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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Son having sex: Everyone has an opinion that I didn’t ask for

239 replies

Mysticmania · 12/11/2023 11:30

My son is 19 and I found a piece of condom wrapper on his bedroom floor. I assume he is sexually active. His girlfriend has started to stay over which I didn’t initially agree to but my son gave the excuse that they fell asleep etc. I’ve spoken to him about being safe and responsible. Also that he has his whole life ahead of him and wouldn’t be the right time for a baby etc. He agrees and we left it at that. Mentioned it to a couple of my best friends as I needed to offload. I know he’s of age but it’s reminded me he’s grown now. Both friends start giving the third degree “oh my god you’re going the become a grandma” “oh gosh he should not be bringing girls to your home” “no way, there’s no way I’d allow that under my roof, he can’t have babies at his age”. I don’t know why I mentioned it now. And can you believe both of them were having sex from the ages of 14.

OP posts:
FictionalCharacter · 12/11/2023 13:53

Mysticmania · 12/11/2023 11:39

i expected more of a listening ear from best friends. We share lots of life dilemmas. I didn’t expect to be grilled .

Your adult son sleeping with his adult gf is not a parenting issue or life dilemma. Fine for you to offload about your personal issues to your friends but this is his private life. You're basically gossiping to your friends. And they're ridiculous to be going on about too young to have babies when he's having protected sex.

RedToothBrush · 12/11/2023 13:54

KateyCuckoo · 12/11/2023 11:32

Well don't discuss your son's sex life with your friends and mumsnet then. Respect his privacy.

Edited

This!

You clearly haven't learnt the lesson from everyone having an opinion on your son's sex life - they wouldn't have an opinion if YOU weren't off gossiping about it!

This isn't hard. Don't want comments, don't make it into a topic of conversation!!!!

crazyaginglady · 12/11/2023 13:54

I would probably expect my son to be sexually active by 19. Also, if he’s not going to have sex in your home, where he lives, where is it going to have it?

DdraigGoch · 12/11/2023 13:55

Mysticmania · 12/11/2023 11:33

im a parent and do have some parenting dilemmas at times. Sometimes I speak to other parents as I’m sure lots of parents do.

He's a grown adult and is using protection. What's the dilemma?

StockpotSoup · 12/11/2023 13:56

Mysticmania · 12/11/2023 12:16

Go have a cup of tea or coffee and calm down people. Don’t need your opinions either so deleting this thread

😆😆😆

RedToothBrush · 12/11/2023 13:57

Mysticmania · 12/11/2023 12:16

Go have a cup of tea or coffee and calm down people. Don’t need your opinions either so deleting this thread

This was 12.16pm. Its now 13.56pm.

Clearly the OP hasn't had enough attention from her gossiping to the whole world.

bostonchamps · 12/11/2023 13:59

TeaGinandFags · 12/11/2023 12:57

@Mysticmania

I think I understand perfectly. You're in shock because the little boy whose nappies you changed is now doing tje now very adult thing that could result in him having nappies of his own to change. There is also the element of some (rather nice) hussy leading him astray (obviously with his enthusiastic collusion) to where he will never be your little boy again.

It's perfectly natural. It's also a shock to the system realising that they're all grown up and getting up to what you used to get up to.

When my eldest was 18 I told him no sex before 35. He laughed in my face. His ship had sailed. Now he's married with children and still my baby boy.

Be of good cheer, OP. The best is yet to come.

Some HUSSY leading his astray are you kidding me. Have we gone back at 1960.

Two consenting adults are having safe sex. Hold the front page. You're probably not reading anymore OP but if he ever finds out you spoke to your friends about his sex life that will be a huge strain on your relationship. And if the 'hussy' ever finds out then you will be labelled the MIL from hell for ever more.

Zone2NorthLondon · 12/11/2023 14:04

Mysticmania · 12/11/2023 12:16

Go have a cup of tea or coffee and calm down people. Don’t need your opinions either so deleting this thread

Mumsnet delete the thread,not you. You request it
Try this
Dear MN,
I am indiscreet and enjoy provoking a reaction regard my son private life. As a result of my indiscreet tittle tattle my son private life is a salacious gag. Son private life is Joked and poked about by my tiny brained friends. Sooooo, I thought aha…let’s post on mn they’ll get me! Well turns out the vipers think I’m an indiscreet gossip. Delete the thread I won’t be spoken to like this. Soz,please and Thanks
@Mysticmania

golf7 · 12/11/2023 14:13

Clearly using condoms so what's with all the comments about being a nan ?

giraffetrousers · 12/11/2023 14:15

hehe this is classic mumsnet:

"I want opinions- AIBU?"

"yes, you are"

"calm down, I dont need your opinions, I'm going to DELETE"

😂

skyeisthelimit · 12/11/2023 14:19

OP, there is no dilemma here, it's your house your rules, so if you don't want her staying over then just tell him that. If he is allowed to stay over at her house, then don't expect to see a lot of him ongoing.

Aside from that he is 19, he is allowed to have sex since 16 legally and he is using protection. No dilemma there.

SaffronSpice · 12/11/2023 14:19

TeenLifeMum · 12/11/2023 11:36

You’re the parent of an adult who is 19. I think I’d be concerned if my dc weren’t enjoying sex in a loving relationship by 19. It’s normal. Sex is a great thing just need to stress being safe. He’s clearly using condoms so that’s great. The fact you’ve brought up his sex life with your friends is mortifying.

Really? Lots of 19 year olds are not having sex. That is perfectly normal too.

JustKen · 12/11/2023 14:21

Further to my previous post, I would rather my son felt comfortable bringing girlfriends home and spending time with them under my roof and practising safe sex than feeling unwelcome and gossiped about and made to feel abnormal in some way.

You risk alienating your son.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 12/11/2023 14:23

Why would you discuss your adult sons sex life with your friends?
Respect his privacy
I thought you were going to say he was 14

Hollyhead · 12/11/2023 14:23

I have never understood this angst over allowing adult children to sleep with their adult partners in their own home. I think it's weird and controlling to have the 'not under my roof'.

Maxus · 12/11/2023 14:26

I have adult children. Their sex life is none of my business and I certainly wouldn't be discussing it with friends. I prepare them before they turn 16 after that it is nothing to do with me.

Hollyhead · 12/11/2023 14:28

Also your friends sound a bit thick - I mean most 19 year olds are having regular sex without getting pregnant and making their parents grandparents.

Popetthetreehugger · 12/11/2023 14:29

Only read first page …. He’s an adult !!! Leave him alone , if you haven’t given him the tools to run his life … you’ve missed that boat ! Poor guy , I’m guessing he won’t be your problem for long as he'll be out of there pronto 🤦‍♀️

ImthatBoleyngirl · 12/11/2023 14:33

He's 19! Of course he's having sex, I'd think it a bit odd if he was still a virgin!

NoTouch · 12/11/2023 14:37

You have absolutely no respect for your sons privacy.

Think about that, reflect on it and how you want your relationship with your son to develop now he is an adult. And drop the feigned drama about an adult having sex to your friends - do you really not have better things to chat about?

Carpediemmakeitcount · 12/11/2023 14:40

He is using protection I would have the talk with him about life responsibilities. Help him look for a room to help him move out.

Appleofmyeye2023 · 12/11/2023 14:41

I agree that it is no business of yours to go into your sons sex life . He is 19.
lectures on contraception, consent etc are way past- and you have to hope the groundwork you did in his years between 10-18 (or whatever) instilled the knowledge he needs to make sensible decisions.
you also would be well placed to remember/know that “impulse control “ is one of the last bits of brain neurological development to happen and we now know it takes until around 23-25 to complete. Hence why the young take so many risks🙄🤷🏼‍♀️

BUT, it is your home, and all the time he is living there full time or part time if at university, you can have boundaries.

You can say to him his sex life , whilst not your business, is a matter he needs to keep under wraps (🤣) and that includes wrapping his flipping condoms and disposing of them and not leave them lying around in bedroom as it’s 🤢.

you can say he needs to wash it his sheets and keep the mattress clean. similarly the bathroom., kitchen etc.

you can say he does not ever disturb your peace by sounds of his active sex life or even lovely dovey French kissing slurps or even cutesy sickening pet names in your presence 🤢

amd you can say for fire safety purposes you need to know when he has someone staying in his room ahead of it, and you’re not going to go to lengths of having a clocking in/out system for this, just expect him to have courtesy to check it’s ok and inform you

that ultimately you have rights to who gets to come into your house and who doesn’t. And that includes gf and him😉. If she doesn’t follow your house rules, doesn’t clear up after herself and treats it like hotel then you have right to stop her coming over. You advise him to talk her through this, and can produce a “helpful” checklist for her if she wishes 🤣😱. You should also agree re meals, frequency etc- tell him even though he is joined at hip to said gf, you aren’t and have a right to privacy in your home most of the time.

I think people saying you shouldn’t be in his room, is naive. Any mum of late teen/young adult knows that’s a sure path to the mysterious depletion of crockery, mugs and glasses, and an aroma of stale linen and sweaty feet pervading the landing and bathroom. Whilst he needs to be responsible for cleaning his own room etc now, all e while he is living with you, you have rights to enter his room for emergency retrieval and disposal purposes which will, btw, result in some sort of ”fine”.

You don’t have to make it serious OP, just set out some boundaries. That way you’ll be saying you know what’s happening, you accept it even if not delighted it’s under your roof. And, frankly, that’s no different to knowing your random lodgers bf stays over and they have sex in the bed you’ve provided🫣and he is always hanging around so you don’t feel comfortable and relaxed in your own home at all times. It is an imposition. An occasional stay over isn’t a problem, it can be fun, interesting etc. but not a regular habit.

Beezknees · 12/11/2023 14:47

TeaGinandFags · 12/11/2023 12:57

@Mysticmania

I think I understand perfectly. You're in shock because the little boy whose nappies you changed is now doing tje now very adult thing that could result in him having nappies of his own to change. There is also the element of some (rather nice) hussy leading him astray (obviously with his enthusiastic collusion) to where he will never be your little boy again.

It's perfectly natural. It's also a shock to the system realising that they're all grown up and getting up to what you used to get up to.

When my eldest was 18 I told him no sex before 35. He laughed in my face. His ship had sailed. Now he's married with children and still my baby boy.

Be of good cheer, OP. The best is yet to come.

This type of thing is why us mums of boys are given a bad name. MIL from hell kind of behaviour. Stop treating your adult male children like babies. I don't even coddle my 15 year old lad this much.

MinnieL · 12/11/2023 14:48

I don’t really understand what there was to offload?

Wotsitfappe · 12/11/2023 14:48

I'd expect a 19 year old to be having sex. Very odd comments from your friends. I think it's also perfectly normal to discuss this as a parenting issue with friends. Just like people discuss loads of parenting stuff.

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