DEAR DEIDRE: I’M sick of the way my lazy and spoiled son treats me.
He still lives at home but treats my home like a hotel. He doesn’t clean or give me a penny for board or food, even though his millionaire dad gives him lots of money.
I’m 54 and my son is 25.
He hasn’t had a job since he left university. Instead, he spends all day in his room gaming or messaging, only emerging to take food from the fridge before he goes out with his friends.
He has a very generous allowance from his father, my ex-husband, which he spends on designer clothes and trainers, and on numerous holidays in the sun.
If I try talking to him about any of this, he accuses me of being a nag.
Sometimes, he is abusive, putting me down and swearing.
His father and I aren’t on speaking terms, so I can’t get any help from him.
I’m at my wits’ end and feeling very miserable. What can I do?
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Deidre says:
Your son’s behaviour is totally unacceptable.
You need to stand up to him and tell him that if he doesn’t pull his weight, or contribute, then he can find somewhere else to live.
He’s a grown man, not a child, and he has money, so he really has no excuses.
If he’s being abusive, you need support and professional advice. Contact PEGS (Parental Educational Growth Support) which helps people deal with abusive children of any age (pegsupport.co.uk).