Questioner: Lynn
Subject: 16 year old allowed to sleep with boyfriend at home
Question: I need advise about this situation. I know of a friend who has allowed her 16-year-old daughter’s boyfriend, who is also 16, to move in with them and is now allowing the two teens to sleep together in her daughter’s bedroom. The boy’s mother kicked him out of his home, and that was the reason my friend allowed him to move into her house. Am I wrong to be concerned about this situation? Should I contact any authority about this or just leave it alone?
Answer: Dear Lynn:
I don’t know of any authority for you to contact. To be quite blunt the child welfare people just do not seem to press charges against parents who kick their kids out of the house when they are over 14 years of age.
As for the sleeping together. I doubt anyone would respond. They have their hands full with parents who are hurting their children.
What I would do if it were me is talk to the friend.
I would remind her that when her daughter gets pregnant as she is sure to do. That she is legally responsible for the financial care of the grandchild.
In addition teens who are allowed and even given permission by parents to act out at this age are more vulnerable to dropping out of school and other social ills.
See if you can get to the bottom of why mom feels the need to be friends with her children rather than being the adult.
Other than these suggestions there isn’t much you as an outsider can do.
Regretfully,
M Kay Keller
