Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

20 year old lazy, dirty son

532 replies

PissedOff2020 · 27/07/2023 14:10

Really at my wits end. Sorry this is a lengthily one.

We have 4 boys, eldest is 20 & dropped out of Uni after the first term - well over 18 months ago now. He didn’t tell us of course, had 5 weeks off over xmas and made no attempt to look for work. When we eventually found out and asked why the hell he hadn’t been looking for work he said he ‘wanted to chill and have the xmas break’. He was 19 then.

Mu husband eventually found him a job 2 months later, as ds’s effort was non existent. Zero hours contract and all good at first. His room was a dirty,dirty hovel with a smell coming out (think plates, food, rubbish etc all over floor). Carpet ruined, walls filthy.. clothes all over floor - can’t even open door there is that much shit. Anyway, that’s been a constant cause of arguments in house - just clean it ffs! He’s just got worse with that, we are quite house proud and I resent the smell upstairs- it’s a joke. He never contributes to household chores, despite countless conversations about it. Just does the bare minimum to get by.
Faat forward to now, his zero hours is currently working out at 8 hours a week. Been like that for 3 months and he’s not bothered to look for a job. We’ve told him he needs full time job, job hunted for him, sent him linked to apply - he does nothing. He sleeps all the time and games all night, sat in his filth.
Took him abroad last month, in the hope to speak to him away from the augments at home and also let him see life outside his bedroom. He slept all day, total waste of money. When I spoke to him about it he couldn’t see any issue with staying in his hotel room all day.
Over the last 2 months he’s got even worse, doesn’t even speak to us. Literally walks in a room and ignores us - we say hello, he has headphones on and so can’t hear anything, but makes no effort to acknowledge us etc. He eats meals if we cook, otherwise lives off sandwiches and cereal.
I have had enough, it’s intolerable. Constant tension and frustration in the house over it. Spoke to him and said I felt like he was treating us like doormats and he has no gratitude for what he has and enough was enough. Told him, the atmosphere in the house with him ignoring us was awful, just made us feel like he doesn’t give a shit about us. Asked why he wasn’t applying for jobs, he shrugged his shoulders. Told him we are not working our arses off, both working full time, for him to work a day a week and sleep all day. Then do not a thing around the house and blank us in the process.
Eventually it finished in a huge row after he snarled he’d apply for jobs but we shouldn’t speak to him at all anymore. Genuinely like he was angry we expected him to work. To add, even before his hours were really slashed he’s only ever worked around 25-30 hours per week at best. He’s had it so easily but he hasn’t a single bit of appreciation. We’ve spoken to him a year ago when he said he was unhappy at work - suggested all sorts, he was going to look into things but he never did.
I just don’t know what to try next. Explained to him over and over before yesterday this is his chance to build his career, we are supporting him whilst he does that. He’s not though, he is quite happy to do nothing and wait until it’s at breaking point - which is where I am at.
Anyone been here? Any advice from any others?

OP posts:
PissedOff2020 · 27/07/2023 14:18

Forgot to ask the question - am I being unreasonable to force him to work full time?

OP posts:
Wizzbangfizz · 27/07/2023 14:20

Honestly I would be putting some hard deadlines in place and act on the consequences if he doesn’t deliver. You are making life to easy for him. Set non negotiables - tidy room, full time job by x date, get him paying some kind of rent. And if he continues on the path he is on set him a deadline to leave. Also I would be turning off the WiFi. Time for some tough love OP.

Wizzbangfizz · 27/07/2023 14:21

And of course YANBU he is a grown man and this is the real world ffs!

Rumplestiltz · 27/07/2023 14:21

No direct experience but sending support. I know this is often the response - but is he depressed? Maybe he found university a lot more challenging than he expected, or something went wrong for him.
could you help him timetable a day - with some chores in it, go to the gym, apply for jobs, get him into some sort of routine. And if you think there might be something more fundamental, get him to see the GP?

EducatingArti · 27/07/2023 14:26

I don't think you can force him. However you can have your own boundaries regarding levels of cleanliness in the home, people being civil to each other etc. The only thing you can implement if he breaches these boundaries though is to ask him to leave. I guess you could change the WiFi password or turn it off overnight if he breaches the boundaries. "I will not let the home be abused, you only get to share in the advantages of the home if you cooperate with my boundaries on how the home is managed"?

I think those are your only choices.
It may be that he is depressed and/or addicted to gaming but unless he himself admits to that and wants to do something about it, there is not much you can do there either

decaffonlypls · 27/07/2023 14:27

Yes and 20% of wage is rent. Don't pay for anything for him at all. I'd leave his room to him and have an expectation that he contributes to household chores otherwise he can pay £20 a week cleaning fee.

MrTiddlesTheCat · 27/07/2023 14:29

Turn the wifi off until his room is tidy. I do this for my DS and he's only 10.

Feverly · 27/07/2023 14:31

Why should OP, her husband and the 3 younger kids all have no WiFi just to try to get this man to function on the most basic level? Tell him he needs to move out and support himself by November at the latest, and mean it.

Peppermint81 · 27/07/2023 14:32

Sounds like he is depressed. See if he will go to GP?
Uni didn't work out so has prob lost his confidence and focus on what he wants to do. If he likes gaming why not pay for him to do a course in coding or graphics etc so he can work in game design? Find something for him he would actually enjoy doing.
Then say you will pay for training on conditions he respects the house...
Help him clean his room up, hard to start on a huge mess on your own and sitting in that environment can only be making his depression worse. Wallowing in your own shit etc

Backtoreality1 · 27/07/2023 14:33

Change password on wifi and don't give it to him. Bag up all belongings in black bags and stick in shed or middle of garden (or by bins). Put lock on his door and do not give him access. Change the locks to the house. He is a freeloader who is not going to change unless made to.

Hollyppp · 27/07/2023 14:34

Kick him out?!

I left home at 18 and I was definitely an adult.
I wouldn’t have him in my house if it were me

LemonLimeDivine · 27/07/2023 14:34

YANBU. Give him a deadline to sort himself out. If it’s not met, mask up, glove up and put all his belongings in bin bags. Then tell him the next step is he finds somewhere else to live.
Something needs to change otherwise he’ll still be doing this in ten years time.

Amuseaboosh · 27/07/2023 14:37

From your OP, he literally doesn't care about himself. From basic personal hygiene to his living space to his future.

There has to be a cause to this, or he's lazy, and you need to tell him to move out.

One thing that's clear is his absolute lack of motivation. You can't force him to find that. You've done all you can.

Perhaps it's time to close the Bank of Mum and Dad, unless he's willing to make changes or openly talk about why he can't.

Clarich007 · 27/07/2023 14:37

YANBU at all. Your post has made me so annoyed for you.
I have just been reading another post about rich parents expecting their daughter to contribute £30 per week to the household. I understand their point of view, but this girl has always worked, cooks and cleans and is responsible.
The contrast between the 2 posts is amazing.
I'm afraid I would be asking him to leave, no question about it.
He's being so unreasonable and using you. He needs to stand on his own two feet and pay his way.
Life is not like that.
I left home at 17 to go to college for 2 years. At 19 I was working full time and paying rent and bills etc.
Kick him out! He doesn't respect you at all.

@

2bazookas · 27/07/2023 14:48

Turn off the WIFI, catering and laundry services, access to car, whatever financial support you're giving.

I'd stop buying creal and bread for a while.

FrenchandSaunders · 27/07/2023 14:49

Is he smoking weed?
Those saying kick him out, it really isn't as simple as that ... where would he go?

Does he interact with his brothers?

FrenchandSaunders · 27/07/2023 14:49

and they usually have younger children!

onlynotafan · 27/07/2023 14:52

I wouldn't stand for it. Tough love is needed here.

Zippedydodah · 27/07/2023 14:55

I would stop paying for his phone etc, no cooking or food shopping for him (if necessary put a lock on the cupboard?), remove his gaming equipment and change the wifi password.
Tell him he can have things back when he begins to live like a civilised individual and stops behaving like a Neanderthal oik.
Tell him he has a week to clean his bedroom and apply for jobs or he’s out by the end of August.

HarrietJet · 27/07/2023 15:00

Of course you're not unreasonable, but I agree with pp; he sounds depressed.
It must have knocked his confidence hugely to have had to drop out of uni.
Don't discount that.

MrTiddlesTheCat · 27/07/2023 15:02

Feverly · 27/07/2023 14:31

Why should OP, her husband and the 3 younger kids all have no WiFi just to try to get this man to function on the most basic level? Tell him he needs to move out and support himself by November at the latest, and mean it.

Why would they have no wifi if they turn off his?

Phoenix1Arisen · 27/07/2023 15:05

In my opinion, the person being unreasonable is YOU! He walks all over you so you give him a holiday. He refuses to contribute to the family so you cook for him. He wont get a proper job so you fund the roof over his head and the food in his belly. He wont get his backside in gear until YOU say, and mean, this far but no further. Where he would go if you kicked him out is HIS problem but all the time you keep letting him behave towards you in this atrocious manner, he gets to do nothing and YOU get all the stress. Theres a lot of wisdom and truth in the old saying about being cruel to be kind. Good luck.

FuppingEll · 27/07/2023 15:06

You say He’s not though, he is quite happy to do nothing and wait until it’s at breaking point but your whole post describes someone who is clearly not happy?

Becoming an adult is hard, 'failing' at uni is hard, falling behind your peers is hard, disappointing your parents is hard. I think your son needs love and compassion. He sounds overwhelmed and stuck. If he won't listen/won't react to convos well I would write it down. Tell him you love him, tell him you know he is struggling, offer him help, talk to him like you would like someone to talk to you if you were drowning in yourself, offer to help him put a plan in place and work through it with him. Fight for him now because it sounds like he can't fight for himself.

I know it is hard, I know it is draining, I am a parent of teens myself but 20 is no age at all, he still needs to know that you value him, that you see his worth even if he can't right now.

UnbeatenMum · 27/07/2023 15:07

What was he like before going to Uni? Did he have life skills like being able to cook a simple meal, keeping on top of his room, generally being reasonably well organised? Did he have good friendships? If so then I'd agree with others saying he's depressed and encourage him to see his GP, go out with friends, support him to get his room in a better state and get into a better routine as much as you can.

Feverly · 27/07/2023 15:11

does each individual in a household have their own WiFi @MrTiddlesTheCat? I don’t understand your question.