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Teenagers

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

Vaping and Drinking 15 yr old

33 replies

Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 17:33

I need some advice and opinions please.
DS 15 vapes and owns a vape. Husband and I don't vape or smoke, although husband is an ex smoker before DS was born. I am really anti smoking and vaping. But husband has allowed DS to own / buy vapes and liquids and the only rule is not in the house- DS is to go outside to vape. I would ban from having these things in the house full stop- would take a zero tolerance stance because of his age. I will not allow him to order vapes/ liquids to the house and have previously refused to sign to say he is 18 on delivery, resulting in the parcel being returned to sender. So now, DS has discovered which companies don't insist on age verification and also gets things sent to his friend's addresses.
Although DS is not allowed to have it in his bedroom, he does, and if I don't remember to ask him to put it downstairs, my husband never does, so it might be being used in DS's bedroom for days.
Recently he has been caught at school with it and is on a warning to not get caught with it again. He has continued to take it in.
Alcohol- over the summer DS attended a camping sleepover in a friend's field. ( socially distanced as all took own tents) He asked for beer to take. After some consideration I purchased a 4 bottle pack, and gave him two bottles to take. My thinking was to allow it as a special occasion ( birthday sleepover party.) I made clear it was a one off or almost at any rate- only on special occasions, not an every weekend deal. He asked several more times within weeks of this, and both me and my husband stood firm and said no more.
Anyway, today I have found 3 bottles of beer in his bedroom. I told DS I wasn't happy about this and was met with the standard teenage scorn. I then told husband- whose words were " I like it less than you" ( son having alcohol in his room)
So when husband sees DS and asks him about it, all he said was " how come you've got alcohol in your room? How did you get it? and "So you are not a secret drinker then? That was it, no saying you are not to have it, hand it over to me etc. Nothing. End of discussion. So I am really confused- if DH likes the idea of DS having alcohol even less than me, how can this be his only response? Because now, it seems to me it's been left that it is ok for our 15 yr old to have alcohol in his room as long as he says he is not secretly drinking it in there!!
Please can you tell me your thoughts on the situation and what you allow to happen with your teens. I think both things are completely wrong but am looking for some outside perspective in case it's me that's being unreasonable. Thanks.

OP posts:
Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 18:11

Anyone? Please!

OP posts:
Pinkshrimp · 03/10/2020 18:21

How is he paying for the vapes? Who is buying the alcohol?

Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 18:27

We are not sure who is buying the alcohol- friends? He will be spending his pocket money on the vapes.

OP posts:
ISBN111 · 03/10/2020 18:32

Have you managed to get out of him why he feels the need to vape?

I would be saying something like ‘no beer until 1/2 term’ and if he asks again then not then either.

It sounds like the vaping is more of a habit than the drinking so I would be trying to fond out what is going on there.

Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 18:35

He says he just likes vaping. It has been going on for 18 months now. I hate him doing it, but husband won't outright ban it. With the alcohol- would you let your teen keep alcohol in their room as he is currently? Thanks

OP posts:
blueberrypie0112 · 03/10/2020 18:39

Vaping will make him more prone to coronavirus complication

creaturcomforts · 03/10/2020 18:41

I don't understand how he's ordering off Amazon as wouldn't he need a bank card? How is he getting the alchohol? No he shouldn't be allowed alcohol in his room he's underage!

Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 18:43

Thanks for all your comments- he isn't even slightly bothered about coronavirus complications- he is 15 and thinks he's invincible.

Yes, I also thought alcohol in his room is unacceptable.

OP posts:
Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 18:44

He does have a bank card- he has had it for 12 months, although the banks give out debit cards from age 11.

OP posts:
Ffsnosexallowed · 03/10/2020 18:44

"Vaping will make him more prone to coronavirus complication" - what?? I call bollocks.

Pinkshrimp · 03/10/2020 18:47

No I wouldn’t let my teen have alcohol in their bedroom. My teen doesn’t have the ability to buy stuff online unless it’s through our payment cards which we have to authorise. I don’t understand how your 15 year old is ordering and paying for stuff online.
If he’s been vaping for 18 months then banning it is pointless now. He’s already addicted to the nicotine.

Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 18:49

@Pinkshrimp He has a bank account/ debit card. The banks give these out from age 11

OP posts:
WeAllHaveWings · 03/10/2020 20:09

The last thing any 15 year old needs it's parents with opposing boundaries. It leaves then either confused or playing one parent off the other. You and your dh need to decide what is acceptable and what isn't and have an united front. You dh needs to be a parent and not a friend.

If (hopefully when) you decide to stop enabling his vaping phone the bank and cancel his card, he can't have one without parental permission.

Zeebeezee · 03/10/2020 20:12

Have a look at your parenting and funding first before dissing your child.

iMatter · 03/10/2020 20:15

Presumably someone is putting money in his account/on his card

Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 20:38

@Zeebeezee When have I "dissed"my child? And "have a look at my parenting" - how constructive of you. What are you referring to here? It must make you feel so superior to come out with comments like these from behind the anonymity of your phone.
And the other posters, do other people's teens not have bank cards and do other parents not pay pocket money on to them? I thought this was normal. We live remotely and local shops are very limited, so most things are ordered online. They don't get large amounts of money and they have to earn it. Does everyone else pay in cash?

OP posts:
blueberrypie0112 · 03/10/2020 20:48

@Ffsnosexallowed

"Vaping will make him more prone to coronavirus complication" - what?? I call bollocks.
www.webmd.com/lung/covid-19-smoking-vaping#:~:text=People%20who%20use%20vapes%20or,and%20hurt%20lung%20cells.
iMatter · 03/10/2020 20:48

I have teen boys

If they were spending their pocket money on vaping and booze the pocket money would stop

blueberrypie0112 · 03/10/2020 20:49

@Ffsnosexallowed

"Vaping will make him more prone to coronavirus complication" - what?? I call bollocks.
www.webmd.com/lung/covid-19-smoking-vaping
blueberrypie0112 · 03/10/2020 20:54

www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/health/covid-vaping-smoking.html More recent link. , I would discuss your son why he need to stop

Lollypop701 · 03/10/2020 20:59

You have a dh issue! My dc 14 and 17 have cards. They can order up to their limits. My dh and I have allowed my 17yo beers on occasion since 16 ish. My kids know the limits, as parents we provide a United front (it doesn’t matter if we differ with kids it’s one story) and my kids get money from us... so if Were not happy Theres no money. Not happened really (dd once as did no chores and spends are earned in our house) . Tbf my kids know what’s ok and what isn’t. Step outside of it and spends cease ...don’t care in any way if they don’t like this, it’s our money!

Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 20:59

Thank you for the constructive comments.
May I ask @iMatter, do you currently pay their allowance on to their bank accounts that they have debit cards for?

OP posts:
TheProvincialLady · 03/10/2020 21:08

Your son has been vaping since the age of 13 and your husband is fine with that as long as he vapes outside. Except when he vapes in his room. And he can drink only on special occasions but also keep alcohol in his room. You don’t approve of him vaping and drinking but you pay for the vape juice and the alcohol.

What do you actually want to achieve here?

Cannottakeanymore · 03/10/2020 21:18

@TheProvincialLady I agreed to buying alcohol once. Just once. This was because I thought allowing it very occasionally was better than totally banning it, as it would then be so much more desirable and I wouldn't be able to control the amount if he got it elsewhere.
I do not think it is ok he has it in his room as I have already said. I do not pay for the vape juice and have never done so. I pay him pocket money in exchange for chores. How can I control what he spends it on? If I paid him cash, he would give that to a friend to order stuff for him.

OP posts:
iMatter · 03/10/2020 21:22

Yes - I transfer money into their account every week and they have debit cards and Apple Pay

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