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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DSD isn’t coming home for Christmas

210 replies

Andiey · 20/11/2025 13:01

DSD is 19, she’s in her first year of uni following a gap year. Her mum passed away when she was a toddler, DH and I have been together for 12 years so I feel as though I have a very close bond with her.
Today she messaged the family group chat saying she won’t be coming home for Christmas. I asked why and she said she has a part time job in her uni town who are offering double pay to work Christmas Day and she’d rather have New Year’s Day off to go out with friends. I asked if we could come and visit her before hand and she said she is really busy with work and uni so it would be better if we waited to see her after new year. We haven’t seen her since she started in September and she was very much against us dropping her off, rather she took the train herself despite many offers.
Her older brother is always happy to come home for Christmas even now he has left uni, as are my own children. I’d go as far to say I don’t know many uni students who aren’t desperate to come home and get food made for them/meet up with old school friends/be back in their own space.
I think her decision not to come home is quite concerning, AIBU?

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 20/11/2025 15:48

Lunde · 20/11/2025 15:21

She's working in a restaurant - December will be her really busy month and her chance to get extra shifts and make more money from work/family dinners

The dsd has said meet up in January

I know that but I think OP is right to be concerned.

December may be a busy month but the daughter won't be working every day. I would be saying that myself and her Dad really want to see her even if just for one day to give some Christmas gifts to unwrap on the day, love and support.

chaosmaker · 20/11/2025 15:50

@Andiey it sounds perfectly in character for your SD, her brother says she is good. January is not too far away. Best to see her then when she has more time :)

Lunde · 20/11/2025 15:57

Twiglets1 · 20/11/2025 15:48

I know that but I think OP is right to be concerned.

December may be a busy month but the daughter won't be working every day. I would be saying that myself and her Dad really want to see her even if just for one day to give some Christmas gifts to unwrap on the day, love and support.

I don't know - I had a relative who worked December in a restaurant and he did work every day December - New Year .... and he earned £1000s - overtime/double pay/triple pay/extra shifts/special parties and drunken big tippers. It got him through Jan and Feb where work was thin on the ground

My own dd worked December in a psychiatric hospital and was loath to commit to anything because if the offered her an extra shift she wanted to take it - she had no MH or HC qualifications but when they were desperate they were offering her £30+ an hour. - so £250-300 for a shift

MrsPrendergast · 20/11/2025 16:01

Andiey · 20/11/2025 13:57

Her brother said she seemed healthy and was happy and having fun, which does settle us a little as he’s not the type to lie to us to protect her.

That's the post I was looking for! So DSD hasn't slipped back into anorexia. That's wonderful

There's a reason why she doesn't want to see you or her Dad. Are you both a bit judgy? Not that you're likely to admit that ....so silly question. I just wonder if her lifestyle is such that you wouldn't "approve"

TorroFerney · 20/11/2025 16:11

MrsPrendergast · 20/11/2025 16:01

That's the post I was looking for! So DSD hasn't slipped back into anorexia. That's wonderful

There's a reason why she doesn't want to see you or her Dad. Are you both a bit judgy? Not that you're likely to admit that ....so silly question. I just wonder if her lifestyle is such that you wouldn't "approve"

Hyper independence is often a trauma response. Is her brother the golden child? Also a bereaved child who now has a replacement mother? That seems to have been passed over, that’s very damaging no matter the kindness and good intent of the new caregiver.

MrsPrendergast · 20/11/2025 16:15

TorroFerney · 20/11/2025 16:11

Hyper independence is often a trauma response. Is her brother the golden child? Also a bereaved child who now has a replacement mother? That seems to have been passed over, that’s very damaging no matter the kindness and good intent of the new caregiver.

Excellent points. I wonder if DSD has had therapy to deal with her grief

Cymbalsimba · 20/11/2025 16:16

Even if it’s not concerning I would want to visit pre Xmas to show you love and care for her. Often we push people away at that age and to have consistent love and to know someone is always there for you is so important. She must have a free day or even afternoon sometime in December… if she doesn’t suggests she’s being evasive.

MrsPrendergast · 20/11/2025 16:17

Cymbalsimba · 20/11/2025 16:16

Even if it’s not concerning I would want to visit pre Xmas to show you love and care for her. Often we push people away at that age and to have consistent love and to know someone is always there for you is so important. She must have a free day or even afternoon sometime in December… if she doesn’t suggests she’s being evasive.

Shes definitely being evasive. I don't think the way to discover why, is to force her to meet up when she doesn't want to

Melassa · 20/11/2025 16:18

Bestluck · 20/11/2025 15:14

How old are your children?

because mine are 19 and 21 and this would be very very unusual and concerning if they did this. We are close and loving. They love uni but they love Christmas at home!

and all their friends going back too and all local friends coming back from uni.

21, she does come home at Christmas but mainly because she’s at uni in a different country so there is no popping in during the rest of the year. She comes back to see us but also to see her friends, many of whom are also at uni in different countries, so this is the time they get to catch up.

She doesn’t come back “for Christmas” per se, but rather comes home to us, friends from school, nice food and sunshine. It could be at any period between terms. If she decided to stay where she was to work, I’d be disappointed I wouldn’t see her but not concerned.

she has a long holiday in the summer, and she is absent from home to work (we live in a country with a long tourist season but not in a touristy town) or to volunteer and travel. She does pop home for the odd week but most of the time she’s doing her own thing. She and I are close, but she’s secure and independent enough to organise her own thing. Again, I’m not concerned because if something was amiss she would share it with me, as she always has done.

Decorhate · 20/11/2025 16:21

It's very normal at that age for your friends to be more important to you than your family. I would keep lines of communication open, fix a date to visit and hope that she returns to the fold next year.

SoftBalletShoes · 20/11/2025 16:23

OP, my husband has a sibling like this. No interest whatsoever in the family after he left home, came home as little as possible, made it clear that he hated living with them from his early teens, and remained distant. He's now in his late fifties. He's the possessor of five of the six grandchildren and he has not once spent Christmas with his mother in the 20 years I've known him, so she has missed out. He also stayed away when his late father had dementia. I also know other people who have followed the same pattern - just seemed not to want to be around their family at all, left home at 18 and virtually never came back. My friend had a lovely family and she went to uni at the other end of the country, in Edinburgh. That was 33 years ago and she's been home as little as possible. She simply is not interested in her family.

Assuming there's a loving family and no abuse, like your set-up, what it boils down to is that the person is monumentally self-centred. I've noticed a similar pattern in all the people I've observed who were like this when young, where I know the family, know the person, and am pretty sure it's not an abuse situation. Champing at the bit in their teens, secretiveness, and a great distancing when they leave at 18. I'm old enough to see how it's panned out 3 decades later, and they remain utterly selfish towards their families when said parents are old and ill.

So, it might not be anything alarming at all, especially as her brother said she seemed well. She might just be incredibly selfish. I recognise the pattern, to be honest - the never coming home and being always busy, busy, busy. Too busy for the families who love them.

I would adjust your expectations of her right down, or you will continue to get very hurt.

Cornishclio · 20/11/2025 16:24

I think you should respect her wishes and arrange a date in January. If she is working in a restaurant and has exams then any pressure to see you won't be welcome. If it is a 6 hour drive I can understand both yours and her reluctance to make that journey. It sounds like she is independent and if her brother has seen her recently and says she is ok I would take comfort from that. Ask her when is best to facetime her, send her some money for Christmas and arrange a date in January for you both to go up and see her.

Jenkibuble · 20/11/2025 16:30

Andiey · 20/11/2025 13:01

DSD is 19, she’s in her first year of uni following a gap year. Her mum passed away when she was a toddler, DH and I have been together for 12 years so I feel as though I have a very close bond with her.
Today she messaged the family group chat saying she won’t be coming home for Christmas. I asked why and she said she has a part time job in her uni town who are offering double pay to work Christmas Day and she’d rather have New Year’s Day off to go out with friends. I asked if we could come and visit her before hand and she said she is really busy with work and uni so it would be better if we waited to see her after new year. We haven’t seen her since she started in September and she was very much against us dropping her off, rather she took the train herself despite many offers.
Her older brother is always happy to come home for Christmas even now he has left uni, as are my own children. I’d go as far to say I don’t know many uni students who aren’t desperate to come home and get food made for them/meet up with old school friends/be back in their own space.
I think her decision not to come home is quite concerning, AIBU?

I have both my kids at uni (both started this year - DD took 2 years out to travel and work etc)

It takes its toll on us parents. I hear very little from mine . Responses to texts are very short . We have the odd video call and that reassures me a little when I see their faces (pallor etc)
Both have been home (son for a weekend , he is nearer ; daughter a week as she had reading week)

They were both dropped off (so much stuff) but at xmas will come back by train.

Daughter is coming back for less time as she wants to explore her new city a bit without lectures.

As for her past issues, I would perhaps see if you can check out wellbeing services at the uni (or better still get her to )
Just so that she is on their radar.
You will not be the first or last parent who has contacted them / reached out for advice.

I hope this helps.
It is great that she has the work ethic etc. It is hard for us though (them breaking away)

This x
'To raise a child, who is comfortable enough to leave you, means you’ve done your job. They are not ours to keep, but to teach how to soar on their own'
'

MatchaMatchaMatcha · 20/11/2025 16:34

Can't you just say you really miss her and would like to catch up in person?

Book a b&b nearby for a long weekend and then meet up a couple of times while you're there and do your own thing the rest of the time.

SoftBalletShoes · 20/11/2025 16:37

WaryBlueFish · 20/11/2025 14:40

An old school friend did this first year at uni. Said she had too much school work to prep for 2nd semester and she couldn't get off work. Turns out she was hiding a very visible pregnancy. Which was announced to her family by her boyfriend (whom they previously knew nothing of) when he called from the delivery room to tell them they had just become grandparents to a healthy boy.
Not that this is what SD is up to, OP!!

Jesus Christ. What is wrong with some young people. Why would they not tell the parents about the pregnancy, at least in the later stages, instead of letting them find out like that.

Hankunamatata · 20/11/2025 16:40

Sounds like she's having a blast at uni. Tbh at that age I didn't get the importance if Christmas or family time. I saw it as boring

Toddlerteaplease · 20/11/2025 16:41

Sounds sensible to stay if she can get double pay!

youalright · 20/11/2025 16:44

Andiey · 20/11/2025 13:11

I guess we are worried that she’s intentionally distancing herself from the family. She was anorexic as a teenager, though in recovery now. As a teen she sort of straddled the line between being super studious, really engaged with her sports, but also going to a lot of parties, tried weed and cocaine, had sex much younger than what most parents would want for their children.
I guess we worry that she is always on the line between being extremely successful or breaking down and throwing it all away.

Have you actually seen her like on facetime since September. Id be concerned to

Wbeezer · 20/11/2025 16:46

Lots of young people do something similar, it can be quite good fun working at Christmas when you are young free and single.
DH and I thought a Christmas just the two of ( Before we were married) would be romantic and cosy but we found out it was just too quiet and a bit meh so the next year we went back to travelling home!

Itworkedout · 20/11/2025 16:46

She sounds super independent hence all the travelling she has done. I would be tempted to go and see her if she will agree at some point around the Christmas break if that’s an option. But I wouldn’t push it to much she lost her mum and maybe that’s part of the reason she is independent.

HelenHywater · 20/11/2025 16:48

Have you visited her at Uni @Andiey ? Some of my dc are more independent than others and don't come home much, so I go and see them! Perhaps you could suggest visiting for a day or weekend in December?

OrangesCinammonIvy · 20/11/2025 16:49

In that case op I would visit her at uni to take her out for a Xmas meal and do a secret welfare check.

Maddy70 · 20/11/2025 16:51

She's growing up , finding her independence and that means you did a great job. She will be back for future Christmases

Maddy70 · 20/11/2025 16:51

OrangesCinammonIvy · 20/11/2025 16:49

In that case op I would visit her at uni to take her out for a Xmas meal and do a secret welfare check.

Yes this

MilleniumOyster · 20/11/2025 16:51

You say she's always been private and independent...so her being private and independent now doesn't sound worrying. Her brother has seen her and reports that she seems fine.

Her behaviour doesn't sound like how you would like it to be, but there's nothing you can do about that.

She's probably relishing the real independence away from family that university can give her.

I'd expect her to get a job afterwards equally far from "home" or even abroad and not see you at Christmas for some years, if ever.