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[Cinna101]

Hi I’m new. 

Checking out the dates of some topics I noticed not many posts have been added here for a while but I’m hoping to get some advice from someone.

my kids are 12, 10 and 7 all girls. Something they’ve recently done that was quite funny was they brought in the washing from the line, however they used the items and dressed themselves up as funny characters. They were laughing so much while they were doing it.

something I do to keep stress levels down is listen to up beat music, I often have positive quotes around my house and indulge in beer and lots of it!

what led me to reach out today is not knowing what else to do for my daughter who has difficult behaviours. Looking up on the internet and finding this site hoping someone might have ideas?

i know that teenagers aged from 14 up until they are into their 20s are very selfish and only think about them. They are unable to think about how things effect others, they physically lack the part of the brain that assists with the recognition as it is not properly formed until mid 20s.

best thing about weekends is spending time with my family.

[Lan-RO]

Hi @Cinna101 welcome to ReachOut and thank you for sharing  Your kids sound adorable and great to hear they had fun dressing up as different characters. Listening to music is a great way to de-stress, something I do too. It sounds like you are after some advice in regards to some difficulty you are experiencing with your daughter. What is happening for you specifically? You are most welcome to post a new thread about this as it will allow other members to see your new post and be able to provide support too  We're here to listen and support you. 

[JAKGR8]

I have a 13, 16 and 19 year old and they make me laugh when they talk rubbish and make up new words.

I don't keep the stress levels down well but I do try to sleep well, find time for myself and talk to others.

I've visited ReachOut often but my eldest still suffers anxiety and panic attacks so am looking to prevent that with the other two if possible.

Encourage your children to sleep. Nap even. They may not like hugs but you can still say, "Would you like a hug? No? Well just know I would love to give you one. Always on offer"

I love not having to go to school on weekends?

[Taylor-RO]

Hi @JAKGR8, kids sure can be funny when they are super creative! Thanks for getting involved and sharing your responses Please feel free to make a post about what has brought you here anytime

[WhaeaM]

1. I am Mum to a wonderful 13 year old girl.  

2. When discussion gets too overwhelming for the both of us .. we go for a walk along the parade and we usually feel a lot better after.

3. We are having some heavy anxiety episodes with her starting college ... I gooogled and found this site.

4. Parent tip for parents who have kids becoming teenagers .. "Never assume their teenage years are going to be like yours were and don't expect them to react to situations the same way you did."

5. Weekends ... a time to just breathe and do some things you really enjoy ...

[WhaeaM]

Hi there
I have a 13 year old and I can relate to what you are saying. My girl has just started college and we are going through some wild times and its only been a week. She is also worried about her weight and how she looks. Glad to see your post on here. We are not alone.

[WhaeaM]

HI there
I have a 13 year old girl and I am scared for her also. She relies on her computer and phone for entertainment. relaxation and friendship and so I do my best to get her out and make her join teams so she becomes more social in the 'real world' . It certainly has its challenges.

[TOM-RO]

Hi @WhaeaM Welcome!

It sounds like you have some really good strategies to look after yourself and your daughter. Not only is walking good for your physical and mental wellbeing it sounds like it's a really great way to connect with your daughter.

I really like your advice about not assuming your teenagers experience. Everyone is different and experiences things in different ways, respecting and acknowledging that is so important.

[Carolined]

Hi, new here today! My daughter just turned 18 and my son is 21 ... my daughter makes me laugh just about every single day - my son made me laugh yesterday when he was getting his hair cut and for a minute resembled a character out of Peaky Blinders . I try to keep stress down by going to work (and laughing) - I came to this site today because since my daughter turned 18 (around 4 weeks ago) she's turned into a secretive, backchatting, attitude-packed kid when once she was an absolute joy to be around. She's wagging school, telling me she wants to leave school and being pretty self-centred and unpleasant in general. She doesn't do drugs, is social, works part time, goes to party's, drinks if it's that sort of party, she's been easy to parent until now. The school refusal thing and challenging me on everything this past four weeks is getting me down and I need some hints on how not to take her attitude personally. My big tip for parents is to be consistent. Make sure there are consequences for rubbish behaviour and follow through - I haven't been very good at that at all. I think because until now the kids have been easy to parent, and a firm no or a chat about things worked. The best thing about weekends is not having to get up early and go to work, spending time going out and doing something with the kids, all of us being at home and just pottering about.

[Lan-RO]

Hi  @Carolined welcome to ReachOut and thank you for sharing. It sounds like there has been some change with your daughter recently. I'm wondering if there is anything particular going on for her at school that's making her not want to attend? Has she expressed any other areas of interest in terms of study or work? I'm sorry to hear that her school refusal has been getting you down, is there a school counsellor that you both could speak to? I completely agree with your tip about being consistent and following through. It sounds like you enjoy spending time with your kids on the weekend  Please also feel free to start a brand new thread topic for further support. We're here for you