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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell DS it's up to him now.

232 replies

hotsocks27 · Today 15:51

Ds just finished school, A-level results disappointing to say the least. He managed to get himself a really good apprenticeship place which he's now lost because he missed a required grade by 2 marks. (Paper has been sent for review, but not holding out much hope that the grade will change). The plan now is for him to find himself another apprenticeship place, though it will have to be at a lower level.

But after DS was rude to me yesterday, I've decided that now is the time for me to step back and stop doing so much for him. I found him the original apprenticeship, because he was told to look but didn't bother. I helped him with the psychometric testing, the video interviews. Put loads of effort into trying to get him to revise when school told us he was probably going to fail. The moment he was left to his own devices he watched videos on you tube and insisted that was enough revision. You get the idea. He's failed his driving test 3 times, only goes out to practise if I tell him we are going.

All of this makes DH very stressed. His way of dealing with this is to tell me a list of things DS needs to be doing. I've realised that I've been babying DS in order to calm DH's anxiety and I just can't do it any more. It hasn't worked, I've put my own life on hold for months, and I'm exhausted.

Ds has spent the day in his room allegedly applying for an apprenticeship. I have said, if you want help, you know where I am and left it at that. DH is in a foul mood, foul tempered, stress farting, saying every 10 minutes 'what is DS doing? We need to look at what he's doing. He can't just be left to do it. Why is it taking so long? What has he been doing all day? He's got to write his answers in a word doc and run them through chat gpt.'Etc etc. he hasn't actually gone to Ds and said let me help, he's just dumped his stress on me but I have not budged. I know DH wants me to take over and just write the application. It is obviously driving him up that wall that I have said it is up to DS now.

Aibu?

OP posts:
NattyRedFinch · Today 21:56

Stress farting? Every day is a learning day.

hotsocks27 · Today 22:12

Genevieva · Today 21:53

One thing at a time. It’s an emotional time and you all need to cut each other some slack.

  1. His school has asked for the script and may request a remark. He may yet get the grade above.
  2. He should contact his apprenticeship provider and update them in the possible remark and ask if they’d still have him.

This was all done by 10am on results day. As I've said upthread, I'm not an idiot.

We are waiting for the outcome of a priority review and the employer will not take him unless the grade goes up. Ofqual data shows that the possibility of an increase of 2 marks or more is 15%. I'm involved in mark reviews myself for one of the exam boards. I know how it works.

OP posts:
OxfordCircus · Today 22:12

ChakaKan · Today 15:58

Sorry not the point of the thread but stress farting? Was that a typo or is DH farting constantly from stress?

anyway YANBU and I firmly believe we don’t help kids by doing everything for them. DS needs to begin to take responsibility for his own life as he is entering into adulthood. Obviously you can support him but as you’ve found out, doing the heavy lifting for him isn’t going to work.

🤣🤣

i stopped reading at that point. Never heard of stress farting before. 😩🤣

LilytheThink · Today 22:25

When the DC were (relatively) young my DH decided they should do regular chores as part of getting pocket money. I disagreed and told him that.
He told me several times that he thought they should do chores, which roughly translated as “you sort it out.”
I told him that if he wanted the kids to do chores, he could organise a rota for it and implement it and I would act as back up support. No surprise to say it never happened.

Elsvieta · Today 22:29

DH: we need to do X.
You: if that's what you think, you should do it.

DH: ds needs to do X.
You: if that's what you think, you should tell him that.

DH: has ds done X?
You: I don't know, you should ask him.

With an occasional reminder, if necessary, that he's not your damn line manager. If he's so sure he knows how to handle this, let him. Don't teach your son that it's always the job of the nearest woman to placate a tantrumming man and make sure his wishes are carried out. Just make it clear that doing nothing isn't an option - he needs to be working or studying - and you won't be handing him money, and let him work it out.

ChakaKan · Today 22:39

OxfordCircus · Today 22:12

🤣🤣

i stopped reading at that point. Never heard of stress farting before. 😩🤣

Me neither! I’m familiar with a nervous shit but not stress induced flatulence. I honestly wondered if OP meant stress faffing or something and made a typo but it seems to be that farting is his outlet for stress Confused

ChaliceinWonderland · Today 22:43

Your dh is the issue here. Shouting? No wonder your son hides in his room. My 17 Yr old sounds similar, but, j nanage it with love,humour...
He needs to get away from you, or you from him ! Thanking God again iam single!

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