Hi Rebecca
Just a quick post to say that everything is going better. I am taking my daughter's friend (girl) away with us today for a week by the coast and she seems settled, although I have met her half way and agreed to her going away with her boyfriend and his mother for a week also by the coast, but she has accepted not going abroad with him and told him she cannot get time off work (her idea not mine).
She has also decided that she will go to college and carry on with her studies (also her idea not mine). Hopefully in time she will see what a no hoper the boyfriend is and drop him or maybe he will change but if not I will accept him back into the family and get on with it. Although I have never said anything horrible to her about him anyway. Her partner in life was always going to be her decision, whether we like them or not, but her family want to be in her life aswell!
So I will keep it short, well short for me anyway, but I wanted to send you my heart felt thanks for your comments I have taken them all on board and will put them to good use however hard I may find it to do!

Thank goodness I found this website it will definately be in my favourites box for future reference!

I am so glad to hear that things went well. She will always love you and sometimes you stepping back helps her to make the decisions she really wants to make instead of her making them just to assert her independance and prove something to you. I am very glad all is well!!! Be easy about it...sounds like you're doing great!!!

O.k, My first question is "what the hell is wrong with you people? we're talking about a 16 y/o girl here. I dont know British law , but here in the U.S. what her buyfriends mother is doing would be called "contributing to the delinquency of a minor" 2nd You are her parent, not her buddy and not her friend . 3rd her loser boyfriend is 18 again, not sure of the law there, but here thats called statutory rape.

Not trying to belittle you, but I personally feel that we as parents Coddle and bend to our children to the point that they are in charge, not us. I too have a 16 year old daughter, she lives 600 miles away with her mother ( who gives in to her every wish) I am a 39 year old grandfather. ( scary huh?) her mom lets her go away with her boyfriend also. I have always been the discipliarian for my daughter but she listens to me, for instance, her milquetoast mom calls and tells me she cant get Cara to do her home work, then she puts her on the phone with me and all it takes is a simple , " get it done now!" her mom always says " I wish she would listen to me like that" there is no secret or magic to it. I've established the ground rules and drew the line that wont be crossed.

Parent, Please discipline your kids ( discipline, not beat) before they are to far gone to bring back.

First of all I don't think there is anything wrong with my parenting skills and secondly not all children are the same. So whilst I thank you for your comments I don't think that you can critisise until you are in the situation yourself!

I have always had very firm rules in my house and been told by my peers that I am too strict with all of my children, but I have had no problems with homework or being home late, if I say a time to be in they must be there or face the consequences so maybe it is my fault that one of them is rebelling.
British law states that it is legal for a sixteen year old to leave home aslong as they are living in a place where they are not in danger, i.e. on the streets or around drugs etc. The police have told me there is nothing I can do unless she wants to come home and anyway if she is made to return I could be doing all this again in a few weeks.
As for statutory rape sixteen is the legal age in Britain for sex (although she tells me she has not).

Also what do you do if your daughter packs her stuff while you are out and goes without telling anyone. I cannot be with her 24/7.
Although her father wants to go and sort it out face to face and have it out with the mother and the boyfriend which I must agree was my first thought. I think that we must be quite devious during this time and make her want to return home otherwise I think we will alienate her even more.