Mothers of teenagers - Archers question

[NigellaTufnel]

Is Ruth's treatment of Pip really how you have to handle them?

My DCs are still quite little, and it is terrifying that Ruth is held up as a parenting expert When all she seems to do is give in to her.

I fear for my future, as I would have bollocked her by now, and charged her rent / chucked her out / not let her have her Smarties.

I agree with you completely! My daughter is 21 and my son 18 and if either of them carried on the way Pip is, there would have been serious consequences. It would be different if she were living away from home, but she isn't, so I think Ruth needs to be much firmer. If she doesn't crack down on her hard, Pip will continue to behave selfishly and stupidly. By the way, it's good to know there are others on MN who listen to The Archers!

I don't want to defend Ruth or David. But I do think perhaps they are so scared that if they lay down the law she may bugger off like when she was with Joo-D. Or I would think that if characters were still allowed to have a bit of depth....

Pip is everything David and Rooth deserve....

Would it be so awful if she did bugger off?

How long before they lend her the money for a new car?

And there are a few if us, but think our numbers are dwindling due to it being a bit rubbish at the moment (Lillian and Paul, I need say no more).

The house no longer stops here at 7.03pm.

Not lend the money nigella, give.

I used the BBC board, but have found this site, perhaps it will grow.

Is there anyone who can justify Ruth's behaviour? Really?

I am at a loss.

The thing is Pip isn't a teenager she is twenty.I have a ds the same age and to be quite frank although he may have annoying habits and have a worrying propensity for burying his head in the sand the days of temper tantrums a la Pip have passed . The sort of behaviour she is exhibiting is more of a Bolshy 16 yer old .

It is difficult to strike the balance between alienating them and spending your whole time arguing and not allowing them to walk over you And you only need to go over to the teenagers board to see that but I repeat she is 20 !

I agree out, I would expect this from a 16 year old but she should have got over this by her age. In the end she is an employee on the farm and not doing her job. They should sack her, any other job would by now.

I'm a really laid back parent but I would never allow any of my lot to speak to us like Pip spoke to her parents (to be fair I don't think any of them would) I agree, Pip should be kicked out, maybe she will learn what real life is all about.

Heard the crash epi this morning - she needs a kick up the ass.

I don't really believe this storyline. Pip did all this a few years ago. Then she settled down to middle age with the boring Spencer. Can't see why she's kicking off again, supposed to be so keen on farming etc.

I'm probably a bit Ruth with my DD but fortunately haven't had to cope with the outright rudeness, lying, general obnoxiousness Pip has been displaying.

Agree, She's acting like a 16 year old (speaks ruefully from experience)
Ruth seems afraid of upsetting her, not sure why. She is incredibly rude...I don't blame David for being so angry with her.

It would be better for her (and me) if she did walk out.

I don't get the Pip thing tbh. On one hand David/Ruth want to know where she is, when she's home for tea, get upset if she sleeps on someone's sofa. And on the other, they're slightly obsessed with her acting like an adult. They're not really treating her as one I don't think.

Surely part of the point of being 19/20 is to be just a little bit self centred and to start to living your own life without reference to what your parents think you should be doing? If she wants to sleep on someone's sofa and get in a strop about cars, then it's her lookout.

The mistake is her living at home. It would have been FAR better for all concerned if she'd gone off to uni somewhere else and then David / Ruth wouldn't have had to see her being a pain in the arse all the time.

Pip is way too old for her attitude.
But agree that she's being treated too much like a child.
I did trash my parents' car at 20, so can't say that part is impossible.

I would say crashing the car at 20 is well normal.

But usually with a few apologies.

Kick her out! It would do us ALL the world of good.

And then maybe, David and Ruth would see the light and realise that they should sell the farm and start a new life in Bali. Or Cumbria. I don't mind which.

After I crashed the car I paid for all repairs (rather close to a write-off). And I apologised & felt rather embarrassed.