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Teenagers

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

What should I do???

40 replies

03angels · 16/04/2012 21:50

My 14 yr old DD2 has just left after an argument on Saturday to go live with her dad my EXDH- I am devastated as is dd3 and DP( step dd of 11 yrs) I don't know what to do- do I demand she comes back or leave her see the grass isn't greener??? :(

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OldLadyKnowsNothing · 16/04/2012 21:53

I would leave her to simmer down a bit. Keep in contact; light texts or calls, but no demands and no rows.

Is the grass greener? What's different/better at her dad's?

03angels · 16/04/2012 21:57

Well I suppose I shud start at beginning dd2 got DP arrested last summer after we found her drunk in park at 6 in morning and he grabbed her and shoved her in car( I may have been less lenient) she has been typical teenager sinc but is always grounded for 1 reason or other- this came to a head after she was found lying about staying at a female friends house on saturday night- me being a good parent even called the friends mum to confirm this and to confirm friend was a girl- so called mum said yes it was a girl and was told 'HE' had to be in for 10pm- long story short upon visiting house she is a he- though claims he is gay dishes was grounded again for 2 weeks and told no more staying out and has to be in at 6pm for foreseeable future. Today she was supposed to be back from her dads at 8- she ame in- advised she hated living here packed a bag and left!!! I'm heartbroken Dd3 is asking where her sister is- DD1 is saying leave her till she realises grass isn't greener and DP agrees! I feel like my hears tipped out and don't know what to do!

Sorry about long post- I'm just needing my hand held and to hear from someone who's been through this :/

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03angels · 16/04/2012 22:02

old lady I have no contact with dd as he was an abusive alcoholic who is now married to a proud ex prostitute- great eh! She has no phone as she has lost this and no facebook so have no way of contacting her but it is assumed she will come to 'visit' us on mons& weds as she should've been seeing her dad. Dad is very relax parent- she can come and go as she pleases- but ss had advised he is not a responsible parent full time!! Aaahhh feel like hearts been ripped out and my heads going to explode! I was a young mum had dd1 at 16 but have always worked hard for my girls dispute suffering with severe disability which is made worse by stressSad

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03angels · 16/04/2012 22:04

Please excuse typing errors my fingers don't seem to catch up with my brain

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beentheredonethat2 · 16/04/2012 22:06

I would leave her to go if you are happy that her dad is a good influence.if you ask her to come back she will sniff weakness and know that in future she can blackmail you for things by saying she will leave.I am pretty sure once the dust settles in a few weeks she will contact you and ask to come back.At least then she comes back on your terms with your rules.Maybe that will be the point you can both negotiate what's acceptable and whats not.The hardest thing will be to hang tight untill she contacts you.

03angels · 16/04/2012 22:10

That's just it been there I'm not sure exh or sm are- they have never had to deal with them for more than a few hrs at a time since she was 3 - I was reluctant to let her go as thought she would use it as a tool against me everytime she was punished for something! Hardest thing is dd3 asking where her big sis is so she can cuddle in with her- she's just 6 and dd2s shadow- when I explained she had gone to stay with her dad for a lil while she cried - this just feels so so wrong to me :(

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beentheredonethat2 · 16/04/2012 22:18

You poor thing.sometimes you have got to do what you need to do whether it's the right thing or not.If you took her back,what would she be like?would she throw tantrums and be aggressive or is she the type to just accept the situation?It is good to know that dd3 and dd2 are so close.This could be the carrot that encourages dd2 to return quicker.Why don't you contact her and let Dd3 say goodnight to her,hopefully dd3 might feel less upset and might pull on dd2 heart strings.

03angels · 16/04/2012 22:25

She would prob use it against me Sad-I have no way of contacting her either so feel like I'm missing part of me Sad guess il have to sit it out if I go drag her home she may jut run away- just wish i knew why she thinks im such a bitch dd1 & dd2 are 18 months apart and dd1 has been fab to tonight but I feel like such a failure Sad
Thanks ladies don't feel like I can speak to do as he is swinging between upset and angry that she has put me(us) through this also knowing how poorly I am Sad

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beentheredonethat2 · 16/04/2012 22:45

Please don't battle with yourself about why she thinks you are a bitch.She is a teenager and they say the worst things.I have been called names I am too embarrassed to repeat.She doesn't hate you ,just doesn't like the rules.You don't hate her,just dont like her behaviour.Underneath it all though you both have exactly the same love for each other.Try riding the storm.There is no point worrying about it at the minute as it is a fairly recent move and she will be loving getting spoilt.This will all change soon.Enjoy the break away and try and spend time reconnecting with the rest of the family because having a wayward teen can suck all your energy and take up all your time.Keep yourself busy during the day,maybe have some days out with the other kids. Honestly,it won't be long before she is begging to come back.After all you seem a lovely family and good parents

03angels · 16/04/2012 22:48

Thank you so much beenthere really appreciate it!! We have just got keys to a new house so I will be kept busy for a few days and hopefully ride out the storm

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frenchfancy · 17/04/2012 07:36

Do you have an address for her Dad? Could you use snail mail?

03angels · 17/04/2012 07:48

Yes frenchfancy I can give dd1 a letter for her - I havnt slept a wink- feel so empty just want her home

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Dee03 · 17/04/2012 07:54

It must be horrible for you but i agree with others.
Keep lines of communication open, no rowing or demands, let her realise that shes better off with you......
Good luck

03angels · 17/04/2012 08:06

Thanks see its just sooo hard Sad

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PleaseChooseAnotherNN · 17/04/2012 08:15

Speaking as a previous wayward teen I think the best thing to do is let the.dust settle. Then make.sure she knows she has a place.in ur.home and let her make her own choice to come back. Tell her you miss her but don't demand she comes home. Having run away it is hard to admit you were wrong and Ask to come back so making sure she knows that it is an option will help. Also let social services know she is with dad and they can keep an eye on her. The novelty of freedom will soon wear off when she misses the.comfort and routine of home. Clothes laundered, tea made etc, if dad is so relaxed I doubt his home is very structured?

03angels · 17/04/2012 10:08

Thanks pleasechoose I'm hoping that's true- guess I just have to wait for her now Sad

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PleaseChooseAnotherNN · 17/04/2012 15:39

Hope things blow over soon.

03angels · 17/04/2012 16:04

Just saw dd2 in street after school and she was going to walk past me Sad I managed to keep it together and asked her if she wa coming to visit us - she said she will be coming tomorrow but WON'T be staying the night as promised- I smiled sweetly and said 'maybe next week?' then went home and broke down. Sad can't explain how I'm feeling

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flow4 · 17/04/2012 22:51

So sorry, 3angels. The pain of being hurt by your own child can be sooo raw, can't it? :( Maryz always says to try to detach yourself emotionally, which I can see is good advice. I haven't managed it yet, but I'm closer than I was 3 months ago.

03angels · 18/04/2012 08:07

Aww thanks flowz I'm really struggling atmSad

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03angels · 18/04/2012 17:17

And the saga continues- dd2 came to see new house today and i showed her 'her' room- which she replied 'well only in Wednesday's!' ad to top it off ExH who has not paid a penny in child support is now telling dd2 to tell me he wants child benefit for her!!! I'm soooo angry and upset- she came over with friends and so I said I would speak to her later but she still proceeded to tell me that she living with dad as she hates living with us- she really has no reason to apart from being a teenager- so I atated most teenagers do not 'like' living with their parents it's just that she is fortunate to have the choice!! Felt like another kick in the guts Sad

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flow4 · 18/04/2012 20:09

It might (might!) help to remember that it IS a deliberate kick in the guts. But she's just angry and trying to hurt you - she probably doesn't mean it. Teenagers are very self- obsessed focussed, and angry teens have a stunning ability to overlook how their actions and words affect others. Also on the bright side, she is probably hitting out at you because you are a 'safe' person to be angry with: she knows you will still love her, even if she's utterly foul. My son actually told me this (in calmer moments 'after a storm' he's actually quite self-aware).

My best friend had a similar situation with her eldest (almost ten years ago now). When he was about 13, and had just grown bigger than his mum, he hit her in an argument, and then 'phoned his dad to collect him. My friend's ex was almost gleeful, and instead of behaving like a decent grown-up and saying "no, sort things out with your mum", he was round in about 20 mins. The boy moved out for a while, and my friend was heart-broken. In the end, he grew up enough to realise he had been at fault, and to recognise his dad had exploited the situation, and he moved back. These days, he lives at the other end of the country, but when he comes home to visit, he stays with his mum, not his dad.

It is really hard when you have an ex who behaves badly like this. But the good news is that if he can do this, he isn't mature, and the chances are he will fail to deal with the first conflict he has with your daughter. She might be home sooner than you think. Fingers crossed. Even if she isn't, she'll almost certainly come back to you in the end.

03angels · 18/04/2012 20:27

Thankyou flow4 - what you're advising makes perfect sense! There is NOTHING I can do, apart from leave her to work it out and fingers crossed it will be sooner rather than later

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flow4 · 19/04/2012 09:20

That's one of the things I find hardest about having teens - that feeling that "there is nothing I can do" :( Really, there generally isn't, at least as far as controlling their immediate behaviour, especially if you have a teen who is strong-willed... By this age, they need to be controlling themselves, and it's very hard (for you and I guess for them) if they can't yet, but won't let you or anyone one else help either.

I keep coming back to something I read here (the only book on parenting teenagers that is any use at all, imo), which was that even if you can't influence their behaviour, you still influence their values and morals in the end. So even if you can't make your daughter come home to you now, you are still 'teaching' her all kinds of useful things, like (for instance) to stay calm and act maturely when you have a disagreement with someone, and that it's not good to play games, and not to be manipulated, and that she is loved. Those are things that matter, so don't think you've stopped influencing her because she's moved to her dad's - you haven't :)

03angels · 20/04/2012 19:23

Thanks Flow4 - this week has been the worst- even dd3 is pining for her- Iv literally slept an hour a night at most! Dp has told me to look at it another way- in a little over 18 months she may have Ben going off to college or venturing out on her own - and that would be hard but at least I would know she was happy- this is awful Sad exH is not helping - he's giving her money left right and centre, has no rules and has started giving dd1 less as a result! I'm going to give her as long as she needs but on the days she's with me Iv decided we will do all the things we had been doing- shipping trips, movies out for food and maybe she will see im not a bitch again- fingers crossed!?!?!?

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