Oh @Stressed_mom you must be feeling so completely out of sorts right now. Don't worry in the slightest that this is an Australian site, you are welcome here and we are happy you've come here to tell us what is going on for you.    The situation with your son sounds super stressful. I can sense from your words just how much you've done to ensure your son is looked after. We've had other parents here chat about similar circumstances, I hope they can jump in and share their insights with you.    There is a bunch of content on how to deal with these kinds of situations on the Raising Children's Network site here    We also have some content on teens and drinking that you might want to look at here.    We are also here to listen to you, you are not alone in this.  ... View more

Hey @madame-connect it's great to have you here - it sounds like you'll be bring a lot of value being a mum as well as a teacher. What's your favorite thing about teaching?    Also, just had to let you know that I had to remove some of your post as this is an anonymous forum. We have some guidelines around how to post that might be good to look at here, when you have the time.  ... View more

Hey @Curious thank you for posting about this, sounds like the kind of situation that is a lot easier with support from others!    Self exploration is completely normal at any age but it is something that children will most likely have questions about/and will need guidance with. Young people should definitely feel safe and comfortable to explore personal pleasure.    It's a tricky topic to tackle with your child so I've found some resources that might helpful for you, if you would like to open a dialogue about masturbation/sexual health. As ReachOut is a service for young people between the ages of 12-25, I think Raising Children's Network will have much better information for you about this.    This article on childhood sexual behaviour goes into what is healthy behaviour and how to respond. Let us know how you go with that article and if you have any further questions at all. We're here to help!  ... View more

Glad to hear you have some support from friends @Mlissaann12 also, hope you can find a counselor if that is something you think would help.    Also, I've double checked and that service is a government funded program for all families that are having a hard time :)  ... View more

@Mlissaann12 the love you have for your boy comes through so strongly in your words. It is so hard watching the people we love try to find acceptance in peer groups that aren't good for them. It sounds like you have the kind of relationship with your son, that when he is ready to talk to you about what is happening, he will feel safe to talk to you. That is a credit to your parenting and love.    In terms of getting some more support for you, we found this service that could be helpful for your family right now. Let us know how you go with it.    Do you have anyone supporting you at the moment? A friend or even a counselor?    Sending you lots of strength to get this through this hard time   ... View more

Hi @Mlissaann12 I am so, so sorry to read about what you and your family are going through. I can't imagine how much pain and suffering you are going through right now. Feel free to open up, rant and share everything you are feeling right now.    As for your son, it sounds like you have taken all of the step needed but I can understand how frustrating it is when nothing seems to be moving forward. Let us know if there is something we can do to make you feel more supported through this process.    There are lots of other parents here who have been through similar times with their teen, so I am hoping you receive some messages of support and tips on how to approach this as well.  ... View more

Hey @Cloudy just checking in to see if you gave the hotline a call and how you're going with the situation you're in. I thought I'd also link you to a website called Raising Children's Network here which has lots of resources on parenting.  ... View more

Happy Friday to you all!    We wanted to drop by here to recognize those of who you have reached out in the past week.  It really shows your care and consideration as parents and humans that you come here to seek ideas and support, as well as supporting others.    @helpless2020 thank you for asking the community for help with the young person you know who is struggling with the separation of his parents. It's really touching that you are seeking help on his behalf so that he can get through this big change he is going through.    @pattygirl1715 thanks for introducing yourself. We hope you resonated with the interview you saw on instagram and that you find this to be a comfortable space, where you can get some support with your journey parenting teenagers.      ... View more

Hey @Debsy123 it's so tough in those pre-teen years, so many emotions and changes happening. It would be hard coming from different perspectives in regards to the crying. It does sound like you both care a lot for your boy and I'm sure he knows that.    It sounds like with all the emotions he is going through, seeing a counselor could be helpful. How do you think he would feel about that?  ... View more

Hey @helpless2020 just wanted to send a message to thank you for looking out for this teen. I thought I'd give you some resources on how to support a young person through separation/divorce here  I wonder if a school counselor would be helpful at the moment? Might be something to suggest. Let us know how you go, we are here to chat.  ... View more

Thanks for sending these questions in @PeteNorthside I'll send them through to the parenting experts and when the Facebook video is up I'll let you know :)    ... View more

It sounds like you're doing all you can to keep the lines of communication clear and open between your son and his mum. Fingers crossed he has unblocked his phone so that you can check in with him more easily. Do keep us updated with how you're going with this..I can imagine it would be hard to go through this at a distance.  ... View more

Hey @Cowgirl6996 and thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you have been through a really tough time recently - I'm relieved to hear that you have a good friend in your life who is supporting you. I can only imagine how hard things are at the moment, especially with a premature baby.    I've noticed that you are currently in the states and as this is an Australian based service the practical support we can offer may be limited. I have found some information on Planned Parenthood here - they might be able to connect you with some support to get what you need for your baby. There is a helpline and virtual appointments available - please let us know how you go with getting in touch with them.   Sending you lots of love and strength. ... View more

Hi @Charley  and thanks so much for reaching out about this. I can only imagine how incredibly painful this situation must be for you. I'm just wondering if you have any close people in your life that you could also talk to about this? I bet you'd be needing some support. Also, do you mind if I ask how old your daughter is?    Hope to hear back from you soon. ... View more

Wow that's a very creative idea! I really like that. How are things going for you and your family?  ... View more

Hey @Caroline just wanted to check in and see how you and your daughter are going? It does sound like your daughter needs some help to see how Xanax is impacting her life. It might be worth looking into some addiction support for her, would you be open to me finding some support for you both?  ... View more

I think it was really brave of you to share these feelings you have. I just wanted to check in with you and see how you've been since your last post?      ... View more

Hey @Worriedmum2020 thanks for sharing what your concerns have been around your daughters relationship. I'm sure there are other parents here who have been through similar experiences and would relate to the worries you have. I just wanted to say that it's really positive that your daughter is being honest and open with you, it's a good sign of closeness and trust which is so important in these teens years.    I also thought you might want to check out these articles we have on teen romance and sexual relationships    Hope to hear back from you soon ... View more

Hey @Stressedout123    Thanks for stopping by on this thread to open up about what you're going through at the moment. It would be heartbreaking to see your daughter go through such tough times and especially the self-harm. Have the both of you spoken to a support person about this?    Hope to hear back from you soon  ... View more

Hey Parents!    We wanted to send a message to some new members who joined this week and  thank them for sharing what they are going through.    @Tapco2020 you opened up about a tough situation between your wife and daughter - it's not easy to tell people online what is going on in your private life but we are really appreciative that you reached out for support.    With COVID-19 in our midst it's been great to see that @CJ030 checked in with the community about thoughts on how to keep kids busy during social isolation times. If you want to check that thread out it's here.    We also made a  thread on how to talk to your teens about coronavirus here. Let's support each other through this time   ... View more

Hey @Tapco2020  just wanted to check in and see how you are going? Sounds like such a heartbreaking situation to be in and hope you were able to read the  support given above.      ... View more

    To all the parents that have come to ReachOut to get and give support, we wanted to send a huge thank you!    @LusHeart thank you for giving your support to a parent here who is having a hard time. It's people like you that make this a warm and welcoming community.    @Fleurry I really admire how you've shared with the community and we hope to continue hearing about how you and your son progress with counselling.    @IppyMum4305 and @LIALIA thank you for both opening up here about the difficulty you're both having with getting your teens to school.  ... View more

Hi @Fleurry    How's things going? Glad to hear that your son saw the counsellor - one step at a time.    Hope you're both doing well.  ... View more

Aw @Fleurry you must be in so much pain. I'm really grateful that you found our forum and you can talk through it here. Do you think it would be helpful to get some more support? We do have a partnership with The Benevolent Society where you can get some one on one support here.    It's good to hear you have family that cares but it can be so hard when they don't live close. Do you speak with them on the phone about how you've been feeling?   ... View more

Hey @Ecilaenuj    Thanks for coming here to get this off your chest. I can imagine how upsetting that would have been to discover. I think it's positive that she has been honest with you about how often she has been smoking, though I can understand why you'd want to support her to stop.    We've had lots of parents come to our forum to talk about similar situations with their teens smoking cannabis. We've put together a thread here which has some resources about smoking which might help you find a way to have a discussion with your daughter.    Let me know if any of the links on that thread are helpful. We are here to help you chat through this difficult situation.  ... View more

Hey there @Fleurry    Thank you for updating us. I can see how much it's hurting you to see your boy struggle but I can also see that you are a fiercely loving mum - as long as he has your support and love I believe the clouds will clear for him.    I know you're feeling lost but even with how hard things are you are still taking all the right steps. As you said, one day at a time. Let us know how the appointments with social worker and psych goes - we are all thinking of you and your son.  ... View more

Hey @Mother_of_teen    Thanks for sharing with us. It sounds like you and your daughter have been through so much. I can only imagine how painful it has been to watch her go through such a hard time, whilst not being able to openly talk to her father about it all.    Teen years are difficult in the best of times, so for her to have experienced the loss of a friend to suicide must have also been a traumatic thing to have happen. From what you've said, it sounds like you have done everything in your power to keep your daughter safe and on track.    I can hear the frustration you're experiencing - I want to acknowledge that while it might not feel like it, you are doing so well at keeping your daughter well. I can see why you'd feel like nothing is changing but the fact that you've been able to get your daughter into study is huge.    It must be hard working in mental health and also having to juggle this in your personal life. I'm just wondering if you have any support? I was just thinking this coaching program we have available with The Benevolent Society, might be of interest to you.    You are doing so well and I'm really happy you've come here to get this off your chest. I'm wondering if any of our parent champions have some words of support?    @JAKGR8 @Dad4good @sidneysdad @sunflowermom @PapaBill  ... View more

Hey parents   I just wanted to tag some of you that have been chatting about cannabis use over the past week.    We have created this thread so that parents going through similar experiences can connect as well as get some resources.    @Amatt1970 @pinetruth      ... View more