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18 year old son dating a settled traveller

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  • 22-07-2024 6:49am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 2


    I realise this may sound discriminatory.

    My 18 year old son is seeing a 20 year old girl from the settled traveller community. We are not from the same background.

    I have met her on one occasion when she came to the house but this is a relationship I do not want to encourage and cannot support. I have explained this to my son and that we can't have her over to the house again. He is not happy with my views and is going to continue to see her. I realise this is his choice. I have tried talking to him about it on a couple of occasions, the last discussion ended in an argument which of course we do not want. He is a great boy and we have a really good relationship so I know I can say no more about it and just hope the relationship with the girl fizzles out.

    I want the best for him. I would like for him to be more aware about the company he keeps but I realise I can only advise and guide and keep healthy communication going. I won't be saying anymore to him about this relationship.

    What do you think?

    Post edited by Spear at


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 64 ✭✭User567363


    Nice!



  • Registered Users Posts: 14,805 ✭✭✭✭Panthro


    Youve said your peace, its your house so you decide who's welcome and who isn't.

    There's not much else you can do.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,039 ✭✭✭DellyBelly


    I feel for you and I think I'd feel the exact way you do. As you say he's only 18 and so hopefully it's something that won't last.



  • Registered Users Posts: 12,352 ✭✭✭✭blade1


    Like the time I dropped this girl I met out home.

    When we pulled up at a halting site, I said , I thought you said you were a nurse, to which she replied, no, I said I was one of the Ward sisters.



  • Registered Users Posts: 570 ✭✭✭Facthunt


    Times have moved on me thinks! Live and let live!

    Also, do you really want to be upsetting the traveller community? 🤔



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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,104 ✭✭✭Shoog


    Take her as she is not what you imagine she is.

    When I was young I dated an Indian girl for four years and my parents were never happy. If I hadn't been such a dick I would probably be married to her now, but I blew it. Should I have followed my parents wishes and dumped her because of her colour - absolutely not.

    What is telling here is you have said nothing about this girls character and probably know nothing about her.



  • Registered Users Posts: 623 ✭✭✭Deregos.


    Its the age old adage that the more you let your son know how much you disapprove of this relationship, the more he'll go against your wishes to try and prove you wrong about this girl.

    This is a delicate question as I myself wouldn't envy your predicament, but you haven't said exactly why you don't want him seeing her, is it souly because of her traveller background or is there something else that you don't like about her?

    Your son is just gonna consider that you're some kind of racist if you haven't got any another reasons . . only that she's a traveller.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,051 ✭✭✭rolling boh


    Let it be don't drive him into something stupid ,at that age chances are it will fizzle out soon enough for a variety of reasons .



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,108 ✭✭✭suvigirl


    Is this an.actual wind up?

    You have said absolutely nothing about this girl other then she is a traveller. I don't believe this thread is real, new poster



  • Registered Users Posts: 393 ✭✭gossamerfabric


    If her parents are aware that she is dating outside the "community" then that would be a comfort.

    If her parents aren't aware then you need to talk to the son about the prospects for the relationship.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,758 ✭✭✭I see sheep


    Bad vibes to this thread.



  • Registered Users Posts: 19,609 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    You shouldn't be so negative about the likely mother of your future grandchild. She's probably a lovely girl.

    You might want to start saving now though for the Christening just in case there is any truth to the stereotype of having large family events. You might only have 7 or 8 months to get a nest egg built up before it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,304 ✭✭✭Homer


    think of the cheap driveways and gutter cleaning



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,356 ✭✭✭positron


    I am Indian, and living in Ireland. I was dating my Irish GF and my parents protested HARD. The great shame to the family, the threat of disowning, absolute certainty that she would cheat and that she would divorce me in a few years (because it's common in the 'West') and threatening to suicide if I don't change my mind - and thiswent on for three whole years.

    Well, we are married for 16 years now. My parents came around and agreed to it and is well proud of their daughter in law.

    OP, I don't have your life experiences, so I can't begin to imagine or think anything useful to say - but in an ideal world - if you trust your son, support him. If you think he's making a mistake, advice him but support him anyway, so that you will have his trust if something goes wrong and you will be able to support him again.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,038 ✭✭✭Deeec


    Why do you think it's a wind up?

    Who in their right mind would be delighted that their child is dating a traveller.

    Op - You need to have a serious chat with your son to ensure that he is taking every precaution that this girl doesn't end up pregnant with his child. Traveller girls have children young.

    I know of a family whos son got a traveller girl pregnant. The relationship fizzled out and both him and his family are now treated like a bank machine for this girl. Threats are made if money is not paid over. Sad thing is they are allowed have very little contact with the child. It's ruined his life.

    Get him out now OP. Distract him in some way.

    This will never work out long term due to different backgrounds but he could be left with a lifetime of consequences from this relationship.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,126 ✭✭✭Bellbottoms


    It sounds discriminatory, because it is.

    Get over yourself.



  • Registered Users Posts: 137 ✭✭Soc_Alt


    You are living my nightmare.

    Let me know how it turns out.



  • Registered Users Posts: 32,796 ✭✭✭✭gmisk


    I worked with a settled traveller before, he was a lovely fella and his family were great. Why not give the girl a chance? Your son could really hold it against you if you don't imo.



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,108 ✭✭✭suvigirl




  • Registered Users Posts: 32,796 ✭✭✭✭gmisk


    A traveller and a settled traveller can be very different things...



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  • Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 39,741 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle




  • Registered Users Posts: 3,141 ✭✭✭calculator


    It 'may' sound discriminatory? I hope that poor woman dumps your son's ass STAT. Nobody needs to deal with people like you.



  • Registered Users Posts: 11,212 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    I think you're right to be concerned but there's not much you can do about it. Other than not be encouraging. It'll more than likely fade away but if the relationship does become permanent, then you'll have a choice between keeping a relationship with your son or not. If you do, then you have to accept the inevitable which is that in the case of long term relationships whether married or not, the other family becomes part of his and by extension yours.



  • Registered Users Posts: 197 ✭✭Danny healy ray


    a lot of the travellers girl start there families right young

    iI won't sleep the night if I was you



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,038 ✭✭✭Deeec


    Unfortunately the majority of travellers behaviour and views doesnt change just because they live in a house.

    Settled just means they live in a house rather than a caravan - thats the only difference.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5,381 ✭✭✭Clo-Clo


    I guess you don't like travellers

    We know nothing about the girl in question so painting them all with the same brush is the standard reaction from people.

    I know of a family, well those stories are always bulls**t becuase the next thread you will post similar.



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,949 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    Yet again, anti-traveller discrimination is displayed on boards.

    OP - if you are real - what you are saying is you are a bigot. Change the word traveller to something else (e.g. a 20 year old girl from UK, a 20 year old black girl, etc) and it will show you up.

    Shame on.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,280 ✭✭✭homingbird


    The trouble is not the girls but the cumunity he would be marrying into you brought your son up with the proper values but the same can't be said for the other side I will explain my brother in law is working with a farmer that hired a traveller lad that has his eye on everything that s not tied down the milk collection lorry was around collecting the milk recently when the driver was out of the cab the lad was up in it routing around.

    Also I have a necice that works in a hotel that had 2 family s of travellers in the other day that ordered dinner got up & walked out without paying.blame the parents they know no better let one in let them all in



  • Registered Users Posts: 2 SummerVibes


    Thanks for all the (mostly!) helpful feedback so far!



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  • Registered Users Posts: 14,218 ✭✭✭✭Thelonious Monk


    Just pray he doesn't impregnate her, trav girls tend to have kids very young



This discussion has been closed.
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