Accepted Solutions
Hi @Argie1234 ,
We definitely hear a lot from parents who are concerned about their teens' social media use, and it's something that can be even tricker to navigate when you're co-parenting with an ex.
In terms of the law, a lot of these issues are a bit of a grey area, and they also vary from state to state in Australia in some cases. In terms of your son's legal status- in Australia, you become an adult legally at 18, however it's recognised that young people aged 16-18 in particular will have more rights than younger kids.
I'm wondering if you and your ex have a parenting agreement, or if you've ever had mediation together at all? A lot of separated parents find that a parenting agreement can be useful in helping to manage differences in opinions like the one you're describing here. It's also pretty common for young people to have one set of rules for mum's house, and one set of rules for dad's house- that can be quite normal and appropriate, but it can also be incredibly tricky to navigate for everyone involved.
We hear from a lot of parents who are confused/ uncertain/ worried about social media, phones and their young people - we are actually taking part in a free webinar with a range of experts on this issue tomorrow - this could be a really good opportunity for you to get some input from various experts on these questions. If you're interested, you can find more about that here. It's free to register, and will also be recorded:
With your son and the doctor, it looks like you're in WA, is that right?
This article gives a good outline of the different considerations with confidentiality and young people - basically, a lot of this is also in your son's control. Sometimes young people may want to talk about a sensitive subject that they may not want their parents to know about, but in some cases they will need and want their parents' support.
How does your son feel about these issues? This age can be so tricky!
All Replies
Hi @Argie1234 ,
We definitely hear a lot from parents who are concerned about their teens' social media use, and it's something that can be even tricker to navigate when you're co-parenting with an ex.
In terms of the law, a lot of these issues are a bit of a grey area, and they also vary from state to state in Australia in some cases. In terms of your son's legal status- in Australia, you become an adult legally at 18, however it's recognised that young people aged 16-18 in particular will have more rights than younger kids.
I'm wondering if you and your ex have a parenting agreement, or if you've ever had mediation together at all? A lot of separated parents find that a parenting agreement can be useful in helping to manage differences in opinions like the one you're describing here. It's also pretty common for young people to have one set of rules for mum's house, and one set of rules for dad's house- that can be quite normal and appropriate, but it can also be incredibly tricky to navigate for everyone involved.
We hear from a lot of parents who are confused/ uncertain/ worried about social media, phones and their young people - we are actually taking part in a free webinar with a range of experts on this issue tomorrow - this could be a really good opportunity for you to get some input from various experts on these questions. If you're interested, you can find more about that here. It's free to register, and will also be recorded:
With your son and the doctor, it looks like you're in WA, is that right?
This article gives a good outline of the different considerations with confidentiality and young people - basically, a lot of this is also in your son's control. Sometimes young people may want to talk about a sensitive subject that they may not want their parents to know about, but in some cases they will need and want their parents' support.
How does your son feel about these issues? This age can be so tricky!
