New member? Introduce yourself here!

[Ngaio-RO]

Welcome @St_George- We are so happy to have you here!

Things sound a bit tough at home. It can be incredibly wearying to have what feels like an eternally angry teen in the house. It's great that you guys both have outlets for de-stressing. And John Oliver is hilarious!!

There are a couple of things you might want to check out. The first is our coaching service. It's completely free and delivered mostly on the phone and some parts are done on a computer. We had a special guest talk about it last night so if you click here you can read about it.

It's a great way to make immediate changes in the family home. You can start applying the steps you develop with your coach straight away and parents are feeding back that it has an immediate impact on the situation. It's a great way to start managing your daughter's angry outbursts in a way that is supportive of everyone. If you click here you can check it out further.

The next is I've moved your post into the relevant area. Click here and it will take you to it. This way more parents will see it and respond to it. I've deleted the duplicate post. I hope that's ok.

Please ask ANY questions. Forums are different to other social media platforms so things might not make sense right away. We are a super friendly bunch and very happy to help. Welcome!

[Ngaio-RO]

Hi @Purpleiris That Reddit thread sounds hilarious. ANYTHING on rice???

You guys are doing an amazing job. As a co-parent myself, I know how hard it is to raise kids, especially teenagers, across two homes but it sounds like you and your ex-partner have arrived at a good place. 

We'd love to hear more about it. I believe tips on co-parenting and blended families is something we're missing. If you're up for it, what about clicking here and starting a thread on co-parenting and things you recommend?

I also love your tips on actively listening to young people and how they're practising expressing their emotions so they need the time to get adept at it. Such an important point to remember. Thank you for that.

[chickieDo]

1. How old are your kids and what is one thing they've done recently that made you laugh?

12 and 17 - they make me laugh with their cuteness

2. Parenting can be really stressful - how do you try to keep those stress levels down?

daily meditation x 2 x 20 mins ... walking the dogs ... baths

3. What led you to ReachOut Parents today?

keen to help others as had a pretty rough road the past 2 years

4. Whats your top tip for parents whose kids are about to enter teenage years?

look after yourself - learn to know when to let go 

5. Whats the best thing about weekends?

the potential to do ANYTHING

[Ngaio-RO]

Hey @chickieDo Welcome to ReachOut Parents!! So great to have you here.

I'm incredibly admiring of your twice daily meditation. That's very impressive. @Red21 has started an awesome thread about yoga and other relaxing practices. You can find it here. Want to add some tips on meditation?

It's so wonderful that you're keen to help others due to your own life experiences.  If you click here you'll see a list of threads started by parents looking for support. How would you feel about having a read and maybe offering some insights you've gathered along the way?

Or you can click here and tell your story. We love hearing from people.

And if forums are new for you and you're a bit unsure,  you can click here and spend 3 minutes learning what does what.

[taokat]

Hi @Piccola, it's lovely to have you here. I'm so glad you have benefited from the parents coaching as well.

My daughter makes me laugh for the same reasons! She bewilders me at times!

I look forward to seeing you in the forum.

[taokat]

Hi @chickieDo, welcome to the forum.

I'm with @Ngaio-RO, your meditation sounds fabulous. I'm sure it really helps with your stress levels too! Do you meditate at home or with a class? 

[taokat]

Hi @Purpleiris, it sounds like you have a close family, and maintain a positive parenting relationship with your ex. 

It's great to have you in the forum and I look forward to meeting up with you in the threads. 

[Red21]

Hi Chickiedo , welcome to forum and absolutely agree meditation is a great tool to decrease stress and prioritise on the beauty of the present moment. Look forward to meeting you here ...

[Red21]

Hi Trapet - yes i hear you! I have often wondered also how, yet let go of the how and focused on the why i do things. The why seems to keep me going, the because i care , because i love , and then because i can and then when the cans becomes challenging - yes the option of stopping a while does seem a challenge but then a necessity before you begin again. It is a different life and lifestyle oi know right?! Yet also one of knowing what is real and what love means. Simple things keep you going, water, healthy food, or a regular meal, some good sleep - these things are possibly the hardest to maintain. To stop and take a breathe literally is the simplest way to refuel ... smiling mind app on the phone ? A one minute meditation ... one step at a time takes you back to your beloved children knowing that you are doing what you can and know it wont always be realistically the outcome you set out to achieve, yet its ok not to be ok all the time. I look forward to getting to know you here xxx

[chickieDo]

I do vedic meditation at home twice a day