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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Bone Idle step son :(

119 replies

atendofmytether · 14/11/2023 16:20

I’m a regular but name changed for this as it’s outing. sorry it's long.

Me and DH have four children in their 20s between us, we bought a 5 bed house 3yrs ago when we moved in together to accommodate, though now we only have DH son, 23yr, with us full time.

Issue is he is absolutely bone idle. He only works 3 days a week, total 24 hrs, gets a taxi every time which takes 3 mins, he’s never helped out in the house despite being asked numerous times over the years.

He’s got no social life, it’s been years since he went on a night out. He can’t drive, no interest in learning. He spends his spare time sleeping, gaming or watching sport with DH. He can’t cook, lives off junk food/takeaways if I don’t cook. DH agrees he’s lazy, he doesn’t like it, but “can’t change him”.

I’m sick of coming home from work seeing him sat watching tv with his feet up having done nothing all day, when me and DH work long hours.

DH thinks we’re staying in the house until the mortgage is paid off in 10 years, I’d like to downsize next year or two as there’s only two of us. I don’t want to think DSS will still be living with us when he’s 33.

Me and DH don’t know how we get DSS to a point where he’s looking to move out in the next 2-3 years. We both agree he needs to be getting a full-time job, learning to drive and saving for his own place. But how do we make him change so massively that he’d be able to live self sufficiently?!

I’ve been strict with my two, since leaving education they’ve always worked full time and pulled their weight at home. DH is too soft with him and we end up arguing because DSS doesn’t give a damn and knows his dad won’t follow through on trying to make him change.

My DH says we put his rent up, but that won’t sort him. I think we turn the Wi-Fi off so he can’t go online and spend all day gaming on his days off, but then he’ll just watch sport.

I’m at the end of my tether. I really don’t know how to sort this. Any advice from anyone please.

OP posts:
Bananalanacake · 14/11/2023 16:26

Does he pay towards his keep from his earnings. Well done on being strict with your 2. I don't understand why so many young adults are happy to hang around at home, I couldn't wait to move out and get away from my parents, I got on with them, just liked my own space.

Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:29

how many of the others live at home permanently?

Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:30

did he go to uni?

Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:30

is his mother in the picture?

Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:31

how is her affording any rent or taxis?

Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:32

basically this is the product of your DH’s lazy approach to parenting

PivotPivotmakingmargaritas · 14/11/2023 16:38

Have you and DH sat him down and stated he has 2-3 years to move out?

Your biggest problem is a DH problem if your DH is a weak parent it doesn’t matter what you say nothing will happen as your DSS knows your DH won’t follow through. You need to be clear to DH how much this is affecting you and your feeling of this being your home too

TheCadoganArms · 14/11/2023 16:40

Me and DH don’t know how we get DSS to a point where he’s looking to move out in the next 2-3 years

“Hello stepson. We will be selling this house in 18 months or so as we are looking to downsize to a property more in tune with our needs and less expensive to run. We also feel it is about time you stood up on your own two feet and make your own way in this world as you can’t expect to live with us forever rent and bill free. I strongly suggest you increase your hours to full time or find another role that allows for some kind of career progression and start saving for deposit on a flatshare. The local adult education/tech college offers various courses if you need to upskill and we will support you in this but your days of playing games and loafing about the house all day are numbered.”

atendofmytether · 14/11/2023 16:43

Yes he pays keep, £150 pcm, it’s just gone up by £30 a month as I’d had enough so made him pay towards a cleaner seeing as he’s not prepared to do anything.

None of our other children live at home permanently.

He didn’t go to Uni, he left school, went to college but then gave that up as he couldn’t get up in a morning and hated having to get 2 buses.

His mother hasn’t been in his life much since he was about 12, she sees him maybe a couple of times a year for a coffee.

This is 100% my DH’s lazy parenting, we’ve had so many conversations over the years about it that turn into arguments and it never gets resolved, he just won’t deal with it and yes I agree, DSS knows DH won’t follow through so he barely listens.

I absolutely kicked off a while ago with it all, we went away for 5 days and the house was a disgusting mess when we got home, he didn’t give a shit though.

OP posts:
Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:45

does he work part time?

Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:46

This is 100% my DH’s lazy parenting, we’ve had so many conversations over the years about it that turn into arguments and it never gets resolved, he just won’t deal with it

so why did you think buying a property with him and moving in together would somehow resolve two decades of piss poor parenting?

atendofmytether · 14/11/2023 16:50

@Afteropening yes he works 3 days a week in a shop, for 8 hours, so 24 in total. He's happy with this as he doesn't spend money on anything so why work full time.

I said to him a while ago, if I could get you any job at all in the world, what would you like to do, he said nothing, nothing interests him.

@TheCadoganArms this is great, I will use some of this. I would say, without sounding negative, he won't give a shit, he will drift on because his dad has never put his foot down about anything, so in his mind, he won't be pushed out.

OP posts:
Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:51

He must be so unhappy at his existence

Afteropening · 14/11/2023 16:51

what is his sibling up to?

Do all four live at home?

loopsaloo · 14/11/2023 16:52

I'm in pretty much the same situation. Stepson, 22, finished uni and immediately moved in with me and DH, we've only had the house a year.
Previously we had SD (25) demanding to move in as soon as we had signed the contracts, with us another story entirely. She's living away now.
He got a good degree, but now does absolutely nothing. He's doing an IT course online which the job centre have forced on him but when he's not doing that, he's "chilling".
Does no cooking unless he's asked, no cleaning, no tidying. Doesn't go out. Hangs around like the grim reaper in his hoodies.
DH is either not seeing it or just doesn't want to address it. I'm absolutely sick of it. DH and I work long hours in the NHS and I'm sick of subsidising him.

Whattodowithit88 · 14/11/2023 16:52

Threaten to leave DH if he doesn’t sort this out otherwise this is your life for the next 10 years.

CoffeeBeansGalore · 14/11/2023 16:56

£150 a month? What percentage of his take home pay is that?

I would suggest a minimum of £250.

If not already, get him doing his own laundry, cooking & clearing up. If he won't clear up then he gets nothing. He is out next day. And stick to it. Dh shilly shallying & not carrying through is doing nobody any favours.

Or you find a room, pay the deposit & tell him he's moving.

atendofmytether · 14/11/2023 16:58

@Afteropening The arguments over the years started when he was living on his own with DSS and I was trying to get him make him pull his weight. When we talked about moving in together we had long convesations and DH promised he would start to make the changes with DSS, unfortunately he hasn’t. I get accused of not liking DSS if I say anything. I will say that just recently he has admitted it’s now beyond a joke.

I just don’t know what the consequences should be if he doesn’t start to make changes.

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 14/11/2023 16:59

Would you want to downsize if it wasn't for DSS?

If you'd want to downsize anyway and your DH is in agreement just tell him that you'll be selling the house in (however long) and he needs to plan to sort out his own housing after that.

If you think it would help, sit down with him and look at houses/flats to let on Rightmove and spare room.com so that he has some idea of the money he needs.

If you really really want him gone offer to pay the deposit.

If you wouldn't want to downsize... well the market's not great and maybe your house won't sell Grin

heldinadream · 14/11/2023 17:00

He's a grown man with a job. Just tell him the house is going on the market in spring and you are downsizing and you are NOT taking him with you.

Afteropening · 14/11/2023 17:00

* DH promised he would start to make the changes with DSS, unfortunately he hasn’t. I get accused of not liking DSS if I say anything.*

that was optimistic of you!

atendofmytether · 14/11/2023 17:02

@Afteropening he's not unhappy living like this, he loves it, lives in a lovely house, full fridge, doesn't have to do anything, comne and go as he pleases!
His sibling has his own flat, no my two are not living at home either, they are same age and younger than him and are doing well getting on with their lives.

My DH can't believe he's got such a lazy son when he's been working since he was 16 and is a grafter.

OP posts:
WrongSwanson · 14/11/2023 17:05

I'd set him a commercial level of rent.. plus charge his share of utility bills council tax and food. And if DH didn't think that was fair i'd suggest that in that case I would only be transferring £150/month into the joint account...

You are not being unreasonable at all.

arethereanyleftatall · 14/11/2023 17:06

Your choices are thus op....

  1. Kick step son out
  2. Proper approach from his dad to get him independent in x amount of time. Set a time limit.
  3. You leave and either just a) divorce or b) agree to carry on being married but live separately.

Otherwise, it's your current life probably forever.

I would do 3b with an agreement to move back in when step son in gone.

atendofmytether · 14/11/2023 17:06

@loopsaloo crikey, mirror images here then! we should introduce them and put them in a flat together 🤔

OP posts: