My daughter is angry with me...

[Left Is Write]

She just called (she's been at a movie with a friend).

She said her friend was going to drop her off at the tanning salon, and would I come and pick her up afterward?

I said no. The little kids are playing nicely, and I was just about to go upstairs and lift some weights and then take a shower.

She got huffy with me.

"I'll guess I'll just WALK home then!" (as if that's such torture)

I asked her what was wrong with walking 1-1/2 miles home.

"It's a big pain when you could come and get me just as easily. It's not that big a deal to load the kids in the car, you know."

I told her I didn't really care for her snottiness.

"It's so dumb you won't come and pick me up!"

I told her she had a choice: walk, or don't go.

She hung up on me.

So exactly how terrible is it that I think my 18-year-old should walk the short distance home if she wants to go tanning, rather than changing my own plans for the afternoon? If it were an emergency, I would gladly drop everything to pick her up, night or day. This is not an emergency. It's an optional trip to the tanning salon. It's within walking distance, and it's a beautiful autumn day.

[SeattleGirl]

1. That wonderful age....

I am with you -- I would have told her to walk also. She needs to understand you are her mother, not her chauffer! Maybe she'll cool off some on the walk home. :-)

[MissB]

2. She is a a teenager.

She is supposed to be angry.

[LynneSin]

3. She's an adult - charge her for taxi service

I know you love your daughter but she's 18 years old and you are not a taxi service. If you give into every whim she has then she'll never cut the apron strings.

Provided that she isn't walking home through some really horrible neighborhoods the exercize won't hurt her

[ceile]

4. "no big deal to load the kids in the car"

My ASS!! Throw that one back at her when she's got at least two.

[Left Is Write]

16. No kidding!

[redqueen]

26. haha...

Too true. :)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

34. Especially if they're in the middle of a game when it's time to go

and they can't find their shoes.

[johnnie]

5. I think my parents gave me a ride once

That wasn't an option most of the time..lol. Seriously, I had to walk to the first day of kindergarten by myself. My sister was supposed to take me but ran ahead.

She is just a pissed off teen, it's normal. :hi:

Have fun tonight! I have a party tonight also.

[matcom]

6. 18 - is she hot?

i could pick her up :evilgrin:































:hide:

[Sequoia]

10. Naughty boy!

[matcom]

11. would you really expect anything less of me?

:hide:

[plcdude]

12. this is the strongest

argument for going to pick her up.

[matcom]

13. .

:rofl:

[Left Is Write]

15. He wouldn't really do it.

He's afraid of me.

[matcom]

18. but she was just TANNING

she might get cold on that walk :D

:hide:

[Left Is Write]

21. Yes, I'm sure.

I'm sure she'll get cold walking in the 68-degree weather in her jeans and hooded sweatshirt.

You know you're afraid of me.

[matcom]

22. your a bad, bad mother

*Matcom to the RESCUE!!*

:hide:

[flvegan]

19. If she resembles her mom, she sure as hell is.

I'm just sayin...you know.

:hide:

[matcom]

20. that's what I'M counting on

*grabs keys*

[flvegan]

23. Not if I get there first!

*lets air out of matcom's tires*

[matcom]

24. *Matcom hops on his scooter*

he looks COOL whilst picking up 18 year old, PLUS she is now forced to wrap her tanned arms around Matcom's waist :evilgrin:

[flvegan]

25. *matcom slowly destroys scooter tires*

*looks much less cool pushing same*

What, you think I forgot about your new ride? Heh heh heh...

[plcdude]

7. 18 year old

think back when you were that age and see if you would have behaved differently. They call us "helicopter parents" and I am guilty too, but the walk will do her good and you can demonstrate to her how she is really practicing her independence. Good Luck

[tigereye]

8. nope, you were right!

:thumbsup:

[xmas74]

9. With the price of gas now

(up and down-you never know what it will be) I now walk 3 miles to one job (3 there and 3 home) and another mile to my other job. I take my daughter's old red wagon and walk to the grocery store. I walk to my daughter's school to pick her up(about 1 mile from home; we enjoy the walk home together). I walk everywhere unless the weather is bad.
Big advantage-my legs are starting to look nice and toned. And I now fuel up my car only once a month.

[AirmensMom]

14. Ah, the teenage years.

Let her walk. I remember mine at that age ... I thought it would be over with, already! *sigh*

You're not terrible at all. She'll probably understand that by the time she gets home.

:hug:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

17. Not terrible at all.

I've never been a mom, but I have been an 18-year-old, so I understand her snippiness, but you have every right to continue with your schedule as long as she's not in any danger.

[redqueen]

27. Not terrible at all.

Apparently this is a lesson she could have used some time ago. :)

[GreenPartyVoter]

28. I'd drive her if she was walking through a dangerous area, otherwise

she should be glad to get the exercise.

[ucmike]

29. sounds like my 17 year old sister

i was doing some work at mom's house when the 17yr old and her friend came in and told mom they were going to the friends house. mom consented and they left, walking to the other girls house.

8 minutes later the phone rings, the friend's mom made her do homework so nobody was allowed over. my sister called looking for mom to come pick her up. there's arguing and yelling and phone slamming.

turns out that the friends house was too far to walk home...although it had taken 8 minutes to walk there. keep in mind that the eight minutes included time for negotiations with the other mom and the phone call home. it couldn't have been half a mile.

i never quite understood how teenagers in my family could get themselves to a party on the surface of mars, but could never get home unless mom picked them up.

[Ptah]

30. I'm with you there. Walk.

If it's any consolation in about three years, she'll
be amazed at how intelligent her parents have become.

[Left Is Write]

31. Thanks, everyone...you'll all be happy to know...

she arrived home safely and without Matcom.

[GOPisEvil]

32. Whew...

...the matcom part was the scariest of all. She doesn't know how large a bullet she dodged. ;)

Is she talking to you? :D

[Left Is Write]

38. Yes, but now she's irritated about something else.

I think this is about her cell phone and a boyfriend, so I might be off the hook.

[matcom]

35. i dropped her off up the street

now i'm peeking in YOUR window

:wow:

[Left Is Write]

36. So....you know what I'm wearing now?

:o

[GoddessOfGuinness]

33. I've been there with my 18 year old son

not too long ago.

It was right after Katrina and that first huge gas hike. He works about a mile from here, and the walk is easy and pleasant. It wasn't terribly hot...maybe 80 degrees...and it wasn't raining.

He had a really hard time understanding that I meant what I said about conserving gas.

He got over it.

Have a beer, Mom. :beer:

[Left Is Write]

37. I do believe I will.

I've finished my afternoon workout and am about to hit the shower and get ready for the Halloween party. A Sam Adams Octoberfest sounds pretty good.

[WillParkinson]

39. You're wrong....

Well, not really. I just like being contrary.

[seaglass]

40. You did good. My 16 yo daughter called me from school a

week ago at lunchtime and asked if I would drive there and bring her $20.00 she owed a friend. It was pretty damn funny.

[pitohui]

41. you let your daughter go to a tanning salon?

wow, my mom would prob. load up a rifle & shoot me now, & i'm (considerably) over age 18

those things are skin cancer in a box

the walking issue is pretty minor compared to that, if you tolerate the tanning, why shouldn't you tolerate like...everything...

i admit, i'd tell the girl that if she wants to poison herself she can get herself TO and FROM the salon w.out any assistance from me

but you are right, of course, any 18 yr old who thinks her mother is a professional on-call chaffeur needs to get a life anyway

my parents made me get a license the day it was legal & it was my responsibility to get myself where i needed to be

if she can't do this, she needs to get a damn job so she CAN do this

maybe then she wouldn't have time to bitch out her mom for not picking her up from a damn tanning salon

[Left Is Write]

43. She has a job. She does not have a driver's license or a car.

When she gets the driver's license, we will help her get a car.

I'm not a fan of tanning salons, but it's not up to me to tell my 18-year-old she can't spend money she earns going to a tanning salon. She's well aware of my views.

[Maestro]

42. Hey don't worry.

My three old is mad at me and I don't know why. Wait! He's happy again, no sad, no mad, no happy. Geez what an emotional rollercoaster. Is this what I can expect in the teenage years. Oh yes, I have a daughter too just 21 months older.

[hippywife]

44. Hey!

You don't look old enough to have an 18 year old daughter!

[ellisonz]

45. Tanning Salon!

:crazy:

[arwalden]

46. A Healthy Adult Can Walk About 3 Miles An Hour...

... For a mile and a half... that's 30 minutes of walking. If she started walking and kept up a good pace, she would be home before you had enough time to round up the kids, get them in the car, let one out to go pee, put him BACK in the car, drive to the mall, find the right entrance, wait for her to realize you had arrived and come OUT of the mall, then drive back home.

Eighteen?? At first I thought you were describing a telephone call with a 14 year old. I didn't read the rest of the thread, so I don't know how it all turned out, but this is a good lesson for her. I hope you stood your ground.

[friesianrider]

47. She's a teenager :)

You sounded perfectly un-terrible to me :)