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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Angry with son for abandoning daughter on night out

1000 replies

maxtheblackcat · 19/10/2024 02:15

I need some perspective before I say anything as I’m so angry right now I could be very unfair.
I have lived a very sheltered life, I know this and try to be mindful that it can make me naive. My son who is 25 lives in London, his girlfriend works in the fashion and entertainment industry and has some friends who are actors/musicians/models. Not your household names but none the less famous and have some influence. We are down visiting son in London, my daughter who’s 19 came with us. My daughter is on a gap year, she isn’t the most confident and doesn’t really do the whole drinking/club scene. Even if she did our nearest clubs are small so a very different feel.
Some of sons girlfriends friends were planning a night out, they had a reservation at a lovely expensive restaurant and then were on the guest list for a seemingly high end/exclusive club. My daughter ended up invited, she was hesitant but decided to go as she felt it was an opportunity she didn’t want to miss, and I get it if I was 19 if want to hang out with musicians and actors and models too! She was nervous but my son and his girlfriend promised they’d keep an eye on her.
We don’t hear anything most of the night until about half past midnight when my daughter calls me in tears, she says she stepped out as she felt really uncomfortable, that she’d gone to the bathroom and the girl who had got them on the guest list was sniffing coke, older guys were being provocative, she didn’t know where son or his girlfriend were. I told her to call him and get him to either put her in a cab back to the hotel or take her home, she was panicking and not used to London at all and nervous of being in a cab alone late at night.
Typically he didn’t answer, she tried the girlfriend too no answer, we tried them both. We then told her to go back in and find him but the security guard wouldn’t let her unless the girl who she was a guest off (so girlfriends friend) came out and verified who she was and let her in. I’m not sure if this is standard practice but obviously, my DD doesn’t know this girl at all and had no way of contacting this girl and the security guard wasn’t helpful at all. My daughter was panicking and a group of girls walking by noticed and helped her get a cab back to the hotel. Luckily she’s here with us now and while shaken up she’s okay. We have always taught our kids to never be around people doing drugs and had a “fly with the crows, shot with the crows” mantra. My daughter said this is the first time she’d ever actually seen anyone doing lines of cocaine and the men were being so sleazy.
We still haven’t heard from my son which makes me think he hasn’t even noticed that she isn’t there!!

AIBU to be absolutely disgusted with him and beyond angry? He knew that his sister was new to all of this and promised to look out for her! My husband thinks it’s unfair to ask him to babysit his adult sister and she just shouldn’t have gone if she wasn’t going to be able to handle it. He thinks it was naive of me to think models, actors and musicians wouldn’t be doing drugs.

OP posts:
offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:19

I'd be fucking FURIOUS with him. Your husband needs to give his head a wobble as well.

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:20

I don't know.

When I was 18 on nights out I was looking after myself.

It's not his job to look after her.

How does she not know how to get a taxi

Missemiss83 · 19/10/2024 02:24

Hmm, I’m on the fence. He could have been more caring and protective over his sister. However, I agree with your DH that she’s an adult and it’s not his job to look after her. Plus she should be capable of getting a taxi herself at the age of 19. She sounds rather sheltered OP..
Glad she got back safe and sound x

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:24

Not the point.

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:26

My brother has never looked after me on a night out and I wouldn't expect him too.

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:26

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:24

Not the point.

What isn't? You didn't quote anyone

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:28

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:26

What isn't? You didn't quote anyone

I was actually trying to address you, for some reason the quote didn't take.

Just because you could do something, it doesn't mean everyone else can.

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:28

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:26

My brother has never looked after me on a night out and I wouldn't expect him too.

Good for you.

muggart · 19/10/2024 02:28

We still haven’t heard from my son which makes me think he hasn’t even noticed that she isn’t there!!

... is he ok? before you attack him you may want to verify this otherwise you could seem like you have a favourite child.

FWIW I don't think you should berate him. They are both too old for your reaction to be justified (although I sort of get it).

samedifferent · 19/10/2024 02:29

I think your son has been a dick and owes your dd a big apology.
I'm the oldest and wouldn't have dreamt of behaving like he did.
You have to look after your young siblings if you take them out in London ( which I did in the past)

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:31

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:28

I was actually trying to address you, for some reason the quote didn't take.

Just because you could do something, it doesn't mean everyone else can.

I wasnt just talking about myself.

My point is: it's unreasonable to expect anyone to look after an adult woman.

Zapx · 19/10/2024 02:32

I would be livid too. And also pretty worried about his lifestyle etc but that’s up to him. I agree with the poster’s saying it’s not his job to look out for her, but it sounds like he said he would! At the least I think you could say to him that you thought he’d do a better job…

maxtheblackcat · 19/10/2024 02:32

I get that my daughter should know these things but I guess it’s been a lack of opportunity. She only finished school in June. She’s never been to a club, only drinking she’s done has been at pubs in our town, where she can walk home, call us to come and get her. Even then she’s with friends and they all look out for each other.
She was also panicking, I think if she had been calm she’d have figured out getting a cab.
She probably shouldn’t have gone, she has recognised this, or at the very least left after dinner but she was counting on her brother keeping an eye out for her and he didn’t do that. Had he been honest and said actually I want my night out without babysitting you then she shouldn’t have gone.

OP posts:
Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:32

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:28

Good for you.

One might call that an immature response.

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:33

maxtheblackcat · 19/10/2024 02:32

I get that my daughter should know these things but I guess it’s been a lack of opportunity. She only finished school in June. She’s never been to a club, only drinking she’s done has been at pubs in our town, where she can walk home, call us to come and get her. Even then she’s with friends and they all look out for each other.
She was also panicking, I think if she had been calm she’d have figured out getting a cab.
She probably shouldn’t have gone, she has recognised this, or at the very least left after dinner but she was counting on her brother keeping an eye out for her and he didn’t do that. Had he been honest and said actually I want my night out without babysitting you then she shouldn’t have gone.

At least she got home safe and sound

samedifferent · 19/10/2024 02:34

My point is: it's unreasonable to expect anyone to look after an adult woman.

She has just left school and he said he would keep an eye on her. She is isn't adult in the same way that someone in their mid twenties is.

araiwa · 19/10/2024 02:35

Should he have gone to the bathroom with her?

Why did she run off because she saw someone doing coke instead of going back to him?

DoreenonTill8 · 19/10/2024 02:35

She’s never been to a club, only drinking she’s done has been at pubs in our town, where she can walk home, call us to come and get her
Really? At 19?
Is she your blue eyed innocent baby and he's her big bad brother?
Have you often had to rush in to protect/defend her from him?

GiraffeTree · 19/10/2024 02:35

I would expect him to look out for his little sister, but it sounds like she left the club without telling him (and then wasn't allowed back in)? So all he's actually done wrong is failed to answer his phone, which is easily done if it's noisy and he hasn't realised she's trying to call him. I can understand that she's upset, but I don't think he could predict that she would leave the club.

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:36

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:32

One might call that an immature response.

Oh be quiet.

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:36

samedifferent · 19/10/2024 02:34

My point is: it's unreasonable to expect anyone to look after an adult woman.

She has just left school and he said he would keep an eye on her. She is isn't adult in the same way that someone in their mid twenties is.

But sure we all " just leave school" and go on nights out.

When I left school, me and my friend went to Greece for two weeks by ourselves. We were 18

This girl is 19, in London

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:36

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:36

Oh be quiet.

And there's another one. No I won't.

Applemayjune · 19/10/2024 02:38

I can understand the daughter being upset. She went out thinking they would be looking after her.

But it sounds like the brother was doing his own thing.

It was a miscommunication

GodspeedJune · 19/10/2024 02:38

I would be annoyed at him too. We were brought up to look out for each other as siblings and it’s stood us in good stead through our lives so far.

offyoujollywelltrot · 19/10/2024 02:39

OP,

It's clear that your daughter wasn't ready for this, so at least now she knows it wasn't for her, and make sure your son knows he fucked up.

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