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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Woken up by adult kids AGAIN.... AIBU

457 replies

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 10:04

My adult son still lives at home (he and his sister who is at Uni are moving in with their dad in the summer) but I just want to check if IABU. He and his GF are both early twenties, and she does stay over sometimes, which I am fine with. I have made the house rules that it's no more than three nights a week, but she's starting working at a nightclub and coming back at 3.00 am and waking me and my dog up. I have asked them both to stop, in fact I got them both up really early the last time they did it and sent her home. She did it again this week and I talked to her about it and she apologised. Last night, 2.30 am out she gets from an Uber and they are banging about downstairs! I spoke to my son who apologised. I've just asked him to send her home now, and he said I am "not very understanding." I feel awkward and uncomfortable in my own bloody home. Historically whenever I have put a boundary down with these two I am called to a meeting by them a few days later where she claims I don't like her, so I've cut that off with him today and said I won't be doing that, it's her behaviour I don't like. My son't argument is that he shouldn't have a curfew as an adult which I agree with, but I made the point that she doesn't live here! AIBU? I would never have dared behave like his in my parent's home at any age!

OP posts:
rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 14:01

NeverDropYourMooncup · 01/03/2025 13:56

Why's he insisting that she comes over when she's been out with her friends?

They seem so co-dependent. He doesn't have that many friends, because they all went off to Uni and he didn't go, so I think he's investing more in it and her than might otherwise be the case. Not saying the feelings between them aren't genuine, but they should be able to spend a night apart at that age...

OP posts:
IsawwhatIsaw · 01/03/2025 14:02

You don’t get to call the home owner of the house you’re staying at to a meeting !
it sounds like these 2 are ganging up on you. This is not acceptable.

Anamcaraa · 01/03/2025 14:03

Whats his career trajectory - she'll probs dump him once she graduates if he doesnt have one.

KatyaKat · 01/03/2025 14:04

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 13:55

Might print this off and put it on the fridge, it is EXACTLY what I want to say to her the next time she asks me to sit down at my own table and deflect her behaviour onto me!

@rubberduck68 she does not have the right to sit you down at your own table for any meeting, how dare she? It's your home, and she works around your rules/boundaries, or she can go to her own home.

Please please don't let her do this even one more time.

commonsense61 · 01/03/2025 14:06

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Theunamedcat · 01/03/2025 14:08

Your reacting better than me I was woke up by my kids and I screamed SHUT THE HELL UP before my eyes were even open tbh I don't think I was properly awake

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 14:09

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

I would like to do that but....he's still in bed! I've twice been in and told him to get up so we can have a proper conversation but he says that he is tired because he has been up all night. I. HAVE. NO. WORDS.

OP posts:
LuckySantangelo35 · 01/03/2025 14:09

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 14:09

I would like to do that but....he's still in bed! I've twice been in and told him to get up so we can have a proper conversation but he says that he is tired because he has been up all night. I. HAVE. NO. WORDS.

@rubberduck68

go wake him up then. It’s 2pm ffs

Cucy · 01/03/2025 14:11

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 13:58

I hear that, but they move out in six months, and it's already been going on for a year, and I am so tired. Just been crying in the shower, that's not normal, is it?

No it’s not normal.

I would ban her on weekdays completely.

Tell him that you’re struggling over being woken up and so from now on he’s not allowed any guests during the week.

It’s not like he can’t see her or spend the night with her.

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 14:12

LuckySantangelo35 · 01/03/2025 14:09

@rubberduck68

go wake him up then. It’s 2pm ffs

I've just been in, he won't get up. Just keeps telling me to go away because he's tired.

OP posts:
JimHalpertsWife · 01/03/2025 14:13

Is he paying rent?

LardoBurrows · 01/03/2025 14:13

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 14:09

I would like to do that but....he's still in bed! I've twice been in and told him to get up so we can have a proper conversation but he says that he is tired because he has been up all night. I. HAVE. NO. WORDS.

Time to put the radio on very, very loud, maybe something like the bagpipes, or opera, open all doors put a speaker inside his bedroom. Maybe accompanied by banging in time with metal spoon on a saucepan.

Glittertwins · 01/03/2025 14:13

He's tired?? I think it's time for you to do the hoovering with a bit of Slipknot or Slayer on for motivation!

LardoBurrows · 01/03/2025 14:14

JimHalpertsWife · 01/03/2025 14:13

Is he paying rent?

He is Not.

Anamcaraa · 01/03/2025 14:15

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 14:09

I would like to do that but....he's still in bed! I've twice been in and told him to get up so we can have a proper conversation but he says that he is tired because he has been up all night. I. HAVE. NO. WORDS.

I. HAVE. NO. WORDS.

Stop wasting your breath - take actions - he will have to adapt to that.

What boundaries, deadlines and consequences will you action?

EdithBond · 01/03/2025 14:16

I live with adult DC. I don’t mind what time they get in or who they invite over. It doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is disrespect, such as trampling over boundaries.

It’s your home and if it bothers you, they must respect that. Your son is predominantly responsible for this. He shares your home, while his gf is his guest. Don’t blame her for disturbing you or staying over too often. It’s on him. If he has respect for you, he shouldn’t invite her over so late or so frequently. If she insists, he should tell her no.

If you keep judging and critiquing her, and indicating you’re not keen on her, it will likely alienate your DS. Unless he’s experiencing harm/abuse, his relationship is none of your business.

Nellsbell · 01/03/2025 14:16

She doesn’t stay if it’s a work night. Her behaviour is rude. You shouldn’t have to be woken up in your own home.

Joystir59 · 01/03/2025 14:18

I'd be asking him to move out as he doesn't like your house rules

JimHalpertsWife · 01/03/2025 14:20

At this point you can reasonably say "I've tried. It's not working. You and GF are taking the piss now, and it stops today"

Then lay out some hard and fast rules:-
+She is no longer welcome in the home after 10pm, or before 10am. No overnights at all.
+He has to either be home by 11pm or he sleeps out.
+no deliveries after 10pm.

If he doesn't like those rules then he can go move to dad's. If he breaks any of the above rules 3 times you'll personally drop him at his dad's the same day.

stayathomer · 01/03/2025 14:22

Yanbu but I feel for young adults nowadays, we all lived away from home and would have done this sort of stuff so horrible for them as they should be able to be young and enjoy the madness but this is your home and you shouldn’t have to be woken up. Difficult all around

Onlycoffee · 01/03/2025 14:22

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 11:06

I am always having to hear stories about how her mum is "too nice" and "does everything for her", (her dad is dead, doted on though, bought her breakfast in bed every school morning!) to which I reply, "well, I've raised my kids to have some life skills", and the last time after I said that I had to endure a very awkward sit-down meeting about how she thinks I criticise her mother. FFS! I am very calm with them during these sit-down chats and hold my own, I think but I am seeing another side from the responses on here today...

To be fair to the gf, you did criticise the mother!

And you sound unsympathetic towards the gf who's lost her dad.

Yes it's your house but for some reason your ds thinks it's his house as well.

LillyPJ · 01/03/2025 14:25

It's not about setting a curfew - you just don't want to be woken up! It's your house and your rules. They are being unreasonable.

rubberduck68 · 01/03/2025 14:25

Onlycoffee · 01/03/2025 14:22

To be fair to the gf, you did criticise the mother!

And you sound unsympathetic towards the gf who's lost her dad.

Yes it's your house but for some reason your ds thinks it's his house as well.

I have held that girl crying so many times while she sobs about her dad, so no I am not unsympathetic. She has often referred to me as her "second mum", so I don't think I have been unkind to her at all. What I do think is she's not used to hearing "no", and clearly my son doesn't think much to it either, and yes I guess that is on me. FYI I have me her Mum, always invite her in for a coffee when she drops the GF off, and she's a nice woman, and I do feel for her loss. But this isn't about that.

OP posts:
Onlycoffee · 01/03/2025 14:26

LuckySantangelo35 · 01/03/2025 14:09

@rubberduck68

go wake him up then. It’s 2pm ffs

Why? I don't understand this attitude towards adult children. One one hand pp want them to act like adults at 18 but then parents are encouraged to treat adult children like little kids.

Op do you really think storming in to his room and demanding he wake up and talk to you right now is going to help the situation?

Of course you need to speak to him but you'll get the most out of the conversation if you are both calm and open to each other.

TheCatterall · 01/03/2025 14:26

@rubberduck68 now seems like an excellent time to spring clean. Your hall needs vacuuming outside his door doesn’t it. And put on some Spotify playlists nice and cheery loud to motivate you…

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