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Teenage ds is breaking my heart...could be long and rambling

13 replies

LostInSockLand · 17/04/2011 20:09

Ds is 14 this year. Mutual split with his dad when ds was about 18 months old (I say mutual but his dad was mentally abusive and had serious issues).

Since then, his dad has had several "serious" relationships, gotten married and divorced and had another two children...one with his (ex) wife and one with his new partner. He has lived in several places, slept on friend's floors, had a bedsit, moved back to our old house, about three rented houses with his current partner. Contact with ds has normally been only when he's in one of his "serious" relationships and it's always the partner who seems to encourage it.

He has never really been interested in where ds went to/goes to school, bullying issues, learning issues, doctors appointments, birthday parties, school plays, parents evenings etc etc. All this has been left to me over the years, no support whatsoever. He once told me that since I had ds live with me then it was "my problem". He pays no maintenance at all, has bought ds one shirt since he started secondary. I ask only that he tops up ds's phone £10 a month, that is all (and he doesn't always do that). He often buys expensive pets and guitars for his collection. He doesn't have any contact at all with the child he had with his ex wife and told me "well it isn't my problem, she can find me when she's old enough".

So, his current partner is lovely. She seems very reasonable and we've actually had a few conversations that exp doesn't know about. From what I can gather he treats her like crap too and I dont know why she puts up with him but that isn't my business.

My ds now spends most of his time in his bedroom on his ps3 (I didn't buy it, he saved birthday and Christmas money to buy it himself). He is either on his phone/our landline or texting, or online on the ps3 with his dad's partner, her brother or her son. He wont spend any time with me, is awful to his sister. He treats us like something he stepped in. When he goes to his dad's he'll do things like cooking with (let's call her Sarah), when I suggest it here he'll laugh at me and bugger off back upstairs. When I suggest any kind of outing he'll say no, he cant be seen with mum...dad is ok, but not mum, he'll have the piss taken out of him if we see anyone from school.

I've asked him over and over what's wrong, why is he so unhappy here but he always says its fine and he's not. Tonight, he suddenly announced that he would like to go to dad's..Sarah had texted him and said she'd pick him up. If i'd said no i'd be the bad guy but I will be anyway. Because I had no clue he was going to stay there his clothes were still on the ironing pile (to be done later tonight) and he hadn't had tea yet (because he wouldn't come down from his room to tell me what he bloody wanted).

In the end I said "just do what you want ds". He collected his creased clothes and off he went when Sarah arrived.

I have done so much for that child on my own and he seems to be so unhappy here with me. I dont know why. I've always given him everything he wanted, years ago I sold my own clothes on ebay (and i'm not talking designer, i'm talking £3 each! and yes, I was working at the time too) because I was short of cash for his birthday. I've never brought random men back here. Our fridge, freezer and cupboards have always been stuffed full of food. He has always been loved to bits and lived in a stable environment. Any problem he's had we've talked about or when he was younger, I sorted out for him. Every day since birth he's been told he's loved.

Where the fook have I gone wrong? (sorry it doesn't make much sense but i'm a bit tearful Sad)

OP posts:
nickschick · 17/04/2011 20:17

You havent gone wrong.
Hes a teenager and wants that mystical green grass on the other side.
Maybe his Dads new partner is a lovely person and is doing what she thinks is best and really being kind to your ds-she isnt your ds family though and the novelty will wear off and then thats when Ds will need you,his loving stable family who he can rely upon and who has always been there.
Its like that old saying 'you hurt those you love' cos you know that love is unconditional and you will always be there.

Good luck,deep breath and step back this is something he has to discover himself its not something you can sort out for him.

LostInSockLand · 17/04/2011 20:50

I know, it's just difficult for me to understand. I feel like i've lost my son. Exp's partner told me ds has been posting on a website for teens saying how depressed he is...why didn't he tell me? And what am I doing to make him feel so awful?

OP posts:
brightermornings · 17/04/2011 20:59

I've learnt to not take it personally. My ds is 16 I've been split from his dad for nearly 4 years. He has threatened numerous times to go and live with his dad (he has a one bed flat) last time I told him to pack his stuff I'd drop him off. He's always raving on about his wonderful dad on fb(he's not my friend on fb). You have been the one constant thing in his life and he will realise this I promise you. Just carry on what your doing your a wonderful mum.

LostInSockLand · 17/04/2011 21:42

I feel like the crappyest (made up word!) mum there is right now. Why have I struggled to bring my kids up in what I see as the best way for years..why have I worked.... why have I tried to make a nice home for us?

I could have sat on my backside and shown no interest in them at all, i'd be better thought of wouldn't I? (self pity Sad)

OP posts:
nickschick · 17/04/2011 23:12

No you wouldnt.

Hes exploring his feelings and the feelings he has are feelings beyond your control you simply cant get him what he thinks would make him happy,generally depressed people dont say they are depressed im not saying he isnt v down emotionally but chances are if he told you he was depressed youd look at the reasons why and be able to break them down and make him see sense.

Teenagers love drama and attention and this is how hes getting it.

chipmonkey · 17/04/2011 23:53

LISL, he's a teenager! And you know what? They are stroppy and aggressive and ungrateful little sods! And, he feels comfortable enough around you to be his nasty ungrateful teenage self.

When he goes to his Dad's he has to be on his best behaviour, because his Dad is someone who might disappear off the radar if he doesn't. He knows you will always be there for him so sadly, treats you with the typical attitude most teenagers give their parents. Seems to me he doesn't see his Dad as a parent.

Roll on age 20, eh?Wink

LostInSockLand · 18/04/2011 02:46

I suppose so! (went to bed earlier and woke up still fretting about it so here I am again, doh). I wasn't really prepared for this with him. I would kind of expect it with dd as she's always had a stroppy aggressive side.

But still, they both have excellent school reports with behaviour outstanding and in the last year i've actually had two mums go out of their way to approach me and tell me how nice it was to have such a polite young man around who is welcome anytime.

He's great with everyone else! I am hoping this is just a teenage thing because his dad was exactly the same (still is). Anyone who was decent and treated him well was dumped on from a great height, (yet he'd attach himself to idiots). Always the victim, he's never taken any responsibility for his own actions, and certainly has never learnt from them. Perhaps that's what is bugging me so much, I dont know!

OP posts:
chipmonkey · 18/04/2011 11:54

LISL, then he sounds lovely!

I remember a lovely girl in my class. She was really sweet, really intelligent, a bit quirky but everyone liked her. Yet her mother told my mother that she was a stroppy nightmare at home! I couldn't even imagine this girl being stroppy.

But she is still lovely AFAIK!

brightermornings · 18/04/2011 15:23

How are you feeling today?

balia · 18/04/2011 15:29

Hope you are feeling better! It's a boy thing, maybe? He wants to explore the relationship with his Dad a bit, make it stronger and doesn't know how to tell you so is behaving badly so you don't stop him? It'll be OK, give him time.

Bumpsadaisie · 18/04/2011 16:23

He's being horrid to you as you are the person he feels secure enough to be horrid too.

Just have faith that all those years of real support and love will win through and he will one day appreciate you so much!

In the meantime at this phase of life what he needs to do in order to develop and grow independent is to experiment with identifying with other people etc. All you need to do is keep being there for him when he comes back to you and needs you, regardless of how foul he has been to you!

You havent gone wrong anywhere - this is developmentally normal behaviour. Would be much more worried about your DS's development and mental health if he never had any conflict with you and was permanently as nice as pie.

The fact is that your DS is a lovely boy who does well at school and makes a good impression on those round him. Well done you!

LostInSockLand · 18/04/2011 21:55

I think being lonely might come into a bit you know. There was a little bunch of kids here who all grew up together and they had their moments but mostly they got on fine. The eldest of the bunch has now left school, second eldest moved away, the toddlers grew up and started "playing out" so now the whole bunch is much younger if that makes sense. Add into it a couple of lads who moved here, extremely naughty and abusive and ds doesn't want anything to do with them, unfortunately his former "friends" do. Obviously i'm happy that he isn't out with them because they are always in trouble and steadily getting worse but it means he hasn't been out in the street for about a year now. It's a shame because we've got a park and a football pitch close by too, but he wont go anywhere near them. I'm actually trying to move because i'm sick and tired of having abuse hurled at us practically everytime we leave the house, happened earlier tonight, that lad came and screamed in dd's face right in front of me when we were walking back from the shop. That's what made me think about it...it's a horrible atmosphere to live in at the moment.

OP posts:
Pigglesworth · 19/04/2011 00:02

I think your two mantras should be:

"This too shall pass" and "Don't take this personally".

Developmentally it is totally normal for your son to be behaving like this. It would probably be more worrying if he weren't acting out, pushing boundaries, etc.

You say you have been a loving and stable mum and in the end that will (hopefully) win out, as it does for most people! I just would just continue to be loving and supportive to my best ability.

And moving house sounds like a good idea too. It's great that your son won't associate with bad influences.

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