20 answers

Teen Behavior - Pulaski,VA

Ok. I'll admit it. This whole raising a teenager concept isn't what I was expecting. I know that many of you haven't reached this stage yet, but if there is anyone who can offer some insight, I would certainly appreciate it. My lovely daughter is a junior in high school. She started dating a young man in mid-January. He invited her to the prom on Valentine's Day which she accepted. Prom at our school is scheduled for April 17. On March 27, the young man sent her a text message while she was at work breaking up wiith her, but indicating that he would still take her to the prom. I read the text message myself in which he proclaimed his love for my daughter, but felt that they should just be friends.. . but that he really wanted to take her to the dance. Although I was against her attending with him, I felt it should be her decision. I shared my opinion, but she decided that she would still attend with him. Since the prom is just two weeks away, her options are limited. The dress has been purchased, etc. Yesterday, she learned that he had already invited another girl--through the grapevine. He has not had the integrity to speak with her directly. Both the new girlfriend and the former boyfriend have riddled their FB pages with statements about caring only about one's self and not worrying about the consequences of your decisions as long as they make you happy. Prior to allowing my daughter to date this young man, I had learned as much about him as I could, and I do not believe that his parents would approve of his behavior.I have a thirteen year old son. I would want to know if he handled himself badly so that we could teach him how to better manage himself in the future. So, my question is: should I contact the young man' parents? I don't want him to take my daughter to prom. But, how do you help your child learn about right and wrong in social situations if you don't know about them?

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Featured Answers

As the parent of a teenaged son, I would want to know about this, and if he did something like this, he would be expected to go with the one he asked first.And if she decided she no longer wanted to go with him, that is understandable, and he could just stay home and not rub it in her face by taking someone else. It is a matter of manners.

1 mom found this helpful

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I'd lightly ask if his parents had seen his facebook page, being his parents they may have already seen it. Then I'd drop it.

With your daughter going to the prom, I'd advise her to go with friends. I went with a boy my jr year and a group of friends my sr year and had SO much more fun my senior year.

2 moms found this helpful

I would say don't contact his parents, but instead focus on supporting your daughter. At a time when I really could have used my parents' support, they didn't say a word, and I wish the lesson learned was that my parents were focused on me and loved me, not that I didn't matter without a man. The others are right when they say you can't raise someone else's kids, and it sounds like you've done well with your daughter. Just continue to support her and love her, making her your focus and not this guy.

1 mom found this helpful

Boy this is hard. Your daughter is old enough to make decisions based on what she knows. It is hard to let our children be hurt, but soon she will be in college and you will not be there to "protect her".

The way our daughter and we have conversations is like this, I ask her "Would you like my opinion?" She knows that I will give my opinion, but it is up to the individual if they follow it or not. I really understand that sometimes, I may make the wrong decisions, but I am willing to take ownership of it.

If she says "no thank you." I honor her choice. I do not make comments if it is not a great decision, I try not to judge her, She knows I am on her side.

Now this young man is a real piece of work.. I guess reading what the moms say below, you will be ok letting his parents know about this. I just wonder if this is what your daughter really wants? To go to the Prom with someone that does not really want to go with her? She is a Junior, and will attend her senior prom.. I know at our daughters Prom, groups of girls and guys went together as a group.. Another mom and hosted a dinner for all of them together and they all met up at the venue. It really took the pressure off of having to have a specific date.. They had a blast.. After wards another parent had a late night early morning movie party with breakfast..

1 mom found this helpful

I would want to know as a parent so yes, I probably would contact his parents. He is the one that said he still wanted to take your daughter to the dance and now all of a sudden, he's invited someone else? That's just wrong, no matter how you look at it and it sounds like he needs a lesson in lifes ways of right and wrong! In the mean time, be there for your daughter, yes even telling her that there is better out there and she WILL find it one day! And if it is possible for her to go with girlfriends, she should live it up and have a blast that night WITHOUT "whats his name"!! lol
God Bless her and you!! =)

1 mom found this helpful

it would be very satisfying one level to let them know, to see to it that he gets his. a good storm-off always feels good. but ultimately it's not up to you to teach anyone else's kid about right and wrong, YOUR child is your focus. and we all know that this sort of thing is not an anomaly. people in romantic situations get dumped on all the time, and those who have had a big hurt like this often turn around and do it to someone else in the future. romance is a thorny path and you can't protect anyone else from getting hurt.
in her shoes i certainly would go nowhere with this cad. but getting down in the mud with him won't do anything but hurt her worse. this is a hard but telling exercise in taking the high road.
please remember that the boy involved here is behaving badly but he's very young. men three times his age often don't handle a situation like this any better than he did. but humiliating him (and your daughter) by parental involvement and scolding will NOT result in him being nicer. it would probably escalate the snarky comments.
i think you should honor your daughter's wishes and butt out, and help support her as she rises above this unfortunate situation. the best outcome would be for her to go alone and dazzle everyone there!
khairete
S.

1 mom found this helpful

If I were the Mom of that boy, I would want to know... if my son were being a jerk....

At this age, teens need to be accountable for their actions... .and parents need to monitor them... AND their online accounts/pages.

I would bring it up.

I would, make sure the parent's of that boy... KNOW he has a Facebook page... maybe they don't know? They obviously are not monitoring his online habits...

Then for you as a Mom with your daughter in this situation... its good you are talking with her about it. It is a real hard lesson... and hurt feelings and how people can be jerks... BUT that it is up to her to STILL be confident and to be proud of herself for who SHE is... and that other people's jerk behavior does NOT have to make "her" feel crappy. She can rise above it... and not become lowly like them.

Teach her that... that her sense of self-worth... is NOT contingent upon a boy. Because, as she progresses in life and relationships with guys... this will happen again. So... help her build a strong foundation about herself... her own identity... and self-confidence and the ability to navigate herself positively. And wisely....

Teens... are hurtful and gossip and bully and create drama. So, as you are doing... always make sure your daughter can come to you (and Dad) for any problems, concerns, any feelings or issues she has... so that she always has you as a sounding board... and as a rudder for her ship.

My Dad, always taught me as a girl... to be proud of myself, not a follower, and to always be who I am... and not to let boys trample on me. There is appropriate behavior and inappropriate behavior... which my Dad taught me... AND that, I as a girl, can speak up or be smarter about who I "let" into my friendship.

If a guy is a jerk... then take it as a lesson... and as a person, you are better off without them! They, the boy, should respect you... and not be a different person depending on who they have a crush on.

All the best,
Susan

1 mom found this helpful

I am the mother of two teenage boys and yes, I would want to know. What he has done is heartless and self centered. I would not want my daughter to go with him either. Sometimes it stinks being the mother of teenagers. All you can do is give her your shoulder to cry on, and without sounding cliche, tell her there is alot better out there. She probably wont find Mr. Wonderful before prom, but nowadays it is not uncommon to have a bunch of girls go single to the prom. Does she have any single friends she can have a girl's night out at prom and activities? She won't want to hear that, but it may be an option.
A great book to work through with your teenage daughter sometime is "Captivating" by John and Staci Eldridge. It is a book on self worth that I believe every woman should read!

God Bless!
M.

1 mom found this helpful

I would not call his parents. It is hard enough to be a teenager with out having others things added on to it. If you call the boys parents, chances are he is going to let plenty of people in her school know that her mom had to handle things for her and call to get him in trouble and then your daughter will have to deal with the humiliation of all that. I would let your daughter work it out on her own. She is soon off to college and will not have you there to help her and she needs to learn how to handle things.

1 mom found this helpful

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