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Teenagers

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

15yo wants to stay out late at night

38 replies

cathess · 03/03/2021 13:33

please help. My yr11 daughter who is still 15 wants to stay out late at night, we've just 'upped' the coming home time to 10pm from 9:30pm but she wants to stay out until midnight or later. Her reason is to feel free, to wander as she pleases and to not feel trapped. (Her lockdown reason is that she is exercising). We know she's not meeting anyone since she will see her boyf earlier in the evening and he will go home by 10pm. She has always behaved well, come home on time and she is an outstanding student. We live in a small, very safe town, with little crime. However when we say need her to be home by 10pm in order to relax before sleep, that she needs to be up early to do lessons etc. she just answers stating her exemplary school and behaviour record. The thing is I could not relax if she's out late at night, on her own, even with a phone. Anything could happen to her, she's still a child and I feel she needs to be home, safe at 10pm. (she's also under the care of cahms for an eating disorder and has been self-harming for a few months, none of which she hides). we're waiting on cahms for an assessment of OCD or autism or whatever it is that makes her have episodes of being very distressed when something isn't right or she can't get what she wants. Any advice would be most welcome, many thanks.

OP posts:
justanotherneighinparadise · 04/03/2021 15:10

Errrm no. I was given MASSIVE freedoms by my mum when I was 15 and yet never once was I allowed to stay out until midnight essentially wandering the streets on a school night.

If I was at a club with friends -fine. If I was working -fine. If I was at a sleepover or party- fine. But not just idling about somewhere and not on a school night.

LolaNova · 04/03/2021 15:27

A pre-arranged party, concert, prom etc. Fine. Wandering around until midnight for no reason every night - not ok.

I don’t think I actually had a curfew ever but I had to have a good reason to be out and a plan for getting home. Hanging around on my own after dark definitely wasn’t allowed.

LynetteScavo · 04/03/2021 21:00

No way! I have a DD the same age and I wouldn't let her out after dark. I also have a 17yo DS and he has to be home by 11:30 (partly because his part time job finishes as 11pm)

Moonface123 · 04/03/2021 21:20

Is she walking/ running excessively that time of night, l know a lot of young people with eating disorders exercise excessively. I have a 15 year old, l can't imagine him out until 10.00pm, never mind midnight, l would be worried sick.
It's not safe, she is too vulnerable.
I must admit when l was young l often yearned that sense of freedom ( our house was over crowed, no space or privacy ) but was never out that late.
Trying to think of a new hobby maybe that would give her sense of freedom?

Lilactimes · 04/03/2021 22:01

Absolutely no way. Especially if she has mental health issues. As an adult I wouldn’t walk around with no where to go between 10 and midnight. Plus it’s lockdown.

Mummytwo41988 · 16/06/2022 07:45

I have a 15yo daughter that will not listen and is constantly disappearing after school till late at night or disappearing till the next day . I’ve rang police multiple times and most times they have found her and bought her home only for her to do the same thing . I’m at my wits end and I’m struggling as I have 3 other kids 8,4,5months so can’t be running round trying to find her ..... any advice would be very much appreciated

junebirthdaygirl · 16/06/2022 08:44

Could you say anytime between 9.30 and 10.15 so she doesn't feel its an absolute deadline and she has some control. Experience of mental health in my family and found they absolutely hated a fixed time. Keeping it a bit fluid was better. Also saying something like;
When you're 16 you can stay out a bit later on Saturday nights and when you're in college you will be able to stay out as long as you like. Sometimes they feel they will be coming home at 10 for the rest of their lives.

Joessaysthankyou · 16/06/2022 08:48

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

mocktail · 16/06/2022 08:58

Zombie thread from 2021!

BabycakesMatlala · 16/06/2022 09:07

I think some of the recommendations here might work really work for neurotypical kids, but not so well for your neurodiverse DD.

You're right that what she wants is not safe - but she's obviously got something that's driving this desire on her part, so if she feels you're just shutting her down it's making her panic and feel she's lost control.

Can you try to address it by acknowledging how important it's feeling to her to be able to do it? So deal with all the feelings driving it, rather than the actual practicalities? You might then be able to tell her how much you hear her desperation for freedom, before you say no. This might help make it more bearable for her.

Also, you can frame the "no" around you instead of her - so you can say that as well as hearing and acknowledging.her, it's also your job to keep her safe, and that you don't feel comfortable with it, and calmly list what you're concerned about. And you can say how sorry you are that you need to impose that, as you can hear how painful she's finding it. Basically try and see it all as a big feelings metaphor, rather than a battle over the actual practicalities....this might leave her enough space to think about other ways she can express the feelings she has, in a safer way.

I feel for you - I have a teen DD with huge trauma and control issues, and just saying "no" to things will genuinely cause utter panic and meltdown; it's not at all like parenting teens without these issues.

BabycakesMatlala · 16/06/2022 09:09

Zombie thread!

Fuck's sake, spent ages thinking about that. Hope things easier, OP!

stepuporshutup · 16/06/2022 09:20

Why are you even asking this question. It seems like you are considering it. You say you live in a safe town, really no crime no rapes no murders no sexual assaults no kidnapping no drugs.
Where do you live because I am moving there.
Let your daughter have a meltdown cry scream whatever just let her get on with it
Far better her being upset for now than you being upset for the rest of your life if she is murdered.

Am I being dramatic yes but it is not safe to allow a 15 year old to stay out until midnight because she wants to feel free.

mumofblu · 20/06/2022 05:49

@BabycakesMatlala
Zombie thread . Annoying right but a lot of what you wrote i so agree with especially the parenting a teen with trauma . My dd in counselling for past trauma . We have had to involve police for not staying in because of her aggression when we try to "control " her . Now we have a child in need plan being put in place for her and her sibling who is witnessing her violent outbursts.

Despite this she is a brilliant student , popular with friends and teachers and incredible with lots of positives .

She has a bf who has to be home for 9 .
She does football x 3 . Volunteering, martial arts . And 4 nights to see friends with curfew of home between 8:30 / 9 .

Everyone says we are doing right but her opposition and behaviour around this one issue is absolutely killing us .

Wonder if you have any suggestions ?

How are things now OP @cathess

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