My daughter is spoiled but says I am controlling her choices and she is an adult
My husband and I are at a loss as to what to do about our 20 year old daughter. She has been pampered, indulged and spoiled throughout her life. She has only held down one part time job which she quit because it was too much to handle with school. However, on the other hand she is generally responsible and a good student. Lately she has had a bad attitude and been dating a 17 year old boy who she says is making her happy. This boy is a good kid but too young and immature for the long-term relationship she wants. His parents see the relationship as him hitting paydirt and are encouraging it. My daughter claims that we are controlling parents and want to control her life and her choices but I'm not entirely sure how we are doing this. She doesn't work, goes to school, does pretty much what she likes, and has total control of my car to the point where I can't get around and gets upset when I don't buy her something she wants. I pick her up from places because she doesn't want to take the bus or train with other people - who knows what kind of germs they have! Funny, both her father and I have worked hard our entire lives and are no where near the snob she's turned out to be. We have been supporting her and paying all her bills and schooling. We let her make her own decisions but this last one has us upset. She says f what the world thinks -- as long as she has a clear conscious then everything should be fine. We don't think it works that way. I'd like to think we are supportive parents and we let her make her own decisions and while we clearly can't stop her from doing stupid things, we also don't think we should have to put up with it either. She threatens to leave home on principal and claims she is an adult and yet in the same breath says we should pay for her new bracelet oh and don't forget the chain. We think she should get a job, even part time and go to school and pay for her own indulgences as any adult would do. We think she needs to accept responsibility for her own actions and don't know what to say to get through to her. I say we cut off financing her bills and let her get a real taste of life - my husband tries to talk to her but she isn't listening. Anyone have any ideas?