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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

12 year old daughter and 16 year old boyfriend

47 replies

sharon2609 · 23/01/2011 23:45

My 12 year old is challenging at the best of times. This week she said she felt really ill(she's not often ill and doesn't like missing school)so I said she could stay home. I had to go to work but kept in contact by phone. However, mum's instinct kicked in and i left work early. I came home to find her sitting with a 16 year old boy.It transpires that he wants her as his girlfriend. I grounded her but on Saturday she ran out of the house. I sent the police to go and fetch her home. She swears at me and is generally disrespectful. She cant see the prob with having an older boyfriend. I have lost the will to live with herand just cant talk to her as it always ends up in a screaming match. Any advice please?

OP posts:
cazboldy · 24/01/2011 08:14

Whatever you say, it's doubtful that she will actually stop seeing him. She will probably think she is in love with him, and the more you tell her not to do it, it will seem like an attractive option.

12 is, I think exceptionally young, but then we are told all the time that kids are growing up sooner.

I had a very similar situation. Met my (now dh) when i was 11, became his gf - to my parents horror! - when I was 13. And they reacted much the same was as you have - understandably now, but at the time I thought they were trying to "ruin my life". My dh was 19 at the time. So those of you saying paedo about this lad, I feel, are being very harsh - I know I was a child, but I didn't feel like it - i felt so grown up, and like I knew everything! and i certainly didn't look like a 13 year old. I had started my periods at 11, and had breasts and acted maturely. I had always spent more time with adults, than other people my own age, which i also feel was a factor.

I also feel similarly to the poster who says that she felt like her mum hated her. I felt like my mum hated me, and I certainly hated her (at the time) we couldn't even look at each other without one of us saying something nasty! - and even now I think we were both to blame for that.

This I feel is important, as I have never, and still don't have the kind of relationship with my mum where I could talk to her about things.

They tried to stop me seeing him, but I lied, i sneaked out, you name it, I did it.

And I was a good student at school, and up to this point "a good girl", but I loved this person!

My dad realised I was lying etc, and knew I would continue to do so, so we all got together, and they said we could see each other, at my house only and only a little to begin with. i wasn't allowed out with him, unless we all went. And we weren't allowed to be alone together.

They obviously thought that he would soon get bored of this and find a more exciting prospect closer to his own age. Tbh I don't know why he didn't!

Things went well like this for about 18 months, and so my parents decided to go a bit easier on us, and I was allowed to go to his (he still lived at home) as long as his mother would "supervise" us. She said she would but didn't and I fell pg about 3 months later, with my now 14 year old ds1.

My parents will not speak to his family - especially his mother, and family gatherings are a nightmare.

I lived at home, finished school and finally married dh when i was 16. This was 13 years ago next week and we now have another four beautiful children and are very happy.

Things didn't get better with my mum until about a year after I moved out. i love my mum and I know that she loves me, but I still couldn't talk to her if I had problems.

I don't want my children to feel like this. If they had a problem, I want them to tell me first!

However I really don't know what they could have done differently in this situation, and I do feel bad for what we put them through.

oh and just to clarify, the pg was an accident, and certainly not planned. A condom split, and then the morning after pill didn't work. Note that I say accident, but not mistake.

I really wish you the best with your daughter, and feel for you in this difficult situation.

I just saw a lot of paralells with my own life and wanted to talk to you about it. xxx

WimpleOfTheBallet · 24/01/2011 09:55

Niki....it isn't extreme....what's extreme is that people are suggesting the OP gets help for her DAUGHTER as though she's the main problem.

She's 12...he's 16...I know who I would expect to behave responsibly.

Also in teen circles a 16 year old lad who went for a 12 year old would be ostracised by most...they have quite strong ideas about what age difference is ok in cases like this....it's HIM who needsdealing with.

Your DD need support...I well remeber geting pressure from older boy when I was 13...it was all very disurbing. I didn't have the slf assuranceto tell him to shove off...all we did was kiss but even that was too muh for me,

hobbgoblin · 24/01/2011 11:02

Wimple, if you can't think beyond the obvious to the subtle complexities perhaps you should not be so vehement in your opinion, with the capitals and all.

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 24/01/2011 11:40

sorry cazboldy but i would have serious concerns about any man (at 19 he was a man) who had any interest in a 13 year old girl. when i was 16 i went out with a 22 year old man and liek you, at the time i thought i was so grown up. but when i think about it now it makes me sick to wonder what he was actually doing going out with me. what on earth could a 19 year old have in common with a 13 year old child??

sharon2609 · 24/01/2011 15:35

Goodness....a can of worms!! My main concern is that my daughter is safe and comfortable with all situations. I think W of the B is correct in that I'm not sure she has the confidence to tell him to leave her alone. I also think that she maybe sees it as cool to have an older boy fancy her. Maybe she is giving off mixed messages to him. I also feel that if I were able to communicate better with her this would be easier to sort out.....so down to me to make sure I improve on how I talk with her. I will certainly speak with his mother..like i say he's a nice polite boy and I would not like him to get into trouble.

OP posts:
belledechocchipcookie · 24/01/2011 15:43

He's not a "nice polite boy" if he's after a 12 year old child! I'd give the NSPCC a call and ask for their advice.

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 24/01/2011 15:48

regardles of what mixed signals your emotionally immature child is giving, this boy should not be going near her. most 16 year old boys would view a 12 year old as having a big red X on her. it is a no-go area. you just dont do it.

belledechocchipcookie · 24/01/2011 15:51

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_grooming

sharon2609 · 24/01/2011 15:53

I agree. I'm getting swamped by so many thoughts. The bottom line is she is a minor and he's not.

OP posts:
belledechocchipcookie · 24/01/2011 15:57

Step away from it. If a friend came to you with this problem what would you tell them? It's irrelevant if your daughter looks older or is 'mature' for her age, this man knows how old she is and he's told you that he's not bothered. He's not a child, he's a man with raging hormones. You need to seek advice about this. He's basically admitting to you that he won't stop if he's warned off by the police. He's a danger to your daughter and you need help.

www.nspcc.org.uk/

belledechocchipcookie · 24/01/2011 15:58

www.nspcc.org.uk

sharon2609 · 24/01/2011 17:16

I feel sick...never occurred to me about the grooming thing.

OP posts:
ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 24/01/2011 17:17

sharon, it is very possible he doesn't even realise what he is doing is grooming but it is. he wants a relationship with a child. Sad

belledechocchipcookie · 24/01/2011 17:20

You really do need some help with this. Have you checked the messages on her mobile phone/emails? Have you called the NSPCC?

sharon2609 · 24/01/2011 17:52

I have checked face book and her phone. She says she has said she cant be his girlfriend(think she's saying what i want to hear)there doesn't seem to be anything that would indicate things have gone too far. I have asked her if they have snogged etc...she strongly denies anything has gone on.He has contacted her asking if she's ok as he knew I'd gone mad about it. I havae asked him not to contact her and he has taken no notice.

OP posts:
belledechocchipcookie · 24/01/2011 17:57

Seriously, you need to contact the NSPCC and ask them for advice. He's clearly not listening to what you are telling him. I'm sorry but he sounds obsessed or unstable so at the moment he's a danger to your child.

sharon2609 · 24/01/2011 18:03

Point taken...better safe than sorry

OP posts:
belledechocchipcookie · 24/01/2011 18:04

Yes. I hope it works out.

saswabunny · 16/03/2011 20:07

Hi there, I am really sorry to hear about your situation. I am a 16 year old girl (nearly 17) and the majority of my friends are boys. I know for a fact that if any of my male friends or anyone in my year showed interest in a 12 year old they would be called a number of names along the lines of pervert, pedo etc. It just doesn't make any sense, a 16 year old and 12 year old have very little in common even if she does act more mature than her age. I definitely think you should give the family counselling a go, I wish my mum and I had tried something like that as I find it really difficult to talk to her about certain situations. I first met my boyfriend at age 12, he was 14. My mum found out and insisted we should split up...I said I would but didn't. We met up behind her back and I felt terrible for it but I really wanted to see him. We are still together now nearly 5 years down the line but with luck she may lose interest. However to a teenager forbidden love somehow is that bit more appealing. Try adopting a calm attitude when talking to her and ask her why she likes him so much etc and hear her side of the story...maybe that way she will listen to your side and realise how wrong this age gap actually is. Sorry if I have gone a bit off point, hope I helped

IloveJudgeJudy · 17/03/2011 23:06

I wanted to add to what saswa said. There is in fact a boy in my DS's year at school (11) who is 16 and has had sex with a 12 year old in Y8. He is being ostracised at school and called a perv by everyone.

I remember when I was at school in Y8 there was a girl who had had sex with her 16/17 yo boyfriend. We all thought we/she was grown up, but now that makes me feel sick. What are these boys thinking? It is wrong.

sparrowwatcher44 · 18/03/2011 08:44

I was just wondering how the OP is as she hasn't updated this.I don't know if she has been around and posting elsewhere on MN but I have been reading this thread with interest and concern as my daughter turned 12 last month and the thought of her going with a 16 yr old. . . well I just couldn't imagine it, I really do feel for you Sharon.My godson has just turned 17 and I know there would be no way he would look at my daughter in that way, no way.I hope you are able to let us know how things are soon.

ScarlettWalking · 18/03/2011 09:08

What does he want with a 12 yo?

I'm sorry but that is really odd and just not on even if she looks older maturity is apparent when she speaks and communicates. I have a teenage ss and when he was 16 he would never dream of going there with a child. I think you need to come down on this like a ton of bricks actually. There is something really not right about a guy who is with a 12 yo girl.

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