evening last week, he also won’t get a job, he also won’t tidy up, he also expects lifts everywhere, he also won’t shower or brush his teeth or do anything without me telling him to. So I find it hard to know how to handle it.

This age is really hard, Op. They think that they are adults but make terrible unrational decisions. My advice would be to pick your battles. He doesn't undertake basic hygiene? Let him get on with it, his friends and partners will soon let him know that he stinks!

He won't get a job? Fine. Decide how much spending money you want to give him and don't provide any more. He wants lifts? Stop giving them, let him make his own way to and from places.

I would also stop any discussions about transgender issues. Smile and nod and say nothing that suggests that you don't respect his friends.

Concentrate on the important stuff such as his work towards exams and try and ignore most of the other stuff.

Ladybug14 · 28/02/2023 22:52

Wow. Just wow.

What an incredibly toxic person you are, OP

Why are you making excuses for yourself? Accept that you have fucked up big time and get some help to sort your parenting out.

QUICKLY

Champagneforeveryone · 28/02/2023 22:52

You're really not coming out of this very well OP.

DS(18) has a girlfriend who is trans. While I do know her original name I would never use it, and I wouldn't refer to her as "he" or "DS's boyfriend" except in error (and I would be mortified) FWIW I've not found this latest stage easy and I'm far from the cool parent I appear, but she is important to DS and therefore it's important DH and I treat her with respect. Constantly misgendering your DS's friends is rude and disrespectful, however much you don't approve of or understand their choices.

The stuff about the house being trashed and him letting down teammates is wrong and you have every right to be concerned / annoyed, but I'm struggling to see why the trans references are relevant.

As for checking his phone, I'm amazed you would think that was appropriate (rather than a gross invasion of his privacy)

All in all he may be acting up and being a bit of a pain, but I can't say I would blame him if he fled for the hills the first opportunity he got.

Motnight · 28/02/2023 22:57

I missed the bit that you pretended to be your ds to text his friend, Op. That's outrageous.

Quitelikeit · 28/02/2023 22:57

Typical teen

apologise to him even if you don’t mean it and never joke about his friends again (at least not while he’s in this headspace)

ladykale · 28/02/2023 23:01

"Having someone stay over without permission, having hickys, and turning up late to something because you've been shagging is absolute bog standard 17yo behaviour."

This isn't normal 17yo behaviour. I would feel that I'd failed as a parent if my child behaved like this!

You do sound a bit nuts though. Why would you impersonate your child or take their partner home shouting stuff at the parents etc.

I don't think a 17yo should be treated as one if they refuse to behave like one and step up, but it sounds like your parenting may have caused some of their behaviour unfortunately

clpsmum · 28/02/2023 23:23

I couldn't even read the full post never mind the full thread You sound awful tbh your poor soon