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Teenagers

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

Am I being unreasonable???

31 replies

Iknownothingapparently · 23/01/2015 18:23

A few months ago I found out the my 15year old daughter was seeing this lad, I was abit upset as it made me realise that she wasn't my little girl anymore, anyway I then found out that this lad was, well let's just say that's he's not the sort you want around you daughter, so I spoke to her about it and few choice words were exchanged and she told me that she wasn't seeing him anymore, which I didn't believe for a second.
I have have since caught her with this boy a few times and she is still insisting that there is nothing going on and I have said to her that as long as she tells me the truth then I won't stop her from seeing him and she has promised me that's it's finished.
Well the last straw came when I was driving home from work and yet again saw her with down the side of some shops talking, so when I asked her about it she lied to me again telling me it wasn't him it was her friends boyfriend and that they was talking about her friend because they had had a argument, but I know that it was the boy that she keeps telling me she isn't seeing and she has lied to my face.
Out of anger I have told her she can stay at her dads until she is ready to tell me the truth and that he can put up with hers lies cause I have had enough, she said she didn't want to go but I made her because I was that angry.
Her dad is pretty much useless so will not encourage her to tell me truth and now I am worried sick that I made a huge mistake in sheer anger and what am supposed to do if she never tells me the truth, do I just let her come back knowing that she is constantly lying and in a way she has own and I have proved nothing. ( she has been gone 4days now)

We used to be very close as it was just me and her for 8 years until I met my current partner and I just want that closeness back, I have always been very open with her and told her she can talk to me about anything, I may not always like it but she can still speak to me.

OP posts:
MuddhaOfSuburbia · 24/01/2015 18:06

oh I dunno, Lottie

calling someone's behaviour outrageous strikes me as being pretty judgy

Lottiedoubtie · 25/01/2015 09:42

If you apply the same logic as you are supposed to when you dicipline kids I was judging the behaviour not the person? Wink

And tbh I'm happy to stand by my opinion that sending a teenager to live with the other parent as a punishment is outrageous. Teenagers need to feel they are loved unconditionally by their parents.

It doesn't make the OP a bad person but I really do think she's made a massive mistake and needs to start building bridges and being the responsible adult ASAP.

Loopness · 25/01/2015 19:46

i'm a bit late with advice i know but trust me you don't want to know half of what she is doing as you would worry yourself stupid! so don't ask, just listen when she does want to talk. She will probably want to talk more when you don't ask.
You just have to hope that you have instilled all the right values in her upbringing and hope she makes good choices.
Always let her know that even when she makes mistakes that you will always be there for her.
Hope you have her back now and are getting on better.
x

OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 05/02/2015 11:22

Your daughter is 15 and capable of making her own decisions (and more importantly, mistakes) about her relationships.

Tell her what you think, keep her safe, always be ready to advise but don't ban her from seeing him. It won't work and it will drive her away.

MrsGherkin · 05/02/2015 19:03

When i was just 16 I brought home an 18 year old punk - my new bf. My Mum shook his hand and said hello and that she expected her daughter to be looked after and respected - he agreed, and they always got on well. Mum even got to know his parents. I dumped the poor boy about a year later, he wasn't right for me.

Trust your daughter to know what's right for her, to make the odd mistake - yes, but in all likelihood she'll come to your way of thinking in the end. My mum could have grounded me, banned him etc but she played it just right I think. I came to the right decision on my own. Chat to your daughter explain you've made a mistake and invite her home and talk about your concerns and about him, offer to cook dinner for the three of you, and get to know him. As long as they're safe and respectful of each other it should not be a problem.

nooddsocksforme · 05/02/2015 22:30

keep her close. My mum disapproved of lots of the boyfriends I had as a teenager , it made me more determined to see them. I was very sensible and had no intention of staying with any of them on a long term basis-I was having fun. I still resent my mums attitude to these boys-although now that I am much older I realise why she thought that way. I have a very responsible professional job and just celebrated my silver wedding anniversary. As a young girl I was very shy but had a lot of self respect abut at that age was attracted to someone "exciting" I suppose I am saying that let her choose , keep her trust and dont feel you can stop her trying things out a bit

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