Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU for thinking parents should have contacted me to let me know where my son is?

164 replies

SherryNutkin · 31/01/2024 01:48

My Y9 son stormed out today because I followed through on a threat to confiscate his tech whilst he was at school following some pretty unacceptable behaviour. He came home from school, realised I had hidden his keyboard and chargers and stormed out. He came back but then swore at me quite a bit and he said he was going so in the heat of the moment I said go if you are going to behave like that. He took it quite literally and was still missing at 10.30pm. I was pretty frantic. He doesn't go out at night. He leads a safe, middle class life, and we generally tick along nicely with the usual grumpiness and the odd fall out. His phone was out of battery when he left so I didn’t attempt to contact him at first. I was busy cooking dinner and expected him to come back as he has done this once before. It got later and later and I texted him saying “please come back xx” and he responded around 10.30pm saying that he wasn’t coming back. I tried to persuade him and said I would get him an Uber (I don't drive) and asked him to tell me where he was and he just said that he was safe and that it was too late to come home. I had no idea where he was and all sorts of things were going through my mind. He eventually told me at about 11pm that he was at a school friend’s house, that everyone had gone to bed and that it was too late for him to come back. He is now spending the night with a family I have never met but who I believe live about 25 minutes’ walk away. I don’t have the parents’ numbers but there is a WhatsApp group where they could have asked whether I was on the group and let me know he was safe. I asked him to video call me so I could see where he was. I have to take his word for it that he is where he says he is and he is now sleeping there against my will. He won’t have his books or PE kit for tomorrow. AIBU for thinking that the parents should have made an effort to contact me because I was beside myself with worry and really did not want him to sleep over?

OP posts:
Shadowsindarkplaces · 31/01/2024 08:07

Spirallingdownwards · 31/01/2024 07:53

My guess is he asked his friend if he could stay over and told the parents you were okay with it. They probably assumed he was telling the truth if he is usually a nice lad because why wouldn't they?

Is there any news this morning OP?

The other option is he told the parents you kicked him out, and they let him stay and are notifying school and social services today... might be worth messaging them this morning.

NotQuiteNorma · 31/01/2024 08:09

As said, you don't know what story he gave the other parents. You don't know if they even knew he was in their house, his friend could have sneaked him in. So assuming they did know and had been told that he was allowed to stay over and had no reason to suspect there was a problem, why would they be posting on a WhatsApp group trying to find his parent anyway? You're focusing on completely the wrong people here. If your relationship with your son continues down this trajectory you're going to be grateful for parents like these one day.

Greycottage · 31/01/2024 08:13

Thementalloadisreal · 31/01/2024 08:01

Not really point but for all those commenting about perhaps not wanting it to be on the WhatsApp group chat, you don’t actually have to message the whole group even if you don’t have the person’s number saved you can find the individual in the group and select to message them privately.

OP said in her first post that the parents would have had to ask in the whatsapp group “is Xs parent here?” as they wouldn’t have known her name.

Shoppingfiend · 31/01/2024 08:17

I would stop blaming people -you took tech stuff, he stormed out.
what’s important is what you do now.
i would not give him his tech stuff as it proves giving you a scare gets what he wants

Dacadactyl · 31/01/2024 08:18

You did nothing wrong OP and the other parents should've made you aware.

In year 9, there's NO WAY I'd have taken a child's say so that his mum (who id never even met!) was ok with him staying at a strangers house overnight.

I'd have asked your son for your number and texted you. What sort of parent allows their 13 or 14 year old to stay at a strangers house without contact from them??!

Dacadactyl · 31/01/2024 08:19

Shoppingfiend · 31/01/2024 08:17

I would stop blaming people -you took tech stuff, he stormed out.
what’s important is what you do now.
i would not give him his tech stuff as it proves giving you a scare gets what he wants

Yes. He'd well and truly be in the shit with me too.

Hameth · 31/01/2024 08:21

I can't believe this is not 100 per cent you are NOT unreasonable. You have an impromptu stay over, without any parental contact. No arrangements for clothing, next morning, toothbrushes etc. The child will be displaying signs of high emotions and at best will be contradictory. They should have definitely contacted you, ascertained whether you were aware and gave permission. And if they can't contact you for whatever reason then drive your child back home at 9pm latest to return him. Totally unfair on you otherwise.
I suspect your child may well be finding out the meaning of a total tech blackout for the next few weeks.

Hameth · 31/01/2024 08:24

I'd say any stay over without parental contact is a problem. Especially obviously ad hoc and not one where people are in a trust circle

peachescariad · 31/01/2024 08:24

I think the parents were irresponsible not to contact you regarding a 13/14 year old - if it was me I would not be dictated to by a very young teen regardless of what story he'd told me, I'd still contact the parents to say 'he's fine, safe and no problem staying here the night, our address is xxx'
A 16+ I'd probably not have contacted parent.
You must have been worried sick.

JSMill · 31/01/2024 08:26

You're focusing on the wrong people. Your ds is bang out of order.

NamelessNancy · 31/01/2024 08:27

This has brought back memories! When now adult DS was about that age we were the host parents to a very similar episode. A school friend turned up at 11ish asking for a place to stay after a family row. I did ask him for a number to contact his mum or dad just to say where he was and that he was safe and welcome to stay. If he hadn't agreed to this I think I would probably have accepted proof he'd told them himself. Certainly wouldn't have sent him back into the night.

Never knew exactly what the drama had been about but was happy to help. The kid's parents were actually really grateful.

Brefugee · 31/01/2024 08:30

I don't think OP did anything wrong aside of reacting a bit in the moment. If DS doesn't have form for doing this, there was no reason to expect it.

For me: you made contact and established that he was safe. That is good.
In the other parent's shoes? i would have probably asked if everything was ok, if he wanted me to let you know he was safe, or did he want to let you know he was safe, and left it at that.

I do think you should contact the parents and thank them, though.

And have a discussion with DS about what behaviours and consequences are and come to an agreement on that.

rainbowstardrops · 31/01/2024 08:31

You just don't know what he told them. He might have said you were ok with it. He might have said he'd let you know. I'd be bloody furious with him though and the tech ban would definitely still stand!
Have you heard from him this morning?
Oh and I would imagine the police would have definitely been interested in a vulnerable child missing!

Strugglingtodomybest · 31/01/2024 08:41

Op, what time did he storm out? Because in your op it sounds like it was straight after school, but pp are talking about him turning up at the other house late.

If one of my boys' friends turned up late at night, I'd probably question it, but if they turned up after school, ended up staying for dinner and then they asked me if they could have a sleepover, I wouldn't be so concerned, as that's quite normal for our house.

Anyway, I think you're focusing on the wrong thing. I'd be much more concerned at his complete over reaction. Why has he reacted like that? Is he addicted to gaming? Why does he think it's ok to swear at you?

Lindy2 · 31/01/2024 08:49

In this scenario I would ask the child to make sure their parents knew where they were and were OK with them staying. It may well be that he has said you know where he is.

This is an issue between you and your son, not the other parents. They've given your son somewhere safe to stay.

I recommend a tracking app on his phone. Life 360 is free and good. As a family we all have it on our phones.

Warmhandscoldheart · 31/01/2024 08:53

supersonicginandtonic · 31/01/2024 03:51

The fact your son, stormed out upset and you carried on cooking etc and didn't even begin to worry until 10:30pm, is what concerns me, noy the other parents.
I'd have been out looking for him, way before that time. I'd have also informed the police by that time.

100% agree

MiddleParking · 31/01/2024 08:56

SherryNutkin · 31/01/2024 07:44

And I had warned him about the tech as a consequence, and explained why, so it wasn't a surprise.

So why did you wait until he was at school to do it? Warning him you’re going to do it doesn’t mean he’s going to like it any better when it happens. If someone took all my stuff when I left the house I would make damn sure they got a fright from my reaction, I wouldn’t think “oh well they threatened me with that before they did it so I’ll temper my reaction accordingly”.

Coffeerum · 31/01/2024 09:00

You told him to get out and he did. I imagine he told the parents exactly that and they felt they were stepping in to help a child who had been kicked out of him. It’s odd you didn’t even try to phone him, particularly after he text you back. Who is frantic with worry but has a drawn out text conversation with their missing son??

piscofrisco · 31/01/2024 09:32

When DD's friend (15) showed up at ours after he had a row with his mum in the middle of winter and was wandering about the streets I said he could stay as he said otherwise he still wouldn't go home , he's just wander about (in the spare room) but only if he agreed to me letting his mum know. I duly did, and then got a torrent of abuse from said Mum and accused of kidnapping her child (which wasn't especially pleasant). I could understand at that point why he didn't want to go home! Nevertheless I think it's the right thing to do tell the parent who you assume will be worried where their kid is. What they do with that information is then up to them.

SherryNutkin · 31/01/2024 09:36

He was late home after school and went out again at about 6.30pm. He then came back but then went out again. I told him I was making his dinner and thought he would come back. There was texting and phoning, and video phoning eventually. However, I originally could not get through at all because he had no battery on his phone and the messages were shown as not received. I am not focussing on the parents. I just happen to have asked that question on here. I was focussing on my child's wellbeing but a couple of hours later I was mulling it over and confused as to why they didn't contact me. I was still emotional having been through a very worrying time and having been feeling quite sick. I genuinely didn't know whether I was wrong or right to feel upset that they had not contacted me and foolishly ended up posting on here. I had tried to put myself in their shoes but was still having trouble fathoming why they didn't reach out but as many people have said, they weren't to know and I can see how it might have panned out that way for them but I was sick with worry.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 31/01/2024 09:43

MiddleParking · 31/01/2024 08:56

So why did you wait until he was at school to do it? Warning him you’re going to do it doesn’t mean he’s going to like it any better when it happens. If someone took all my stuff when I left the house I would make damn sure they got a fright from my reaction, I wouldn’t think “oh well they threatened me with that before they did it so I’ll temper my reaction accordingly”.

Is it better to have to physically wrestle stuff off someone? That's what was likely to happen.

Jibo · 31/01/2024 09:46

Yes, if I were the other parents I'd have let you know, or expected DS to do so, but you've really undermined your own discipline here with all the pleading for him to come home, offers of taxis etc. Now he knows all he has to do is disappear at bedtime and he's got you where he wants you. Hold your nerve next time... I used to pull this sort of shit as an angry teenager in the days before mobiles and came to no harm! Sometimes it's good to have some radio silence so you can all calm down.

SherryNutkin · 31/01/2024 09:50

Jibo · 31/01/2024 09:46

Yes, if I were the other parents I'd have let you know, or expected DS to do so, but you've really undermined your own discipline here with all the pleading for him to come home, offers of taxis etc. Now he knows all he has to do is disappear at bedtime and he's got you where he wants you. Hold your nerve next time... I used to pull this sort of shit as an angry teenager in the days before mobiles and came to no harm! Sometimes it's good to have some radio silence so you can all calm down.

Edited

Yes well it's a difficult balancing act to hold your nerve but also to show you want him back safe (which to me is a given but to him in that situation, I guess my assessment was that he needed at least some encouragement and a way back home). I held my nerve with the tech and look where it got me!

OP posts:
Billybagpuss · 31/01/2024 10:00

its Worth posting in the teenagers section on here rather than aibu you really do need to get your head in gear ready for tonight how are you going to handle it. You might find answers there from other parents of teens going through similar struggles.

there is a long running thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/teenagers/4910229-just-a-friendly-hand-hold-for-any-other-mums-of-teens-part-2?page=15&reply=132311462
that might help.

Page 15 | Just a friendly hand hold for any other mums of teens PART 2 | Mumsnet

Again, just a friendly place to liaise (or lament?!) with other parents who are trying their best to navigate the ups and downs of raising teens 😳 n...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/teenagers/4910229-just-a-friendly-hand-hold-for-any-other-mums-of-teens-part-2?page=15&reply=132311462

EveryoneEnviesMeEverywhere · 31/01/2024 10:02

Some facts of life

Many people dont do 'whatsapp group' thankfully

He may have said you already knew

Until above is established, you dont know

Speak with them and take it from there and i hope it all works out and son clams down