Parents: What would you do?

Question

What would you do if you and your 18 year old daughter got into a fight and you got angry and left the house. Then while you were gone she left, turned off her cell phone and was gone till 12am.

What would you do?

Answer 1

Lock the door and leave her out there she grown anyway she 18 let her go and make her stay

Answer 2

She is 18....what can you do? If she lives with you she should respect you but it isn't as if you can "punish" her. If you aren't comfortable with her actions or she is that disrespectful then have her move out. Good luck!  

Answer 3

Not much I could do, She is a legal adult so I have no right to interrogate her, She deserves her privacy too but I would try to have an adult conversation with her about what happened.

Answer 4

I'd wait until we were both calm and then I'd talk to her about it.  After all, by leaving in anger you did not set a good example.  She is 18, legally an adult, so you have to learn to trust her more.

If she will continue to live in your house, she needs to abide by your rules, but make sure they are fair and don't drive her away.  For example, you could require her to have a curfew, to call you if you are out and she also decides to go out...and you should each be able to trust each other.

Teens are going through growing pains, and it is important for her to be able to disagree with you and still have a place to live.  If you two work things out by calmly discussing them, especially if you have "house rules" or ground rules in place, things should work out.  She should be help accountable to your rules, but they should be fair and reasonable.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Sit her down and talk to her when we're both calm and collected.  And I wouldn't have left when I was mad.  I have 3 kids and have found that just talking calmly to them using lots of eye contact and talking to them like adults, even when they weren't, worked very well.  I had to spank my son ONCE and my daughters I never had to spank one time in their whole life.  Not kidding.  The two oldest are adults and are very functional good intelligent human beings.  

Answer 6

If she left without telling me and did not leave a note and was out past curfew, I would call the police and report her as missing if she was gone far past curfew.

Answer 7

first of all, i wouldn't leave my own house if i were arguing with my 18 year old (or any other child).  

if my 18 year old left and didn't come home until 12 a.m.?  Well, considering she is 18, i'd probably not have much to say and hope she'd spend the time cooling off.

Answer 8

I would have a good talk with her.  Even though she left, you left too.  Its part of growing up to fight with your parents.  It is part of the whole fighting for independance thing.  Talking will open up any dialoge that needs to be said.  Try not to loose your temper and listen to her too.

Answer 9

What? You had an agruement ok, but YOU left the house first, then you question what to do because she left as well, sorry but look at the example you set first, She's 18 (a young adult) can't blame her for doing that if that's the message you are sending yourself being an adult. Sorry.

Answer 10

I would have paniced. Then realize I had no right to walk out like a child throwing a tantrum. Waited up all night for her and first ask her if she's okay.  Then tell her I'm sorry for things getting so out of hand that she felt she had to leave her home to get away from it all. I would make a promise to do everything I can for this not to happen again. The thought that something could of happened to her while she was out there doing who know's what would have mad me sick to my stomach. Then again I am a parent.  If you found yourself doing this to your parents maybe you should be the big one and talk to them. Let them know EXACTLY how you feel no matter what it is. I'm sure they will respect you for this.  

Answer 11

nothing. she came home. she is safe. and she is 18, an adult. i would just ask why she came home so late..and ask where had she been

Answer 12

Im not a parent but that girl seriously needs a good old fashioned spanking. 18 is NOT too old. As long as youre paying for her and she is living under your roof and you are her parent..........

Answer 13

Why did you storm out of the house like a child? You are in control arent you? I think you both need a good spanking!

Answer 14

she is 18 stop babying her.

Answer 15

Nothing, she is 18, she needed to cool off just as you did. If it had have been much later than 12am return though, perhaps you could have been a little angry.

Answer 16

Well, I'd probably be upset, because I'd have been worried about her.  But I couldn't be mad at her for leaving the house, because after all, I'd done the same thing.  And I wouldn't be mad at her for staying out until midnight, because that's not unreasonable for an 18-year-old.  I'd mainly be mad that she turned off her cell phone.  But at 18, she's an adult.  So I don't think I would punish her in any way.  I'd just be mad.