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18 year old get out of the house.

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  • Registered Users Posts: 29,143 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Times have changed, at 18 I used to leave for college on a sunday night and not be heard from until friday.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭XsApollo


    Yes he should probably have a bit of leeway in regards to him being finished school and working.

    that doesn’t disregard the other issues, lack of respect and kicking off and whatever else the OP has said.

    if my Son behaved like that I’d put manners on him pretty quick, I dunno if I’d kick him out but in saying that he would probably want to leave anyway.



  • Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Beefcake82


    There are wrongs on both sides it seems.

    With the OP (parents), taking money from the son who is working towards bills yet he is only 17, he is still a minor at this stage.

    How many hours is he working?

    How much does he make?

    Is €80 a large chunk of his wages?

    Why have you (OP) as parents not reported the pub to the guards for supplying alcohol to a minor? If he is abusing alcohol with the anger issues he has, then no wonder he will go off the rails and you have failed him there.


    As for the son, his anger towards others in the family is wrong and he probably needs counselling, however it seems some of this is stemmed by the fact you treat him like an adult when its convenient (paying money) and a minor when also convenient (curfews). Its no wonder he is confused and angry, paying money is he doesn't get a lot will likely contribute to that.


    He needs guidance and support of which he does not seem to be getting right now.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,365 ✭✭✭suvigirl


    Me too. But when I was home I did what my mother asked



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,365 ✭✭✭suvigirl


    Oh lord!

    I was working from 14 years old, I always had to hand up money, it's part of learning the value of money and work.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,159 ✭✭✭Ezeoul


    We have to think of his sister here and exchanging gifts. He refused. So my husband had to track him down in a pub to bring him home.

    OP, I have to be honest, I did get the impression when reading your first post, that there may be some pandering going on towards your younger child on your part, which may be fuelling your older child's resentment towards her.

    You mention her several times in your posts, as it seems she is a big motivating factor in your decision to kick him out and she was your reason for dragging him away from his friends on Christmas Eve.

    When I was 18, I had a 4 year old sibling at home, (big age gap) but my mother would never have insisted I leave my own friends to come home early for his sake on Christmas Eve.

    Be careful that you are not inadvertently causing or contributing towards friction between them. It sounds like he is resentful of her, and you take her side.

    I'll repeat my previous advice to seek out a family therapist, and may pursue a therapist for him individually, if he suffers anxiety. Don't give up on him.



  • Registered Users Posts: 14,068 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Few students behave the same way at home as they do when away at college, hence why most of us didn’t tell our parents what we got up to.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭kravmaga


    Its quite clear that your son has a serious drink problem and he's only 18?? Do you think he is abusing drugs also, because he could be and you may not be aware of it?

    Is he abusive when sober in the family home or when he comes home from the pub drunk?

    I think a converation needs to be had with him asap.

    I left home at 18 yrs old and it didnt do me any harm, it actually matured me.

    If he is violent and has damaged property in the family home , you have many options open to you, you can get the Garda involved also for advice, safety or barring order options.

    https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth-family-relationships/problems-in-marriages-and-other-relationships/barring-safety-and-protection-orders/



  • Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭Sonic the Shaghog


    Ah here calling the sister a weirdo and asking for a €20 back? How sheltered of a life did you have OP? Id easily say a good chunk of ones I'd no especially sisters would be knocking lumps outta each other nearly up to leaving cert count yourself lucky 😅

    Ya no sorry you can save the money aside all you like but he doesn't know this. Not only that he has "full freedom" but yet you send the husband down the pub making a complete eejit out of him in front of his friends to be brought home?

    He's sounds like a little bit more of a dose than a lot his age but ya know what I'm starting to feel sorry for the lad



  • Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭Sonic the Shaghog


    If I'm being honest OP I think it might be better off for him if he could move out, for his sake.

    I just have a gut feeling you are gonna be one of these "my son never calls us or visits where did we go wrong? in 5 or 10 years



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  • Registered Users Posts: 29,143 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Does he have his full driving licence? Is it a full time job, is he at college, apprenticeship?



  • Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭Sonic the Shaghog


    Also I'm curious what's his good salary? He's just outta secondary, what area are you located without making it revealing?



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,802 ✭✭✭Princess Calla


    There's a few things here I think.

    Firstly I hate the "my house my rules" mantra.... it's usually trotted out when there's no valid or a very week counter argument. I'm a rule follower but there has to be a valid reason for the rule rather than"because I said so".

    So it kicked off mostly when you buried a parent in law.....so one of his grandparents...was this the first grandparent to die or where they particularly close? There's grieving going on there!

    You'd want to be careful not to be playing one child off against the other and it sounds like you are. I suspect he put you on loud speaker to admit to his friends you wanted him home for his sister's benefit. I suspect he has told his mates your daughter is a golden child.

    Your children are turning into adults, childhood traditions are going to waiver as they get their own independence.

    Why couldn't presents be opened on Christmas morning? A little bit of compromise. I really do think dragging him out of the pub was totally the wrong thing to do....did everyone enjoy the traditional present opening? I strongly suspect not! So definitely not worth it!

    You say he did his leaving cert and is earning good money....so he's in the adult world now.

    Yes the aggression is completely unacceptable but maybe he's not feeling "heard" if you are still trying to control him as a child , he maybe acting out of frustration. he's in a fairly awkward development stage.

    He's 18 so I presume you're 38+ , you wouldn't have had mobile phones to be texting your mum on a night out when you were his age, you lived to tell the tale....you don't need the apron strings that tight!

    Like it or not, he's 18 he's going to be going back to house parties, hooking up with partners, his parents are the last people he's going to be thinking about. If he doesn't show up by lunch the following day, then is the time to freak out....as others have said you can see if he's been online!

    He's a big eejit over the car tbh.

    I think there's a power struggle going on. You want him to do as you say and have life as it always was, he wants to grow up and gain independence. Unfortunately the communication channel doesn't seem great so you are butting heads.

    I do think asking him to move out is the nuclear option, stemming from you losing control over his life.

    He's going to work, holding down a job and handing up money. I'd say he feels he deserves more independence. I think taking a step back would be a benefit.

    You're entering into a new phase , so a period of adjustment is to be expected.



  • Registered Users Posts: 491 ✭✭Shauna677




  • Registered Users Posts: 202 ✭✭TheSunIsShining


    I'm sorry. In a family situation, it is more complex and difficult. No point ignoring that reality.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,780 ✭✭✭amacca


    Maybe in some circles? Was more the norm for them to work a part time job to the detriment of their LC and take out a CU loan to buy a car and cover insurance 10/15 years ago.....sky rocketing insurance (I presume) means I see much less teenagers driving cars around here anymore ...the ones that do are driving mammy and daddy's car and ignoring the accompanied driver rule (they probably were back then too) or very occasionally they are from a well off family that just buys thrm everything (probably to their eventual detriment)........rural though, could be well be different in urban areas or other areas of the country


    When I was in school there was the occasional one driving in and out in maybe 6th year....to the envy of everyone else...then the country went a bit mental in the mid noughties and there was a rash of kids driving in during 5th Yr....and by rash I mean maybe 10/15 kids out of a year group of 100....



  • Registered Users Posts: 368 ✭✭reclose


    I’d agree with the others that there might be issues on all sides here.

    At 18 there would have been no way I left the pub early or would have been asked to.



  • Registered Users Posts: 653 ✭✭✭LilacNails


    Forget about asking him to be home at a certain time. It use drive me crazy when I was ordered to be home at a certain time when I was 18 plus. He's a young, wants to stay out with friends not be told what to do.

    I get your worried about him, but hovering over him like that will push him further away, it's happened in my own home. There must be something bothering him deep down by the way he's acting. He sounds very unhappy.

    I dont think your a bad parent if u ordered him to leave. He shouldn't make anyone in the house upset or intimated.

    I wonder is he little jealous of the younger sister? Does she get treated any bit differently to him?



  • Registered Users Posts: 500 ✭✭✭anndub


    You sent your husband out to search for an 18 year old man (who earns his own money) to insist he come home at 9pm? I'm not surprised you have a poor relationship. It sounds a bit stifling. It sounds like he was doing what any other young person his age would be doing. Socialising with their friends. I can imagine things were fairly fraught

    If you consider him old enough to live independently can you not facilitate him living like an adult under your roof? i.e treating him with respect and not setting him curfews.



  • Registered Users Posts: 500 ✭✭✭anndub


    no abuse has been described though.

    from what I've read the abusive party is the mother who is threatening to throw her son out because he decided to ignore a completely unreasonable curfew while weaponising his sister against him. She sounds extremely controlling. Had my dad dragged me away from my friends at 18 years old I'd have "kicked off" too and I wasn't paying my parents 80 quid a week's rent for the privilege of living under that regime!

    I think the sons version of events would tell a different story



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  • Registered Users Posts: 445 ✭✭chrisd2019


    That is for the young fellow to be aware of, not his parents.

    If he has a good job and income, he can find accommodation.

    There is no shortage of accommodation for those with resources to pay rent.

    No 18 yo should be expecting anything more than a house share.



  • Registered Users Posts: 44 fifijk


    Ok maybe I’ve a bit to think about and change.

    Thank you for all opinions.

    it’s been an eye opener so thank you .



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,755 ✭✭✭lbunnae


    How is it clear the son has a drink problem ffs. You don’t seem mature at all.



  • Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭naughtyboy


    Regardless of your sons bad behaviour he should be shown the door anyway when his 18 anyway

    My own sons will be out the door too when their 18 just like I was.

    Do you want to raise a man or a man child. To raise a man they must go out into the world and make mistakes and than learn to deal with those mistakes themselves.

    Cut the apron strings. It could take him years to cop on or maybe he never will but either way you have to think of your husband and younger child.



  • Registered Users Posts: 44 fifijk


    My son does not have a drink problem, he is just being an arrogant teen.

    nor does he do drugs.



  • Registered Users Posts: 29,143 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    What age is your other child



  • Registered Users Posts: 368 ✭✭reclose




  • Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭Sonic the Shaghog


    +1

    Up to the Celtic Tiger, even during the recession and a little after not too bad.

    But the last few years with rents, cost of living and even supposed good jobs refusing to give inflation matching wages? Christ may as well just give em a tent unless they are making 40k plus at 18



  • Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭naughtyboy


    Depends on what you want from life. I left home at 18 and worked abroad for many years but settled back home last 5. I made many mistakes and it was hard at times.

    But it was for the best, I own my home bought with cash, very well paid job, wife is stay at home mom and she does not have to work ever if she dont want.

    Nothing better than ones feet being held to the fire to focus the mind. Everyone is the captain of their own ship but that ship has to launch to reach its potential.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭Sonic the Shaghog


    Can I just say fair play to you for at least being willing to do a little bit of reflection. I will say tho your son also has to give some bit back from his side also despite from what I've said. He's not long 18 so could also still be getting a belting from hormones and that if I'm being honest I was similar and embarrassingly can actually remember at that age thinking nonsense such as death doesn't upset me why are they crying (family members over my gran, even tho I missed her myself) and not being able to understand depression, it's a damn site different now tho.

    I wonder could you employ a tactic I found worked with younger people I know who just can't or won't take direction.

    For example instead of something like "I want you home for x" maybe "oh I love when you are around and we watch a film together 😊" that sort of thing, might not work at all.

    Another thing is I wonder would a sport such as boxing or even just some healthy way to release anger also help for his age.

    Hopefully ye might reach a nice middle ground 👍



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