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AIBU?

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AIBU to make my daughter get the bus after our row?

228 replies

PeriandOverhelmed · 14/09/2026 09:55

What a horrible start to Monday.

My almost-16-year-old daughter has stamped off in a huff. The background is that all weekend, I nicely asked her to put her washing on - and she started it late Sunday evening. At 9.30pm (my bedtime) I found wet school trousers sat in the kitchen so I hung them up and switched off the tumble dryer. I told her it was much too late to be doing washing and she should have started earlier. This morning, I woke her 30 mins early and reminded her to sort her washing. The trousers were still hanging up and I put the tumble dryer back on. A huge pile of clothes (dirty, clean, wet, I don't know) were lying on the kitchen table and I put them in a laundry basket, took them back to her room and told her I don't know what state these are in but they can't lie in the kitchen.

I also made her breakfast and got ready to take her to school as usual. Then just before we were due to leave, she asked me to write her a note for school to explain that she's wearing leggings rather than school trousers because they're still wet. I said I'm busy getting ready, and in any case, it's her own fault her clothes are wet. She started shouting and crying, saying 'fine, I'll wear wet trousers then' and when I went to go into her room, she shoved the door shut in my face yelling she's 'getting changed for school'. I replied that I'm not taking her anywhere when she's behaving like that. A minute later, she came into my room and asked if I'm taking her to school or is she getting the bus. I said bus given her behaviour and if she shoves a door in my face like that again she can move in her with dad (we're divorced and he does nothing so it's not even an option). So off she stropped - even though it takes two buses and 2 hours to get to school that way and she'll be late.

Now I feel completely rotten about myself and don't know what to do. I guess I already know I was being unreasonable.

OP posts:
AirportParking · 18/09/2026 07:08

Only fishing out your own washing and leaving your 15yo to fend for herself seems so petty to me. Surely you can just ask her to put the odd load on if it that important she does laundry?

I would never leave my children to crash and burn like this. You let her get in that upset state to the point she was so angry she was slamming doors in your face- you provoked her.

Providing kids with clean, dry clothes is an adult's responsibility. As is ensuring they get to school on time.

User3456 · 19/09/2026 10:10

My son would probably have ended up wearing unwashed uniform if I asked him to do his own laundry.
We just chucked everything in together when we were doing a load. He did occasionally do washing and I made sure he knew how to use the machine but generally it was easier to put his uniform in when we were doing our own washing.
It seems like this is a lot of unnecessary stress for you both?

Wingingit73 · 19/09/2026 10:49

You took her trousers out of the dryer after she put them in? Why? 9.30 isnt late for some. I think you need to be kinder.

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