Evelyn Tan Recalls Telling Daughter Kristen Lin to Leave During Rebellious Phase

Former Mediacorp actress and host Evelyn Tan has spoken openly about her daughter Kristen Lin’s rebellious teenage phase, revealing that she and her husband Darren Lin once told their then-17-year-old to “get out of the house” amid growing tensions over curfew and communication.

The revelation came during an episode of Mediacorp’s talk show DNA, where Evelyn Tan appeared alongside her 21-year-old daughter Kristen Lin to discuss their family dynamics, homeschooling experience, and Kristen’s aspirations in the entertainment industry.

Kristen, who is the eldest of Evelyn and Darren Lin’s four children, admitted she was not “the most pleasant child” during her teenage years, acknowledging a period of defiance that surprised her parents, who had previously described her as an “ideal, model child.”

“There was definitely a phase where I wasn’t the most pleasant child to deal with,” Kristen said during the interview, before passing the conversation to her mother to elaborate on the challenges they faced as first-time parents navigating adolescent rebellion.

Evelyn Tan recalled how Kristen’s behavior shifted dramatically around age 17, describing it as a “180-degree flip” from her earlier cooperative nature. She explained that Kristen, who had once willingly returned her iPad after the allotted 30 minutes of weekly screen time, began staying out later with friends and failing to inform her parents of her whereabouts.

In response to Kristen’s repeated disregard for curfew and lack of communication, Evelyn and Darren initially set an 11pm curfew, which Kristen continued to break. When requests for check-ins were also ignored, the couple reached a breaking point.

“We told her, ‘If you don’t want to listen to us, maybe just get out of the house,'” Evelyn recalled, sharing that Darren even offered to help pay rent if Kristen chose to move out as a way to experience independence.

Despite the ultimatum, Kristen did not leave home. Evelyn emphasized that the comment was made out of frustration rather than a genuine desire for her daughter to move out, reflecting the strain many parents feel during their children’s adolescent years.

The family has since moved past the difficult period, with Evelyn and Kristen highlighting their close bond during the DNA interview. Kristen is now pursuing opportunities in showbiz, supported by her parents, while her three younger brothers — Jairus, Way, and Elliot — continue to grow up under the same roof.

Evelyn Tan, who stepped back from full-time hosting to focus on family, has occasionally returned to media projects, including her recent appearance on DNA. The episode sheds light on the universal challenges of parenting teenagers, even in households where children were once seen as exceptionally well-behaved.