New member? Introduce yourself here!

[taokat]

Welcome @Beekeeper. Thanks for sharing with us and we look forward to your participation.

[taokat]

Welcome @Bon2405 and @ntmum. I look forward to interacting with you further.

Don't you just love @Ngaio-RO's gifs! 

[momof1teen]

hi, i'm a mom of a 15 year old girl...

looking for a supportive forum i can share my struggle. a place where there may be people that understand going through very difficult parenting experiences...

can anyone tell me if this is a good place for that or if you know of another message board that is, its not as easy as i hoped to find an active message board with support for parents of troubled teens.

thank you

r

[GrhRo]

Welcome @momof1teen,

Adolescents can be a difficult time of life for parents and our young people. Great to see you seeking a supportive place to share your struggles.

I think what you have said in your post describes one of the primary purposes of the ReachOut parents forum.

This is a supportive forum where I am certain you will find non-judgemental, empathetic and thoughtful discussion from others who are sharing parenting experiences.

I also have a 15 year old daughter. While I love her unquestionably, there are days when I feel she was abducted by aliens overnight and replaced with someone I don't recognise. It's a challenge for sure.

Hope and look forward to reading whatever you are comfortable sharing of your experiences.

with kindness,

GrhRo 

[taokat]

Welcome @momof1teen. You have come to the right place. There are many compassion and wise parents here. We offer each other support and share the things that have worked for us in dealing with our difficult teens. It's a safe place to share, to rant, to unload.

My daughter is 15 too. As @GrhRo said, it is a tough time for parents and teens, and I hope you'll feel comfortable here. I know feeling like you're alone adds a huge burden on top of everything else.

[Ngaio-RO]

Hi @momof1teen I'm so sorry I haven't said hello until now. I somehow missed your post.

I completely agree with @GrhRo and @taokat that this is a great place to share your struggle.

If you feel up to it, you can click here and share your story with us. It's the best way to get other parents to share their stories with you and offer suggestions about what worked for them.

Another thing you might want to consider is coaching. It's completely free and delivered by trained professionals at The Benevolent Society. It's done online and then over the phone and is designed for parents who want to improve their relationship with their teenager. You can do one session or many. It's up to you. Click here to check it out.

We hope you stick around. If you're home tonight and have a spare moment,  join us for our very first evening chat! You can find it by clicking here.

[Ngaio-RO]

Hello @hopeful  @Harry1002  @lucille  @mbomb  and @Bjajun  Welcome to ReachOut Parents!!

We'd love to hear from you.  So please take a moment to say Hi and answer these questions:

1. What brought you to ReachOut Parents today?
2. Your favourite parenting tip?

[hopeful]

Hi!

Thankyou for the welcome....

I came to try and find information on accessing mental health assistance for my daughter. She's 12 and has struggled with making and keeping friends ever since she started school. She has had high standards previously and is in yr 7 this year. She has made a friend I'm not sure is a good choice and the two of them walked out of a class yesterday. My daughter says it's because the teacher doesn't like her. She went to an exceptional school last year where teachers valued every student and they taught well. y daughter says this teacher told her she was being silly and told her to move seats. She did but couldn't see and tried to advise the teacher of this. My daughter was ignored (which she feels all day everyday) and said she'd had enough. I spoke with her about it last night and said it wasn't the right choice. That there must be someone at school (another teacher or counselor) she could speak to when she feels this way. She has a history of self harm and last night she was feeling as though she has no value and said she isn't going to be here long. I sat with her talking for a few hours and she left early for school this morning. I'm feeling a little lost as she's said she doesn't want to talk to anyone - they can't help! So i guess I'm really looking for where to go from here. I'm feeling quite helpless

[Bree-RO]

Hey @hopeful well done on  reaching out and sharing this story about what your daughter is going through.

Sounds like a tough time for both of you... I can't imagine how you would have felt when she told you she wouldn't be here long, but also sounds like you're doing the right things by taking the time out to sit down and speak with her.

Initially I would like to introduce you to some free immediate support services which could be good to have on hand..

1. Kids Helpline help adolescents (14-25) going through a tough time - they also have webchat available if she is not keen on the phone.. If she does want to call the phone number is 1800 55 1800.

2. This next service I think could be really good for you, mainly because it provides as a great support not only for people who are at risk of suicide, but also to support family members of people who are self harming and threatening suicide. They are called Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467.

Both these services are free and are available 24/7.

In terms of ongoing support, have you considered checking out available counsellors in your area via Relationships Australia [click]?

Of course this forum can be a great resource for support as well, so again well done on sharing your story, and know that you're not alone in this 

[Big_Crab]

Hi @hopeful, 

The world our teens are growing up in is fraught with change and sometimes it is hard to know where to go for help. Just remember you are among friends, and we are all here to listen and to give support.