I’M SO WORRIED ABOUT MY TEEN COVIDIOT SON

Dear Coleen

MY son is 19 and lives at home, and he’s not following the Covid rules like he should. I know he’s been going out with gangs of friends and he just isn’t taking any of this seriously enough.

It’s driving me nuts that I can’t control what he’s up to when he’s out of the house and he just refuses to act responsibly. I have a daughter who’s the exact opposite and she and her friends have been meeting in small groups, socially distancing and wearing masks where necessary.

Can you offer any advice on reining in a wayward teen who is tricky at the best of times?

Coleen says

I’M sure loads of parents are going through something similar with their grown-up kids. I’ve been very clear on Loose Women that I think people who don’t follow the rules will end up plunging the rest of us back into full lockdown. But whatever you think of the restrictions – I’m sure nobody likes them – they’re there for a reason and we should all follow them.

Your son might not know anyone who’s had Covid and, at his age, when it’s not affecting your life or the life of someone you care about, you don’t worry about it.

We have to accept it’s hard for young people at the moment – I know this first-hand because I have a 19-year-old daughter. But while you can’t control what your son does when he’s out, you can tell him that if he continues to take risks, then he’ll have to live somewhere else because you don’t want to take those risks.

The hard truth is, he might be fined, but you or an older relative might end up in hospital – then how will he feel? He needs to be reminded of those facts.

Good luck.