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Ethical dilemmas

Thoughts on 18yo daughter having her boyfriend stay over in our house regularly

322 replies

hafflesnaffle · 29/12/2025 08:31

She says he can stay in spare room and nothing will go on. He lives some distance away. Im wary though and worried neighbours and relatives will gossip and this lad will be getting his ‘feet under the table’. And also having to police that nothing is going on! Daughter reckons i need to come into the 21st century! How have others dealt with it?

OP posts:
feathermucker · 29/12/2025 09:17

My son was 18 when his girlfriend stated staying over (same age)

They will be having sex, you know they will be. You need to get over that fact if you want to have an open and honest relationship with your daughter and for her to be able to come to you if she needs support.

Using “not under my roof” and “shenanigans” is outdated thinking and will push her towards friending more time away from you eventually.

You might not like it and you obviously can’t handle it, but you sound ridiculous.

feathermucker · 29/12/2025 09:18

To add, you can absolutely insist they they don’t share a bed or a room but, honestly, what the hell do the neighbours have to do with anything?

IllAdvised · 29/12/2025 09:19

It’s cracking me up that the OP has posted in ‘Ethical Dilemmas’.

Conniebygaslight · 29/12/2025 09:19

hafflesnaffle · 29/12/2025 08:40

So you’re ok that your child is likely having sex in your house? Each to their own but that was called total disrespect back in my day

So where would you prefer your DD have sex?

feathermucker · 29/12/2025 09:20

IllAdvised · 29/12/2025 09:19

It’s cracking me up that the OP has posted in ‘Ethical Dilemmas’.

Oh, I hadn’t noticed that 😆

TheCurious0range · 29/12/2025 09:21

hafflesnaffle · 29/12/2025 08:37

Yes but not in my house!

Ridiculous attitude. So you'd rather they are where?

BoundaryGirl3939 · 29/12/2025 09:22

I agree with you Op. That would make me very uncomfortable too. Its your house and sanctuary. If you don't want to have to break a habit, dont start one. If they want to play happy families, they can do so elsewhere.

Apart from the neighbour comment, I think you're being gaslit on this thread.

pigmygoatsinjumpers · 29/12/2025 09:22

outofofficeagain · 29/12/2025 09:12

I’m 50. It was seen as disrespectful ‘in my day’

However I’ve decided that maybe I don’t have to have the same attitudes as my parents and that, on reflection, it probably led me to accept lower standards in my own relationships in adult life.

I therefore decided that 30 years later, I can decide for myself what respect looks like.

I would like him to bring his mugs and glasses down and pick his towels up however

I'm in my early 70s - so I'm over 20 years older than you.

I was living with a fellow student from the age of 19. In the early 70s, living with someone before you were married was still referred to by some people as "living in sin".

You would have been 18 in the early 90s. I doubt it would generally have been considered "disrespectful" by the early 90s to share a room in your parent's house.

But it's your home. If you don't want him staying overnight, don't agree to it. If he does stay overnight then ask him to bring down his mugs etc.

They will find other places to have sex.

Why on earth do you think the neighbours would be interested?

Sneesellsseashells · 29/12/2025 09:22

hafflesnaffle · 29/12/2025 08:40

So you’re ok that your child is likely having sex in your house? Each to their own but that was called total disrespect back in my day

What age are you @hafflesnaffle because I have two daughters of similar age to yours one a couple of years older, one a bit younger so your day is my day. DD1 has had boyfriends over to stay, horror of horrors, in her room.

So far the sky hasn’t collapsed and the neighbours have yet to ask the sleeping arrangements.

I think this is a battle that rages only inside your head. No one else cares. Do whatever makes you feel most comfortable and communicate that to your DD.

Purplecatshopaholic · 29/12/2025 09:24

Good grief op, are you for real? She’s 18 ffs. Separate rooms is ridiculous . I’m surprised she wants to come visit you at all.

outofofficeagain · 29/12/2025 09:24

pigmygoatsinjumpers · 29/12/2025 09:22

I'm in my early 70s - so I'm over 20 years older than you.

I was living with a fellow student from the age of 19. In the early 70s, living with someone before you were married was still referred to by some people as "living in sin".

You would have been 18 in the early 90s. I doubt it would generally have been considered "disrespectful" by the early 90s to share a room in your parent's house.

But it's your home. If you don't want him staying overnight, don't agree to it. If he does stay overnight then ask him to bring down his mugs etc.

They will find other places to have sex.

Why on earth do you think the neighbours would be interested?

I think you’re confusing me with the OP!

my parents definitely considered it disrespectful in the 90s. I however do not!

Notmyreality · 29/12/2025 09:24

hafflesnaffle · 29/12/2025 08:40

So you’re ok that your child is likely having sex in your house? Each to their own but that was called total disrespect back in my day

“Back in your day”. “Getting feet under the table” “what will the neighbours think!”

Honestly you write like you were born in 1950.

They are 18. They will be having sex. If you let them stay at your house they will have sex at your house despite what you say. If you don’t they will have sex anyway. Your call at the end of the day but sounds like you need to loosen up and also get with the times.

Paganpentacle · 29/12/2025 09:25

hafflesnaffle · 29/12/2025 08:37

Yes but not in my house!

Ok.
That'll stop it then....🙄

BauhausOfEliott · 29/12/2025 09:25

You think your neighbours will gossip because an adult woman has a boyfriend? What planet are you living on? Nobody will give a damn.

IllAdvised · 29/12/2025 09:29

BoundaryGirl3939 · 29/12/2025 09:22

I agree with you Op. That would make me very uncomfortable too. Its your house and sanctuary. If you don't want to have to break a habit, dont start one. If they want to play happy families, they can do so elsewhere.

Apart from the neighbour comment, I think you're being gaslit on this thread.

Why is having sex ‘playing happy families’? What a weird comment.

The OP would clearly rather her daughter had sex in cars, bus shelters etc. Charming.

treaconometrie · 29/12/2025 09:29

Ethical dilemma 🤔

outofofficeagain · 29/12/2025 09:30

it’s telling your daughter “having respect for me is more important than having respect for yourself”

BauhausOfEliott · 29/12/2025 09:30

outofofficeagain · 29/12/2025 09:24

I think you’re confusing me with the OP!

my parents definitely considered it disrespectful in the 90s. I however do not!

I grew up in the 90s and my siblings and I were all allowed to have partners stay over, and it wasn’t anything unusual for my peers either.

ABeerInTheSunshineMakesMeHappy · 29/12/2025 09:30

I guess it’s your house and up to you. We always said that DS’ GF was welcome in our house, but we were quite wary that we didn’t want a line of different girls staying over in his room, so when she did, they had been together a few months and were both 18. Other friends I have didn’t let their DC’s partners stay over at all; whilst another friend has her two sons partners living there full time. So that’s quite a mixture.

I think it also depends a bit on whether there are younger children in the home, how long they’ve been together, and also for your DD at 18, realistically, how long is she likely to be in the position of living at home as an adult? If she’s working in a poorly paid job, then chances are it will be some time before she can become properly independent, and if she’s paying housekeeping, then perhaps she should have a bit more say in the household. How long has she been seeing him?

DiscoBeat · 29/12/2025 09:32

Um yes, you need to get with the times!

pigmygoatsinjumpers · 29/12/2025 09:33

"shenanigans"
"back in my day"
"feet under the table"
"worried neighbours and relatives will gossip"

I'm having visions of Norah Batty shooing the young man out of the house with her broom.

Or Les Dawson's "Cissie and Ada" nudging each other over the garden fence about the "shenanigans" going on next door...

outofofficeagain · 29/12/2025 09:34

it’s probably a Daily Mail journo short on stories

Doggymummar · 29/12/2025 09:35

hafflesnaffle · 29/12/2025 08:40

So you’re ok that your child is likely having sex in your house? Each to their own but that was called total disrespect back in my day

Are you 80?

rogueone · 29/12/2025 09:37

my mother would have been very uncomfortable with any of us having a boy stay over. She has been brought up having to sleep in separate houses when she and my father visited her brothers and parents, they were married and had kids, all very strange but she was the only girl and rest brothers so I am sure there was a sexist element in there too. They did that under ‘respect’ too.

I am likely OPs age and my mother due to her own up bringing would have found it difficult having any of us bring a boy home, we all moved out when we were late teens

I have always encouraged an open and honest relationship with all my children. We discuss respect in relationships, use of condoms etc.

my son started his first serious relationship when he was 16 and they had been dating for a while. When he asked if they could stay at the house ( we were going away for the weekend) I am said yes. I spoke to his girlfriend’s mom and she agreed too. She did say she was glad it was at mine for the first time.

they dated for 4 years. No hiding around, sleeping in separate rooms.

when talking about healthy loving relationships , sex shouldn’t be seen as something dirty. Mutual respect is required as your children move into adulthood , your DD is a young adult now. Many people don’t get married now before having kids, some have many long term relationships- so are you going to stop her from ever having a partner over to stay? You need to think about what you are trying to achieve here tbh. As all I can see is one way to ensure your daughter moves out and doesn’t return.

let’s put it into perspective she is asking for him to stay over in the spare room.

Nannyfannybanny · 29/12/2025 09:37

I was born in 1950, my then to be future mil, let me ex h and I share a room with single beds in the 60s, she had a hotel,I was surprised, got pregnant at 18,(he assured me I wouldn't) had to get married..DD was allowed bf of a decent length of time to stay in the spare room at 16. I know he did,was a night nurse and incredibly light sleeper. They never did go on to have sex. Next at 18, dad of my dgks,no problem.

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