Can i make my 17 year old daughter move to Dubai with us?

[kezza31]

Can i make my 17 year old daughter move to Dubai with us? We are moving in a couple of months but she says she is not going.She has given up 6th form and has not been looking for a job.At the moment she is staying with a member of my family as we have had to tell her if she intends to stay she has to learn to stand on her own two feet!! - Harsh i know,but we were hoping this would make her realise that she needs to be with us.She is also hanging around with the "WRONG" crowd and smoking. We are desparate for her to come as we feel this would be the best way for her to get back on track.
Please help!!!

[ainitatyb]

When my daughter was turning 16 we had a bit of a problem with her at home, and if I remember correctly, the law states that at the age of 16 a minor can move away from home and live independantly provided they have the parent's consent. However if you child is a minor and you don't give your consent then the fight in court is going to take time anyway, by which time she won't have long to wait and is she really going to be cooperative with you? At the age of 18 she can do what she wants to anyway. It was something we had to ballance out at the time in our own minds. We succeeded thank goodness, but good luck to yourself.

[hc4361]

No, you can't make her move to Dubai using legal means. At 16 she can legally leave home if she chooses.

[kezza31]

Thank you both!!
I think i really know i can't force her,but it just hurts to know that i can't do anything to make her realise she is throwing her life away and by coming she has the chance to start her education again!!
I am going to try the "i am not bothered" if you stay approach and see if that helps!!

[bednobs]

if you are really worried about your daughter being on the wrong track (and think that you can do something about it) why not stay till youve done whatever it is you think you can do?

[kezza31]

Hi bednobs and thank you for replying.
The move was organised over a year ago and my husband now works there.We also have 3 other children to consider and they are all looking forward to the move as was my 17 year old until she got her first boyfriend!! Since then she has decided to do nothing with her life(as written in my first post).All she wants to do is be with him and his dodgy friends.I know what first love is like(i married mine!)so i can understand not wanting to leave him behind but i can't wait here until she decides on what to do with her life as everything is now organised - including the house being sold.

[zzxxee]

no you cant make her not at 17 but its sounds as though she needs some straight talking about where her life is going , she needs to understand that if she lives on her own nothing comes for free rent bills ect, and she needs to start acting responsibly and looking for a job x