Father Says He’s Left Doing ‘Everything’ After His Son Refuses to Help a Woman He Got Pregnant During One-Night Stand

A father says his 19-year-old son got a young woman pregnant after a one-night encounter and is now refusing to take real responsibility for the situation.

Writing on the U.K. forum Mumsnet, the dad explained that his son met the woman at a party several months ago. They spent just one weekend together, and later learned that she had become pregnant.

Shortly after that brief fling — and before he knew about the pregnancy — the teen began seeing another girl. He’s now been in a serious relationship with his new girlfriend for about three months. According to his father, any mention of the expectant mother or the baby causes him to shut down and become “very withdrawn.”

The poster said the two young parents-to-be come from very different worlds. While his son has had what he describes as a “charmed life,” the young woman has faced significant hardship.

“She’s had a tough series of life experiences that had resulted in her being put into [foster] care, all through no fault of her own,” he wrote.

Despite this, the dad says he has grown very fond of her. He describes her as smart, determined and fiercely independent, and says that he and his wife have developed “a solid relationship” with her since learning about the pregnancy. The couple even invited her to live with them for the rest of her pregnancy so she could have more stability and support.

When her health declined in the later stages of the pregnancy, the father and his wife stepped in further to make sure she was properly looked after.

Their son, however, has not embraced the situation.

According to the dad, the teenager finds it hard to talk to the expectant mother and seems intimidated by both her and the reality of becoming a parent. He openly admitted feeling uncomfortable that she was staying in the family home.

The tension has led to “big arguments” between father and son.

“I really want him to rise to the challenge, but he’s not being emotionally available or supportive,” the dad wrote. He added that his son’s current girlfriend is “quite needy,” and he suspects that she may be influencing his reluctance to get involved, as he fears it could end their relationship.

The father said his son does not attend medical appointments, hasn’t put aside any money to help with the baby, and prefers to spend his time hiding out at his girlfriend’s place.

“I fear he’s happy to sit back and let my wife and I do everything whilst he hides at his girlfriend’s,” he admitted, adding that he’s becoming “increasingly really worried” and asking other users how he can encourage his son to take an active interest in his child.

Many commenters urged him to consider a tougher approach.

One suggested that, in his position, they would ask their son to move out and offer the room to the young mother instead, so the grandparents could focus their support on her and the baby.

Another commenter said they would tell their son to find somewhere else to live because “his room will soon be going to his child.”

Others praised the parents for stepping up when their son has not. One user called them “absolutely brilliant” and encouraged them to keep modeling the kind of behavior they hope to see from him.

“He is very young and green,” the commenter added, “but you’re right, he needs to step up.”