My 16 Year Old Daughter Wont Let Me Meet Her Boyfriend.

Updated on March 19, 2011
A.E. asks from Kirkland, WA
47 answers

My 16 years old daughter will not let me or her daddy meet her 18 year old boyfriend. She let me talk to him over the phone shortly. I did some investigating and read her texts. I caught him picking her up from the bus stop, taking her to school and made him pull over and let her out. He works and has a little after high school job. He just graduated on yesterday. I know what he looks like from going to his grocery store job. I have invited him over on several occasion but my daughter says "thats not happening" How do I get her to let us meet him.?

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P.G.

answers from Tulsa on

Step up and be The Parent. Tell her she's not to see him until you and Dad meet him. Talk to to him on the phone or at work and tell him the same. If they refuse, she's grounded until they comply.

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T.N.

answers from Portland on

I would simply lay down the law and let her know that if you don't get to meet him, then she can't see him, AND make it stick.

2 moms found this helpful
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P.W.

answers from San Francisco on

It's normal, but you just have to insist. Tell her she's not going out with him again until you meet him. It's time.

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T.V.

answers from San Francisco on

This boy is driving, I would also want know the car was in good shape and see proof of insurance.

A.,

“That’s not happening”

I would tell her “guess what else is NOT happening”? No more dates, phone, texts, email, or going out until you and your husband meet this boy. If I were his parents I would want to meet the girl my son was dating…however, he IS 18. Is this boy still living at home, if so maybe you should contact his parents? Either way you and “daddy” need to set your 16 year old straight. Summer is almost here, if she expects some freedom she better shape up.

Blessings......

11 moms found this helpful

L.K.

answers from Philadelphia on

Excuse me. I do not know your daughter, at all, but is she living under your roof? Then, if yes is the answer, you set the rules in your house. According to what you say, he seems to be a decent guy. However, your daughter attitude is something I still do not understand. She is a minor and he is an adult; therefore, there are some issues you and your husband ought to talk to her and the young man. If the guy is a good kid, why she is not letting you to meet him? It seems to me, that she is challenging you and your husband in this or more things I do not know.

6 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Atlanta on

Ahhhh -NO! You let her know in NO uncertain terms that you either meet him or she's grounded -and that includes the phone. You can tell from some of my other posts on here that I am in no way some helicopter mom,and I believe teenagers need some freedom, but 16 year olds need to let their parents meet their boyfriends and dates. I will demand to see my son's girlfriends when they get them! Your daughter may roll her eyes and think her family is the most embarrassing group of people alive, but she'll live. We've all suffered through it!

You need to tell her THIS MINUTE -that until you all meet, she will not be seeing him or speaking to him or emailing/texting with him again. Just curious -what reason does she give for "that's not happening"? It doesn't really matter -but you should ask.

5 moms found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Dallas on

You are the parent. Bottom line - if you don't meet him - she doesn't see him.

5 moms found this helpful

S.K.

answers from Kansas City on

Drive her to and from school and ground her until she does. I personally think 16 is too young to date. But since they will have some sort of relationship, with or without our blessing, it's up to us to lay down the peramaters of the how and when.

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L.D.

answers from Albany on

Really? When did your daughter become the parent? If she doesn't let you meet him, she doesn't see him. If she is caught with him, she gets grounded. She is 16, not 18 and even at 18, if she is still living under your roof and not paying rent, she still has to live by your rules.

Get control of your daughter now before she continues to take over ALL control and/or ends up pregnant or worse.

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K.C.

answers from Cleveland on

Who is charge? You are your daughter?? You should make the rules. Tough if she doesn't want you to meet him. You are looking after her best well fare. Sometimes we have to do what our kids don't like ..they will get over it. I am a parent and not trying to win a popularity contest. Good luck.

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S.H.

answers from Huntsville on

Has she said why she doesn't want you to meet him? Perhaps if she can tell you why, you can come up with an answer or compromise.

My daughter is only 4, but I think I'd require that I meet any boyfriends before she is allowed to go anywhere with him!

2 moms found this helpful

J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

My baby is no where near dating but I wanted to share my experiences. I was a pretty weird teen at first. My parents did the whole grounding thing, but honestly....it never work. I know there are parents on here that would say they could do better at keeping a watchful eye on their child, and mine probably didnt. I grew up out in the country on a farming island, 5 miles from town, and had to take the bus to and from school. You tell me a better way to keep your child isolated. LOL. Thats what they did with my brother, and he still snuck out, and got in trouble, so me being younger they tried the same thing. My parents saw it wasnt working and tried a different way. They let me make my own choices. They told me right/wrong and so on, and said if i made a bad decision or choice I could possibly pay for the rest of my life.They were more open to listening, instead of just grounding. I have to say once our parent/child relationship changed, I made better choices. The rule with boys were they could come and hang out in the back yard, and my parents would not bother us or speak one word to us. When I wanted to go somewhere else, everytime we went out the boy had to come over for dinner. I didn't ride in cars with a lot of boys, because once I got my own car/license I was in my own car all the time. Let us know if you get to meet him! Good Luck!

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D.K.

answers from Sioux City on

Honey, you hold all the cards. Why are you letting your 16 year old bully you? If she doesn't allow you to meet him then she won't be dating him. There is no way any boy can take out one of my daughters without my approval. You own everything she has. TAKE IT ALL. Keep it until things are running according to your satisfaction.

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K.R.

answers from Sherman on

Oh, my!
ok. not to scare you but when i was 16 i was making good grades, respectfull, active in school, and church AND already smoking pot, drinking and just around the corner from having sex. and that was almost 15years ago.

Is ne even still living at home? cause an 18 year old could already be in his own place. This is something you really need to know!!!

a little off topic, but i suggest, if u dont already, always wait up for her and give her a hug good night. lets her know you love her and that you are keeping an eye/nose on her. because y can smell what shes been up too.

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M.L.

answers from Chicago on

When I was 16 and would not let my parents meet my boyfriend it was because he was up to no good. I was following in his foot steps. I ended up in a very bad crowd hanging out with him. In doing all of this I hurt my parents and myself.
I am a parent now of a little girl and before she can even think about "dating" someone the rule in the house will be that he has to come over have dinner and talk to us.
Good luck I hope it all works out!

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C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

Give her two options:

1. Never see her boyfriend and don't have a life.

2. Bring him over or meet him somewhere for dinner so that you two can decide if she can continue to have a life!

It sounds like she's not wanting you to meet him because there is something to hide about him OR it's not a boyfriend but more of a casual thing (ie: hookup?). Either way, I'd put my foot down. No phone, no computer, you take/pick her up from everywhere, no driving, etc. until she makes the right decision!

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

You know who he is (his name), you know who he works for, and you should be able to find out where he lives. You might be able to ask him out for a quick cup of coffee and talk to him about his intentions toward your daughter. Once you know where he lives, heck - you could ask his parents out for a pizza and the grown ups could have a LOVELY chat about their offspring without teenage drama being present. Just make clear to your daughter if she's not going to cooperate with you, you could go over her head and around her back quite easily with nary a 'by your leave' as far as she's concerned. If she doesn't like it, it's not too early for her to start forming her exit plan on where she will live and what she will do when she turns 18 and moves out.

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D.F.

answers from Boston on

I have not read other responses.

She would not leave the house until I we met him. Plus 18 is to old for her. I know its only 2 years but if they ever did anything sexual he could be in deep trouble. He is considered and adult, she is not. I think your daughter has way to much control. As parents its your job to be in control of your daughter. If she does not do as you say. I would march myself where he works and let him know he will NOT be dating my daughter until he comes to your home to meet her dad and get to know him. I would let her pitch a fit about also.......to bad.

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T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I am probably one of the most open minded, lenient moms on this site..........that would not fly at my house.

Communication is SO key. We keep that door wide open for daughter to express her feelings, good and bad.

My 15 yr old does not date but she has a lot of guy friends as good friends. We meet them or they don't come to our house, no movies, no nothing. It is a rule that is just understood here.

Another rule here is she rides with NO teeneager in a car. Only parent drivers.

I am tough on the getting in a car with others as well. She knows not to question it. We currently have a dear friend with a son who was supposed to graduate last week in a coma with poor prognosis from injuries in a car accident....3 cars, all 3 cars had teens. Everyone except this extremely talented boy walked away. No alcohol involved. He had a full ride on a football scholarship and it's over. We just pray he wakes up from the coma.

You have to pick your battles......this is one I would fight.

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T.N.

answers from Albany on

If she is riding in the car with him, it's a question of still caring about her safety. Hate to sound like a prude or a bully, but I would have to know the kid a little before that...it would make me wonder what's WRONG with him that she doesn't want you to meet him. Has she had other boyfriends who drive cars? Has she brought them home? Keep her close, even with a sense of humor reiterate car safety, not to get in the car with anyone drinking, smoking etc........not generally an alarmist but there is SO much teenage tragedy involving cars....follow your gut Mamma!

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A.M.

answers from Seattle on

My children are not old enough to date yet, but our rule we have already agreed upon is that when they feel they are old enough, they can, however, they will only do so with a chaperone. If they live @ home, they must have a chaperone. This may sound rather old fashioned, but I wish my husband and I had been a bit better chaperoned.

You need to go and meet the boyfriend and let him know that you want to be a part of his life and that if they are spending time together it needs to be with supervision. If she does not want you to meet eachother there is some issue, what it is I do not know.

You still are in control, you own the roof over her head. You likely buy her clothing, provide her transportation and many other things. You can limit these things of course if she is being disobedient. If she has a job you can take that away from her if she does not obey. You need to sit down with her and explain why it is important that you are involved and the seriousness of dating. ( we have spent much time explaining to our children that dating is only to get to know some one better to find out if they are a suitable marriage mate.) Ask her if she is old enough and if he is to be making those decisions. Realize however, that she might be. My husband and I were engaged when I was 16. I decided to marry him when I was 15. We did not date until I moved out of the house long after we were engaged. I would have stayed @ home if my parents had have allowed us to see eachother with close supervision. My point however is I was mature enough to make the decisions I did at that age. We are still married happily 24 years later, so do not assume she could not be making those types of decisions. However, she does need supervision, everyone does. I wish my parents would have let us see eachother, but insisted on knowing him and on supervising us. Instead I had to move in with another family in order to see him and I moved out because I felt it was wrong to sneak to see him.

Talk with your daughter and ask her what their plans are. Do not judge. Be open to listening to her if she will talk at all. Remember what it was like to be her age as much as you can, but also realize you are the parent. I do believe telling her she could not see him at all however will backfire on you. She is old enough I don't know that you can do much about that, however you should set the ground rules about how they see eachother. Tell her if she is old enough to date, she is old enough to be preparing for marriage. Help her learn more about what she would need in that case. This will either in the end scare her and her boyfriend away from the relationship, or it will help them make good decisions.

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R.P.

answers from Cleveland on

either tell her he is to come over or you are not to see him any more, period there would be no phone contact internet nothing, id drive her to and from school to make sure he wasnt around, there is something that she is hiding about him.

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K.K.

answers from Atlanta on

Wow, I can't believe she would even say to her mother "that's not happening" I have 3 children, my oldest daughter is 19 When she was 16 and going out with a boy, they came to the door, rang the bell and came in to meet her parents. That was the rule, she knew it and never questioned it and to my knowledge neither did they. If she doesn't want you to meet him I'd say she knows you wouldn't approve.

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L.J.

answers from Roanoke on

I would not allow her to date him unless I had met him, while you can't control every move she makes-she needs to earn your trust and respect. Even if she has earned it in other areas of her life, it seems like she has something to hide. I remember being her age and I put my parents through a lot. I found ways around their rules and often just flat out rebelled. When I was 16, I tried to date a boy who was already 18. My dad forbid that. I remember the boy coming over to my house and talking to me in my driveway and my dad ran him off. We waited several years and tried dating once I was 18 by that point the flame was out haha. I had a pretty serious boyfriend for several years during high school. My parents despised him and rightfully so. I was not allowed to date him but, I dated him anyway. However, there rules prevented me from getting into trouble that I certainly could have. You need to insist on meeting your daughter's boyfriend. If she has nothing to hide then what will meeting him hurt? If she does then you will find out and you can protect her. Maybe you could suggest meeting him on neutral ground, like going out to lunch or something less intimidating then the old sit down with the parents. I can't urge enough to you how important it is that you know who your daughter is with. Like I said you can't protect her from everything but, you can protect her more if you know who she is with. I was able to find plenty of trouble when I was a teenager and I am 29 now. Today's world is even worse. I was not terrible but, I definitely made some stupid decisions that could have been life changing. I have wonderful parents, was raised right , had a good head on my shoulders, knew my consequences, etc. knew what was right and wrong and still got in plenty of trouble. The world is so hard for teenage girls, so much pressure to fit in etc. I am not saying this to scare you or judge you. I just want you to realize that you have a right to meet your daughters boyfriend and stand firm if she won't let you,,,then don't let them go out. Only allow her to talk on the phone, if he really means something to her and vice versus they will come around and realize that meeting you is what it takes to date. Good luck. My heart goes out to you. I am nervous about parenting in the teenage years!

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T.M.

answers from Kansas City on

If you don't change this soon I can tell you what your life will be like, my daughter didn't let us know about her boyfriends either. Then she didn't let us know about her pregnancy at 17, she didn't gain much weight so it went unnoticed. We thought she was having an appendicitis attack instead we had a granddaughter. Two years later after barely knowing her next boyfriend, she had another (we knew about him). Then another secret baby two years later, I've learned since it was with a married friend. Four years later she has another, this guy stayed around for another year before she had his second child which they gave up for adoption, she doesn't know that I found out about this one, it broke my heart when I found out.
Today I have her four kids at my house, I watch them while she goes to her low paying job, even though she had a college degree, we made sure she did this thinking she would get a high paying job, we didn't count on the economy and the number of company's closing in her field.
Don't let this go, demand to see her boyfriend or take everything from her, all you owe her as a parent is food and shelter, she needs to earn the rest by her actions now. Hope your story turns out better than mine, I took a lot away from my daughter thought, I knew where she was all the time, you'd better be sure you know whats going on. Since my first grandchild was born I have heard so many stories like this I can't believe it.

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E.C.

answers from Fayetteville on

I remember when i was a teen...your parents are kinda an embarassment(not sure if thats spelled right.) Maybe thats whats going on with your daughter. Id give it another month and ask again. But i would keep a close eye on there activities. Good Luck.

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

I would not let her out with him again until she has him over for dinner to meet you both. You are the parent, you set the rules, not her. This man is an adult, she is a child, and you need to meet with him to be sure he is a decent boy.

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P.O.

answers from Jacksonville on

This is not a hard fast rule, but at 16, she is looking for trust. Maybe this "boyfriend" is just in the "getting to know you stage" and he/she might think meeting you would mean "serious relationship". I would encourage your daughter to make sure she is making the right choice in boys, teach her what is good/bad and let her make the decision to dump him or let you meet him. As a parent, I would be concerned too, and would probably let her know what the rules are in your house as to that regard - staying out, sneaking out, being secretive, etc is not tolerated just for the sake of her safety alone!

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K.B.

answers from Cincinnati on

I wouldn't have been allowed out until my parents met who I was going out with. Boyfriend or not. There were strict rules and if we didn't follow them we were in trouble. Grounding, not allowed to drive or go anywhere on our own. My mom would stand at the bus stop with us when we were in trouble.

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C.C.

answers from Little Rock on

Man I'm Scared my daughter is going to be 15 and I KNOW I WOULD FREEK if she wouldn't let us meet any boyfriend. Right NOW I know everyone she hangs around with and parents but noe she is in HS. OH MAN!! It's scary.

But I would DEMAND to meet him as well and let him that I eyes EVERYWHERE and My husband would put the the rath of god in him before they left anywhere together. His best friend is a county shriefs officer. And if she told me anything like ur 's did OOOO that wouldn't fly no where with me. Life as she knew it would be GONE.. Until the little sit down happened.
Well let us know what happened and how it all came down. PlEASE so I can keep it in mind when I have to face this adventure!!

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L.G.

answers from Eugene on

She is sixteen and living under your roof. Either she brings him home or she is grounded. Or you can send her away to camp for the summer.
She is way out of line. Where's her Dad in all of this. And what does your daughter know about birth control?

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L.S.

answers from Portland on

Excuse me ( I don't want to sound rude) but who is the parent? She is 16 yrs old and she needs her parents to be in control. She will have plenty of that when she is 18yrs and you really have no say then! Sounds like a red flag if she doesn't want you to meet him.

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R.S.

answers from Seattle on

Hmm. Have you ever asked her WHY she doesn't want him to meet you? I don't mean to be accusing, but I know somebody who stopped bringing friends and SO to their house because his father embarrassed him on many occasions. Why don't you ask her, is she afraid of something? Is she trying to avoid something? Is she unhappy or uncomfortable with the way you receive her friends or ex-boyfriends?

Otherwise it is improper for a girl to not introduce her boyfriend to her family. It makes me wonder what kind of a guy he must be to be okay with this setup. Every self-respecting man (or even a boy) would know that meeting his girlfriend's parents is the right thing to do. It shows sincerity, openness and honor.

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A.B.

answers from Portland on

Wow, you already have a bunch of responses, so I just skimmed over them. My babies are only 3 1/2, so I don't know from a parent perspective, but in my personal opinion, I would sit down with my daughter and find out WHY she doesn't want to bring him around. Is she embarrased of the house or the family? Is she afraid that you won't like him? She is 16 years old, so even if you are the cool parents and live in a great house, it's a valid excuse that she could think that her family might not be good enough for him, or that he might not be good enough for your family. If these are her concerns, maybe you could compromise and agree to meet him in a neutral location. Go out to dinner or to an event where you can talk and see them together, but still have something to do if the conversation doesn't go so well. Tell your daughter beforehand that you trust her judgement and that if she likes this guy, then you will put in an effort to like him too. And then stick to that. You said that he graduated high school, and has a job. Your daughter could do much worse. If you end up liking him too, then great! But if you don't like him, then sit down with your husband and figure out if it would be okay to let her still date him with some rules. If he is dangerous or could get your daughter into trouble, then definitely squash the relationship. But if you that's not the case, and you just don't like him, you need to remember that you are bound to dislike some of her boyfriends, but unless she puts herself out there and learns the kind of guys who aren't right for her, how will she find the guy that IS right for her? One of the hardest things to do as parents is to sit back and let your little girl's heart get broken. Take the necessary precautions and make an appointment with Planned Parenthood to get her on the Depo shot, that way she can't forget (or "forget") to take a pill and end up pregnant at 16. This does not mean that you ae giving her permission to go out and have sex with this boy, but that if it does happen, she won't end up stuck with a baby if things don't work out. The main thing to keep in mind, and to make sure that she knows, is that it is absolutely NOT okay to keep secrets from you and sneak behind your back. And who knows, all this worrying may be for nothing and you may like him.

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C.M.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Hi A.,

My daughter was 19 when she had her first date,the guy was 24. We had to meet him before we would let her go out with him. It's not the age difference that bothered us,since my hubby and I have the same age difference. I later found out that my daughter had been asked out quite a few times,but they were "jocks" and she doesn't like them.
We have been together since our first date 30 years ago last month,I was 16 and he was my first and only date.
If your daughter will not let your and her Dad meet then boyfriend, she is grounded until she does.
A little background on hubby and myself. My parents did not like my hubby because of his Dad,never did find out why for sure. But when I was told that I couldn't see my now hubby anymore,I rebelled and we snuck around for 3 years,until we got caught. My parents were shocked when they found out it was my idea and not hubby's. My parents did come to like him,but it was either accept him or lose me. I hope something like this doesn't happen in your situation.

Good luck.

C.

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P.H.

answers from Portland on

You are the parent and should be the one in control not her. Don't mean to sound harsh but that's the way it is. You call him and invite him over to visit whether she likes it or not. She is obviously trying to hide something so continue your investigation.

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M.G.

answers from Chicago on

I think there is a trust issue on both sides. As a mother you want to protect your daughter and help her do what's right. When she sneaks around, you have a hard time trusting her.

But, you've just gone through her texts and have gone to check out her boyfriend at his job. I know it's hard to trust your daughter, but I'll be honest here. I think going to check out her boyfriend at his work is a little bit creepy. Also, forcing her to get out of his car probably wasn't the best move either. You can use this to help, though. Ask her if she'd like him to drive her to school everyday, without sneaking around. Tell her that if he comes over to the house so you can meet him, you'll let her go with him (although, with school being out, you might have to adjust it to letting him take her out on dates or something).

To earn her trust back, it needs to be a little give and take. Yes, you are the parent, but the harder you push, the harder she will push back. If you demand he comes over or she won't be allowed to see him, it will only damage the relationship, and she's going to sneak out and see him anyway. Find a way to give her some privileges once you meet him and she hows you he's responsible.

Sit down and have a discussion with her about why she doesn't want you to meet him. At 16, she may be embarrassed, not want to push her boyfriend, or a little nervous about the whole situation. I'm sure you remember being 16 once. There are a range of emotions experienced.

Good luck.

M.H.

answers from Raleigh on

Become the parent and tell your daughter that she will not be with the boyfriend until you get to meet him. Your daughter is allowing you to be in this situation! Take the control back...she lives in your house and if he is a good guy (like he should be), then there should be no reason why she wouldn't want you to meet him!

K.B.

answers from Savannah on

I know you're probably worried about her, but honestly, you sound really annoying. And I hate to be so blunt about it - but when I was reading the post I was thinking, "Jeez, maybe the kid just doesn't want to meet you yet!".... Keep in mind that in a dating relationship, meeting the parents is a really serious step to take. I mean, when you bring a date home to meet your family, that really solidifies the relationship as extremely serious. Maybe they're just casually dating, and don't want to make it a big deal.

Back off some - or else you'll just continue to push her away. Ruling with an iron fist guarantees rebellion. If you think something is wrong, or she is in serious danger - putting your foot down is necessary.... but if this is just about control over your child, or being nosy about who he is.... give it up. Trust in the way that you raised her. They'll probably break up after a few months anyway.

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E.S.

answers from Kansas City on

sounds to me like she thinks you are going to be really harsh and even embarass her on purpose. I know at that age I never let my parents meet my boyfriends. also you really made her feel bad when you made him pull over so now she probably resents that as an intrusion. (I'm basing off of how I felt as a teen not super long ago)

really you need to have a heart to heart talk with her without being judgmental and letting her voice her opinions freely. after all it is hard for a teen to remember that their parents were teens once too. I also know how hard it is to listen to your parents critisize your boyfriend after all mine were still doing it after I moved out at 18. so try to reassure her that you just want to meet him so that you can see he is being nice and so that you won't worry so much about her.

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J.S.

answers from Biloxi on

its bad news all the way around if she is hiding stuff...

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M.D.

answers from New York on

How do you get her to let you guys meet the boyfriend, You insist, you tell her either we meet him or the relationship is over. Once kids start setting the rules you lose control. Your daughter is not old enough to make right choices her heart is guiding her.

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A.D.

answers from Minneapolis on

I think you need to dig a little deeper with her into her "that's not happening" response. She could either be uncomfortable or embarrased, or afraid to be embarrased if you all get together. You can talk to her about ways to make the meeting more comfortable for her, (it doesn't have to be a formal sit down dinner) but let her know it is a matter of respect, and it needs to happen. Tell her you have nothing against the young man, you would like to feel more comfortable letting her go out and spend time with him, as you would any friend, boy or girl. If it is the *boy* who is reluctant to come over to meet you and her father, why? Ask your daughter why is he so reluctant to meet us? He may be nervous, shy, or he may be hiding something. Tell her from what little you know he seems like a decent young man, and you'd like to think she is a good judge of character, but his or her refusal for him to come over after several invitations is bad manners and unfortunately, a red flag. And to please talk to him and bring him around sooner rather than later. To refuse, shows a lack of maturity, which in turn, receives fewer freedoms and privileges.

A.J.

answers from Williamsport on

Your daughter is still depending on you for all of her needs. She lives in your house. I'm not sure how much of her own stuff she is paying for, or how many hours she works, but she is not an adult with this choice to make. It is a privilege you are allowing her to even have a boyfriend, and it is dangerous not to know him. He will have a whole new level of accountability and respect for her if he knows her family as well as her. She's playing the "I'm so independent and my parents suck card" with him which is not a good message to send an 18 year old male. Nor is it true.

Unless you have done something horrible to her in the past regarding her boyfriends, you are allowing her to be unreasonable.

I would tell her that if she is ashamed of her family or her boyfriend, then she can wait to date until she is on her own in 2 years. She has better things to do to prepare for college etc than hang around an older guy, and you don't have to give her privileges if she's going to shut you out. If you catch her sneaking to see him, react accordingly and stop granting her all the things she's taking for granted. She's not 18, but she is too young to "change".

However, if she can be respectful and adult about it, and treat this like a positive relationship for all, then you will be supportive.

Right now you're letting her boss you around. No good can come from that.

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M.N.

answers from Honolulu on

Wow - I just read through the 52 answers to this questions and to be honest 6 months ago I would have answered the same way - however - sharing my perspective may help you make a more informed decision - or at least I hope it will

My daughter was - graduating a year early with college offers and scholarships on the table - 12 years as a girls-scout, tons of leadership training camps and seminars (even flew from where we live in Hawaii to Washington and debated against congressmen for health care reform - after fundraising all of her own money to do it) and several years of teaching bible study to pre-school aged children when she met "Mr. Wrong" -the son of drug addicts who let the grandparents on both sides raise him - ADHD - unmedicated for years - now and during all of this decided to self medicate with shrooms and weed - was a senior in high school with 22 out of 24 credits when he dropped out (while sneaking around with my daughter) found a way to get on temporary food stamps and lived in the rain forest and peoples back yards eating at shelters - until he found a work/shelter exchange to live at. Meanwhile sexting (texting sexual pics) to and from my daughter because I wouldn't allow them to see each other.

So of course - I stopped her from seeing him - so I thought but they snuck around - desperation on their part and defiance on his - made it fun for them not a punishment while pushing us farther apart - and she played the part well - it appeared she was doing as I asked and I kept doing everything that these fine people suggested when I was in your plight - right down to driving her to and from school - and well then she ran away - with him - lived with him in a work for food and shelter situation where she acted as a nanny to earn money and her keep - got involved in all sorts of drugs - because that was his lifestyle choice - dropped out of high school basically and had no contact with me for over a month

She was eventually found and arrested for running away - she is now in foster care and wont comply with too much unless we allow her to see the boy so here we are at back one - my mind in scrambles - her little sister traumatized and life as we knew it a mess -

So what do I suggest - well let her see the boy - tell her she has to maintain her grades and her work at home - she needs to be respectful and attend all family activities - follow curfew and be drug tested if you think it is appropriate - and she needs to be on birth control - get the five year IUD - no worries about her forgetting to take it -

The more you push her from him the more she will want him - tell her he has to pick her up at the house and drop her off - come to the door and say hello - doesnt have to come in but he is welcome to - dont question him dont demand you see his license because she can jump in his car from anywhere and all your doing is make her want to lie to you - she can have sex in the school bathroom

Just let her know that you love her and you ant to be open and be able to talk and you hope she will make good choices but that you are there for her if she doesnt

Hug her often - tell her you love her often and pray that she will see he is not good for her on her own or that he will be good for her eventually

I hope in some small way this helps you

M.

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K.M.

answers from Boston on

Everyone is saying "lay down the law" and I agree, but also, Why not? Why does she say you can't meet him? What is she ashamed of, you or him? Get to the bottom of that, because if he isn't a nice boy, you need to know now. If you are totally embarrassing, well we knew that already, right?

M.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

go to the grocery store and ask him y in the world doesnt he go to the house? what does ur daughter and him have to hide? ur the mom so put ur foot down and demand that u want to meet him!!!!!!!!! one thing u can do is tell ur daughter to bring him home so u and ur hubby can meet him, or else tell her she wont see him anymore!!!!!!! u make the rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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