Discussion forum for parents in Australia
09-14-2024 08:37 PM
09-14-2024 09:42 PM
Welcome to the parents and carers community @Babycat and thanks for reaching out for support.
It sounds like you've got a lot on your plate looking after 4 kids and that in itself is a pretty big thing— I'm wondering if you might be being a little bit hard on yourself saying you haven't been successful so far?
I can hear you've been struggling with your stress levels and are looking for advice around supporting your kids. Sitting with your dog and watching silly clips sounds like a great self-care strategy, do you find this helps with your stress levels? We have an article on self-care here which you might find helpful if you're looking for some more ideas. I'm also wondering if you have anyone supporting you at the moment who you feel able to talk with about the stress?
It sounds incredibly stressful battling with your school refuser every weekday so I'm glad you're reaching out for support. We have a collection of articles on school refusal here if that could be helpful. Otherwise, if you're looking for 1:1 support, ReachOut also has a coaching service, or you might like to check out Parentline.
In terms of navigating autism and PDA, it may be helpful seeking advice from a professional. Otherwise, a service like Autism Connect might be able to offer you some resources and information about this. There are also some tips from reframing autism on supporting someone with PDA, and raising children also have some general information on autism which may be helpful.
In terms of navigating the teen years, was there anything specifically you were looking for tips around?
I hope these articles are helpful and you find the community a safe and supportive place.
09-15-2024 09:52 PM
Hey Babycat,
Brave mumma! Even when you feel like you didn’t quite win in a moment, be gentle on yourself. I have only 3 but varying neurodivergents and have had varying degrees of success with strategies. Sometimes one strategy will work and then other times not.
Take each moment at a time. I have a box of mindfulness cards we can look through to wind down, if we forget what will work.
Find out their strengths and focus on those, praising the moments when the good things happen. Help them raise their self-esteem with activities they like or are good at.
Is there a specific reason for the school refusal? Is there a well-being team at school? Can some adjustments be made so your child can feel more supported at school? Is their a way you can help your child be able to advocate for themselves while at school, so they feel more heard?
09-15-2024 11:17 PM
09-15-2024 11:34 PM
09-16-2024 01:18 PM - edited 09-16-2024 01:22 PM
Hey @Babycat ,
Thank you for responding so soon! I’d like to jump in here and acknowledging the efforts you have made not only to support your children but also supporting yourself during this time. It highlights your resilience and your determination which is absolutely incredible!
It sounds like you are going through a lot with your two eldest children, which I can hear is quite stressful for you understandably. This would be challenging to navigate, so I am relieved to know that the school is supporting you and your 16-year-old, and that you are supported by a counsellor. In case you are interested in additional support, @Astra-RO included a link to ReachOut’s Parent Coaching sessions. These are 1:1 support sessions that are free for parents and carers of young people aged 12 to 18.
I hope the resources suggested by @Astra-RO are helpful for you and hope that you feel supported around this within the community!
2 weeks ago
2 weeks ago
Hi @Hope_4, welcome to the ReachOut community!
Thank you for sharing about your family and your situation. It sounds like you're in an incredibly tough situation with your daughter. It’s understandable to feel worried about the choices she is making right now. The risky behaviours and potential influences from friends sound very unsettling, and I can only imagine how difficult it is to see her lying and pushing back. It’s clear that you care deeply for her and want to keep her safe.
It’s wonderful to hear that you’re able to share laughter with your daughter amid the stressful moments.
I'm wondering if your daughter currently has any specific supports for managing her recent ADHD diagnosis and risky behaviours? Were any services recommended for your daughter as part of her assessment?
I’m also wondering whether you have any supports for yourself during this time.
If you are interested in additional support, I wanted to link with in with ReachOut’s Parent Coaching service. These are 1:1 support sessions that are free for parents and carers of young people aged 12 to 18. Parent Line also provides counselling and support to parents in NSW with children aged 0-18 via telephone.
If you're looking for more specific support or advice, feel free to make your own thread sharing more about your situation
2 weeks ago
2 weeks ago
Hey @Hope_4
It is great to hear that you will be booking in a coaching session this week!
I know you mentioned that you were researching around ADHD, and I thought I would share a post we have here around ADHD as well as a collection of resources we have here. I thought you might find these helpful to have a read through.
We also have a youth community here which your daughter may be interested in joining. We have some spaces specifically for our neurodivergent community. We also have some resources around ADHD for young people here.
Take care and all the best with the coaching service.
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.