Discussion forum for parents in Australia
07-27-2017 06:05 PM - last edited on 07-31-2017 12:16 PM by Ngaio-RO
We have a great relationship and clearly he has finally felt comfortable enough to bring up the topic. I want to support him in anyway i can and am seeking advice from other parents who may have experience in this topic.
07-27-2017 06:41 PM
Hey @Defiant firstly you already are an incredibly supportive and amazing parent - AMAZING. I do hope the forum provides all the info it can on this journey with you and your teenager. Are you aware of this amazing relatively new resource QLife [click here]. I think they are still open now and you could have a chat with them about how to continue supporting your adolescent through this journey. How are you feeling at the moment about it? Look forward to hearing from you
07-27-2017 06:57 PM
I will certainly have a look at that! Right now I am surprisingly ok...I have always known he was a little different from my other older son, but this did take me by surprise. I perhaps would have been less surprised if he had announced he was gay than this....but it is what it is. Perhaps he was the girl I wished for after all! As he is almost 16 this is a difficult time for him. He has expressed that his **bleep** is 'inconvenient'. Basically, hormones are running wild, and he is not happy with how his body is responding...poor kid! I guess what I need is a plan for what to do next, how to broach the subject with the rest of the family, do I seek the support of a GP, counsellor, psychologist in the first instance, or a combination?
07-27-2017 07:00 PM
Hi @Defiant , Although I don't have any experience in that area specifically I am a parent who would also be totally supportive of my kids in that situation. I just wanted to say that I think you're wonderful and if there's any way we can support you here at Reachout's parent forums please ask. Even if it's a kind 'ear'. I have heard that the people that @TOM-RO suggested are great and would love to hear how you go.
07-27-2017 07:20 PM
My goodness @Defiant you sound absolutely amazing, I would be so happy to have a supportive parent like yourself as an adolescent. Big kudos to you as I am sure it's quite a lot of info. I just noticed QLife have this quick resource [here]. There's also a Family pan-flit on the website too. I definitely think they'll be a great strarting point for which steps to take.
What does he want to do? Does he want to sit with it now, or is he ready to talk to a professional? Look forward to hearing from you.
07-27-2017 07:49 PM
07-28-2017 08:35 AM
Hi @Defiant after reading the posts I felt how lucky you are to have such a close relationship with your son. This is such a difficult time for him possibly because he is probably working out how he is suppose to behave. My Nephew struggled his whole teenage years without telling anybody however, once he finally told his parents and the rest of the family it opened up a whole new world for him. He had been isolated himself for years and during this time had difficulty engaging with others who were like minded. After seeking professional help from a psychologist he is now very confident about who he is and has a huge network of friends. I wish you all the best.
07-28-2017 05:39 PM
Hi @Defiant, welcome to the forum.
I don't have personal experience in this myself, but just wanted to say what awesome parents you are, and I congratulate you in your support of your son. Having a close relationship with our teens is probably the best thing they can have as they navigate these years!
One of my daughter's best friends first identified as bisexual, and now pansexual and she is too afraid to talk to her parents about it which is really unfortunate. Friends support is great, but knowing your parents love and support you for who you are is a big deal.
There is a great link here for Twenty10. They're the largest service in NSW that provides support specifically to GLBTIQ youth.
Another highly recommended service is Camp Out, which is a camp for teens 13-17 years who are questioning their sexuality and/or gender. An ex-colleague of @Ngaio-RO's who is a qualified child psychologist attends the camps regularly. The next camp is in October, so it might be worth looking into it if your son's interested.
I'm wondering @hashtagmum if you have any advice you'd like to share, having gone through a similar situation?
07-30-2017 08:15 PM
07-30-2017 11:12 PM
It looks like you’re visiting us from a country other than Australia.
We are an Australian service and think you’d benefit more from looking up a similar service in your country.
You are welcome to look around the forums, but please don’t make an account or post, as we can’t offer you the help you may need.
Before you go ahead and post, you should know that we remove non-Australian accounts – not because we don’t want to help or connect with you, but because we may not be able to provide you with the service that you require.