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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Did we ruin daughter by spoiling

378 replies

Daringbear · 17/07/2023 16:11

Hi,
First of all I'm going to be quite vulnerable and I know this is my own doing so please be nice, even if harsh.
My only daughter is 17, she is 18 at the start of August. She was an incredibly wanted child, my husband and I had been trying for 6 years, several miscarriages, failed IVF rounds, it was emotionally the hardest time of my life. When our daughter was born 5 weeks early, and so desperately wanted all we wanted to do was spoil her. We were 35 and 38 by the time she was born, we had 6 extra years of career advancement so were in a financially good place and could spoil her. We knew we wouldn't have more children so we really put it all into our girl. She was also 5 years younger than her closest in age cousin, of which she only has 3 and all boys, so being the only girl and youngest she was also massively spoilt by grandparents. My husband and I aren't massively social people, we had two close friends who were in similar positions and kids a little older. We live in a town where most people are comfortable financially, the house prices are much higher than the rest of the region, so all of daughters socialising have been with children similar to her.
She was also among the youngest in her year, I was terrified she would feel less than etc. so we pushed our financial limits for piano lessons, ballet, tennis, vocal coaching etc. The best schools in our area were state schools so there wasn't that but we did cripple ourselves financially to ensure she never had to struggle, tutors too from about year 5.
Now to the current point my daughter is due to start university in September and increasingly as I view her more and more as an adult I realise she isn't very likeable, she isn't lazy, she is always busy but never doing anything of worth, we told her to get a summer job, she looked for a day said they sounded boring and gave up, my husband still gives her, an allowance, refuses to stop and I find it impossible to be mad at her. So her summer has been spent shopping, enjoying the sun, playing sports, being with friends, going to the gym etc. nothing actually useful. She also has expensive taste and the only way I can describe it is she comes across snobby, she will talk down to me if she thinks my clothes are cheap etc.
She was very popular in school and sixth form, always had loads of friends and her reputation amongst them seems different than the girl I know. For the year book they got random people in the year to comment on the person and several of my daughters were about her being nice/friendly.
The other issue which is pretty new, she is a massive flirt!! She is very naturally pretty, tall, slim, blonde etc. and she is definitely not afraid to flaunt this. I hate it, she can come across very shallow. She will blatantly flirt with waiters etc. even Infront of me, it turns my stomach.
If I were to sum her up I'd use words like, smart, beautiful and eloquent but also shallow, snobby, stuck up and narcissistic. I hate that these are words I'd want to use.
My husband doesn't see it, still spoils her, has just bought her the most expensive tickets for Taylor Swift and a stupidly expensive laptop, whenever DD asks for money he hands it over, will never tell her off. Prides himself on being a cool dad etc.
I was talking to one of her friends mums when we were waiting to pick them up at the station and she asked if I could have a word with her as my daughter told her daughter she should work out more and she is going to get fat and that obviously upset her daughter. I spoke to my girl and she apologised but the fact she said it all horrifies me. My husband said he didn't see the issue.
I don't know what to do, I feel like I have failed and ruined her!! It was all done is pure love and wanting nothing but the best for her and now she isn't a nice person!!
AIBU to feel like I don't like her? If she wasn't my daughter I wouldn't want to be her friend. What do I do? Can I make this better?

OP posts:
Paperbagsaremine · 17/07/2023 16:13

She's 17, a LOT of us are not our best selves at that age!

You don't have to do anything, life will do it for you eventually;)

Finlesswonder · 17/07/2023 16:14

No it's too late, you have ruined her and she will probably get her arse handed to her at university

gwenneh · 17/07/2023 16:15

You don't have to do anything, life will do it for you eventually

This.

DustyLee123 · 17/07/2023 16:17

Don’t worry, University will soon show her how the rest of us live.

AmbleInAnnBoleyn · 17/07/2023 16:18

Paperbagsaremine · 17/07/2023 16:13

She's 17, a LOT of us are not our best selves at that age!

You don't have to do anything, life will do it for you eventually;)

Yep. She will be off to Uni soon, her peers will have no truck with unpleasant behaviour.

Zebedee55 · 17/07/2023 16:18

Sounds like a typical stroppy teenage girl, to be honest. Most of them grow out of it..😉

Canthave2manycats · 17/07/2023 16:20

She sounds like a typical 17 year old to me!

Sunnydays0101 · 17/07/2023 16:21

She doesn’t sound all that bad really. What she said to that girl was something a lot of girls would say to their friends.

Are you sure you are not beginning to resent her growing up and becoming an aging ?

DannyLaRuesBestFrock · 17/07/2023 16:24

I'm sure I thought I was the best thing since sliced bread when I was 17. Thought I knew better than my mum because she was old and didn't know what was going on with younger ones these days 🤣.

As others have said, nobody will put up with snobby, narcissistic behaviour at uni, which she will soon realise when she wants to find her tribe.

Floralnomad · 17/07/2023 16:25

IME you don’t spoil children by giving them stuff it’s the way they are bought up that matters . Both of ours ( now adult) , to outsiders would have appeared to be spoiled but they’ve grown into lovely generous adults who would much rather give than receive .

HaddawayAndShite · 17/07/2023 16:25

She’s going to get eaten alive if she’s in halls 😂😂

ButtOutBobsMum · 17/07/2023 16:26

IME (I've had two!) 17 year olds are self obsessed knobheads! Uni definitely knocked some of it out of him. Younger DS is still a work in progress Hmm

AuroraForever · 17/07/2023 16:26

You reap what you sow unfortunately. Because you’ve given her everything she’s never had to strive or work hard for anything. Uni will hopefully sort it out as you won’t be there to do everything for her so she’ll have no choice. Your DH needs to stop the allowance so that she has to get a part time job while studying.

FlowersInTheSky · 17/07/2023 16:27

You can’t do anything for her now. It’s too late. You had your time and it’s gone, so life’s going to do it for her, which really is one of the cruellest things you could have done to her.

Giving your child everything they want and not having any boundaries is not love. Love is bringing your child up to be a civilised, likeable human who can navigate the world themselves. You have not done that.

Sunnydays0101 · 17/07/2023 16:27

Are you sure you are not beginning to resent her growing up and becoming an adult - being less dependent on you, more of her own person ? Flirting is just part of being a 17 yo. What she said to her friend wasn’t awful - you’ll get fat if you don’t exercise - probably true and teenagers aren’t always tactful.

It sounds like she is having a summer of fun, she probably didn’t chase a summer job because you weren’t insistent on it and obviously give her a generous allowance. Maybe now us the time to be letting her know it’s her last carefree summer and next year she will need to self fund her summer.

Twelveisthebestnumber · 17/07/2023 16:27

If she's off to Uni perhaps this could be a fresh start for everyone? You could give her a little less support financially for the fun things in life than she might be expecting. A part time job will help her learn about money, budgeting, responsibility, commitment, priorities, working for others and being a bit further down the pecking order then what she is used to. You can clearly provide for her financially so in her instance working would be less about money and more about the others reasons I mentioned.

DyslexicPoster · 17/07/2023 16:28

My eldest son at 19 could easily be called a narcissist. I think they are very self absorbed as teens. But I also gave him lots of opportunities like clubs and hobbies and in hindsight, that wasn't a wise idea.

Stripeymum11 · 17/07/2023 16:28

The brain is not fully developed until age 25 so you’ve got plenty of time to gently introduce some boundaries.

It as though now your real parenting journey begins.

If I were you, I’d volunteer for a homeless charity over the Christmas period and when she inevitably comes back from uni, expecting the type of Christmas I imagine you’ve provided for her her whole life, tell her that she is welcome to join you and her dad to give something back as an acknowledgment of your privilege.

Or, take a family holiday volunteering for a charity. Tell her she’s welcome to come but has to raise the funds for her flight herself.

Charge her rent if she finishes uni and thinks she can just lounge around at your expense all summer.

What she said to her friend was very unkind but as a PP said, no one is their best self at that age. Unfortunately for her, she’s probably got a few hard years out there in the real world, which will be especially hard for her because of her cushioned life and when she comes crying to you, you can gently steer her into correct and kind actions.

Let her fail. Let her fuck up with money/friends/navigating public transport etc without offering an easy out. It’s being cruel to be kind.

Be brave OP. You’ve got to trust that the loving start you have her will have filled her with confidence to start problem solving and experiencing natural consequences of her actions, if you keep stepping in you will stunt her emotional development.

Ohhelpicantthinkofaname · 17/07/2023 16:28

She’s 17, they’re pretty self centred by nature. She probably is a bit spoiled but that doesn’t mean she’ll be a terrible adult. Tell your husband not to bank roll her at uni and make her budget. That’ll soon sort out her expensive taste. £50 a week to live on should do it, if she wants more she gets a job. Welcome to being an adult sweetheart.

Screamingabdabz · 17/07/2023 16:29

You gave her everything except grace and humility. I think it’s not too late to call her out on some of her unkind and imperious behaviour. And - unrelated - but how did you manage to get Swift tickets?

Daringbear · 17/07/2023 16:29

Twelveisthebestnumber · 17/07/2023 16:27

If she's off to Uni perhaps this could be a fresh start for everyone? You could give her a little less support financially for the fun things in life than she might be expecting. A part time job will help her learn about money, budgeting, responsibility, commitment, priorities, working for others and being a bit further down the pecking order then what she is used to. You can clearly provide for her financially so in her instance working would be less about money and more about the others reasons I mentioned.

I think for uni we are going to pay accommodation and give her the equivalent of the student loan she would get (the minimum basically) to live on, If she wants more she can work for it. I just don't know if my husband will stick to it!!

OP posts:
LaMaG · 17/07/2023 16:31

Its just who she is OP, you can't take responsibility for all aspects of her personality. The lazing around all summer I think yes that's spoilt behaviour but like PP say that will be knocked out of her. Did you always give into demands and move mountains to accommodate her? If so then she will find Uni very difficult I would think. You still have time to influence her, make sure she supports herself with part time work and she will soon start to appreciate money and drop some of the stuck up attitude.

Stripeymum11 · 17/07/2023 16:32

Also read BrainStorm. It’s written by a neuroscientist who has studied the teenage brain.

There’s actual scientific evidence to explain why teenagers struggle with empathy, emotional regulation and why they need so much sleep!

You’ll get there, but this chapter is as crucial as 0-7 in terms of how they turn out.

gogomoto · 17/07/2023 16:32

My children had advantages, didn't have to work - dd2 is a very responsible sensible your adult, dd1 is autistic and struggling

Daringbear · 17/07/2023 16:32

Screamingabdabz · 17/07/2023 16:29

You gave her everything except grace and humility. I think it’s not too late to call her out on some of her unkind and imperious behaviour. And - unrelated - but how did you manage to get Swift tickets?

She had a pre-sale code from pre-ordering the album last year I believe, we still ended up spending hundreds on a VIP package though as thats what she wanted and my husband just won't say no to her!!!

OP posts:
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