Hey @Hugo2019    Thanks for your response. It's hard to say with any certainty whether you should change psychiatrists.   If you don't mind me asking - what is stopping you from using CAMHS? Are you worried that they might not specialise in adolescent mental health?   Are you worried it will interrupt your son's recovery because he may have already bonded with the private psychiatrist?   Do you really like the private psychiatrist, and you're worried mental health clinicians at CAMHS won't be as good?   Like @Taylor-RO suggested, it might be a good idea to  gain more information about CAMHS to assist in your decision making. It might even be helpful to meet some of the mental health clinicians, and meet the psychiatrist in particular, to see if they'd be a good fit for your son. Also, it might be an idea to ask your son for his opinion in this situation too, such as whether he'd be willing to change psychiatrists, etc.  ... View more

Hey @BrianS    Welcome to ReachOut and for sharing your story. It sounds like you are going through a really difficult time with your daughter. It can feel pretty helpless when we're lost for ideas on how to support our children.    Just letting you know that I've moved your moved your post into the "concerned about my teen" section of the forums as it is better suited to this area of the forums. It is now its own thread so it should increase the amount of support you receive. I also removed some identifying details (e.g., living location etc.) as we don't want you/ your children to be identifiable. I hope you don't mind.    Lastly, I've tagged some parents who are frequent users of this forum and provide amazing support to multiple users. @Dad4good @JAKGR8 @sunflowermom @PapaBill @JohnT @Maruko .  Lastly, a really good resource for parents in your situation is Parentline, as they offer free and confidential counselling and support to parents and carers on any parenting issues they may be facing. They may be able to help you navigate this situation with your daughter, support you, and also refer you to any useful services in your area. Parenting can be stressful, so it's important you look after yourself in this situation too .  The number for Parentline differs per state. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see which number to call if you're interested.  ... View more

Hey @Mommaofone    Thanks for sharing what's going on for you. Just so you know, I have moved your post to the "everyday parenting" section of the forums, and it is now it's own thread. Where you posted before is where new users answer a set of questions to introduce themselves. I made this it's own thread because you've described an issue you're having, and doing so would increase the amount of support you receive from community. I hope you don't mind.    I can see why your daughter's boyfriend's parent's actions would be frustrating you. It seems as though they are being unjust, or favoring their other children? Is your daughter and her boyfriend also upset about it?    Do we know why he might getting the "short end of every stick" like you said? ... View more

Hi @chippy    Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. I'm sure many users on the forum will benefit from a discussion like this. You sound like a beautiful mum who really wants the best for their child.    If you don't mind me asking, how long have you and his father been separated? From your past posts, it doesn't sound like you and his father separated recently, but if you have, sometimes an event like that can stress the child and impact their behaviour.    Also, it sounds like your son may be around the age where hormones start running wild, which could explain changes in his mood and behaviour.   Teenage years are generally quite a vulnerable time, with lots going on, lots to adjust to, and lots to figure out about themselves.  Many teenagers are tackling issues around low self-esteem, peer-pressure, wanting to fit in and be accepted, and so on. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is hard to determine what might be causing this change in your son's mood/ behaviour. It's likely a combination of things. The best way might be to ask him directly if you haven't already.    A really good resource for parents in your situation (if you're from Australia) is Parentline, as they offer free and confidential counselling and support to parents and carers on any parenting issues they may be facing. They may be able to help you navigate this situation with your son, support you, and also refer you to any useful services in your area. Parenting can be stressful, so it's important you look after yourself in this situation too  .    The number for Parentline differs per state. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see which number to call if you're interested.  ... View more

Hey @Fullhouse    This is a very courageous and insightful post .  It is understandable that you are not comfortable with your adult son bringing random girls home as it conflicts with your values.  It can be difficult to know what 'normal' is these days and it moves so quickly.     Being 18 yo is certainly a time of self-discovery.  Your son is becoming increasingly exposed to casual relationships, alcohol, and drugs.  He is also gradually transitioning into adulthood so it can be a challenging time for him.  It doesn't make it any easier as a parent.  If you would like to talk to someone, please try Parentline on 1300 365 859. They are open 7 days per week from 8am-10pm (QLD time).  They have trained counsellors ready to listen to you.     I will say that it sounds like you have a great relationship with your boys given they are so open with you.  I think that is a testament to your parenting    Please continue to reach out, we are here to support you  ... View more

Hey @Lovingmom0812    Welcome to the forum .  Thank you so much for your post.  I'm sure this issue is something that many parents and step-parents go through so thank you for bringing this up.  It definitely sounds like a tricky situation and I think @JAKGR8 has provided you with some pretty good tips.   I would encourage you to have an open conversation with your husband and hopefully find a middle ground.  As you said, bonding with your children is really important and it won't be long until they grow up, so its important for him to know you feel this way.  Thanks again for your post and keep us updated. ... View more

Hey @8isenough    I can see how this is such a stressful situation for you. School refusal can be a really hard on parents as well as the affected child/teen. It's great that you have taken your son to see a psychologist, GP, and have considered multiple options including home schooling. It sounds like you have done your research and will do everything in your power to assist your son, which is a great start.    Have you tried asking your son what's making him anxious in class?    Also, you said the psychologist said your son won't open up. If you don't mind me asking, how many times did he see this psychologist? It might take him a few sessions to open up. Also, it might be an idea to attend a therapy session with him - maybe your support might help him open up.    If you're from Australia - a good, free resource for parents in your situation is ParentLine. ParentLine  offer confidential and anonymous counselling and support on parenting issues. Their number depends on what state you're calling from - see the following link and scroll down for a set of the numbers per state.    It might also be useful to learn about school refusal and why it occurs.  We have a few threads on school refusal that may be of interest to you - one here which has been written by a Child and Family professional, and another  here. Headspace have some useful information on understanding school refusal here. It might be worth giving these articles a read.    Wishing you all the best  ... View more

Hi @Krf05    It seems like you aren't alone, with many parents experiencing this issue.    It can be really hard when our children stop attending school. It can be easy to go into that "tell off" mode, however as you've stated, it may not be the right thing to do if their absenteeism is due to anxiety. It's really great that you've acknowledged that. It's also great that you're daughter is seeing a counselor both inside and outside of school. You sound like a great parent, one which really cares for their child, which I'm sure your daughter is grateful for.    If you're from Austraila - a good, free resource for parents in your situation is ParentLine. ParentLine  offer confidential and anonymous counselling and support on parenting issues. Their number depends on what state you're calling from - see the following link and scroll down for a set of the numbers per state.    We have an article on school refusal here .Headspace have some useful information on understanding school refusal here. It might be worth giving both of these articles a read.    We hope things improve for you and your daughter soon. ... View more

Hi @Michael219    Welcome to the forums! I noticed you started your own thread to introduce yourself. I have removed your thread as we have our own "introduce yourself" section for new users. For future reference, when starting a new thread, it should usually be about an issue you are needing assistance/support for. So, it should include like a paragraph outlining the issue, so that other users have enough information to support you.    To get started you can introduce yourself by telling us:   1. How old are your kids and what is one thing they've done recently that made you laugh? 2. Parenting can be really stressful - how do you try to keep those stress levels down? 3. What led you to ReachOut Parents today? 4. Whats your top tip for parents whose kids are about to enter teenage years? 5. Whats the best thing about weekends?     Also, we have a set of community guidelines that we ask our users to abide by. You might want to familiarise yourself with them here.  ... View more

Hi @JAKGR8    Thanks for sharing, very interesting post!    We don't always allow links on our forums, however because they are relevant, I have decided to leave them    Thanks again, I think many parents will find this article helpful.  ... View more

Hi @BDubya    Thanks so much for contributing to this thread and sharing your story.    What you're going through must be so hard, and I'm really sorry to hear that this is occurring for you. It's possible your daughter is going through some of her own personal issues that are manifesting in this sort of negative behavior. Nevertheless, it still makes it really hard to deal with, especially when you try to help and nothing seems to be working.    Is there anything you're doing to look after yourself at this difficult time? I'd encourage you to call ParentLine. If you've never heard of it, it's  a confidential telephone helpline that offers information and counselling about parenting issues. You can talk to qualified counsellors about a wide range of matters such as avoiding and resolving conflict in your family or improving relationships with your children and other family members.  I've linked their contact details here - please note that their number differs per state, so please scroll to the bottom of the page to make sure you call the relevant one.    I hope things improve for you  ... View more

Hi @Mamamico    We're sorry to hear that you found your experience with our Support Service unhelpful.    We understand how no acknowledgement from staff may have left you feeling unheard. We can assure you this was not our intention. Unfortunately, our forums are not monitored 24-7, and are also not meant for one-on-one support. The forums are actually designed for peer support. In other words, they are designed for parents to connect with other parents. These details about our service are outlined in our community guidelines, which can be found here. The moderator's role is to ensure that the forum is a safe space for everyone, in other words, to ensure that all posts are in line with our community guidelines. We do offer support to some users where we can, but there are times where we may not respond to users, especially if they have received support from the community already.    We can see a lack of response from the moderators has upset you and truly do we hope that this response clarifies some of your concerns. If you are unsatisfied with this response, then you are welcome to make a formal complaint but emailing us at hello@reachout.com.    Lastly, we're very saddened to hear about what your son, and yourself, are going through. As a parent, it must be difficult to see your son suffering. You said you found out that he suffers from depression? Does that mean he is engaging with a counselor/psychologist? If so, that's really great. I'm guessing this is a lot for you to handle and it's important that in addition to looking after your son, you look after yourself. I noticed you're an international user. Since we are an Australian based service, our knowledge of international services is somewhat limited. In Australia we have a helpline for parents - it's named Parentline. It might be worth googling if there's something similar in your country. I did a quick google search and came across this service, which might be worth looking into.    We also have this thread here for international users - it contains a list of services for a range of countries, including Canada. This thread is targeted towards youth, so not all of them may be helpful, but they might be worth look into, and possibly even passing on to your son.   Again, we're sorry you felt disappointed in our service. We hope things do get better for you and your son.  ... View more

Hi @Nay103    Thanks so much for sharing you story  .    It's interesting that your son has changed all of a sudden. He's 13, so I'm wondering whether it might be the start of puberty? Perhaps it's the hormonal changes contributing to his angry/emotional behaviour?   You mentioned that he talks about suicide when things blow up. Does he actually say that he wants to suicide? When he says these things, do you usually get the impression that he doesn't mean it and that it's just out of frustration, or do you think he actually means it? There is a very big difference between someone saying "Ah I wish I could just disappear" to "I want to suicide"...if you know what I mean? If you think he means it then that is quite concerning. I'm wondering if he's seeing a school counselor or anything at the moment?   I'm so sorry that you're going through this. I imagine it would be especially hard as a single mum. Parenting, working, and managing a household is hard enough in itself. So this added pressure must be, understandably, getting to you. I'm unsure if you've head of ParentLine?  ParentLine is a confidential telephone helpline that offers information and counselling about parenting issues. It might be worth giving them a call as they may be able to help you navigate this tricky issue with your son. Their number varies depending on the state you're calling from. A list of the numbers per state can be found here.          ... View more

Hey @dad80dad80    Thank you for creating this thread. I'm sure it's a topic that many parents can relate to. I'm going to tag some of our most regular users to that they become aware of this thread and contribute if they feel up to it: @PapaBill  @JohnT @Alexendra @JAKGR8 @KattMomma @Dad4good @sunflowermom @Nikita16.    If you don't mind me asking @dad80dad80:  How old is your son? How many hours does he usually spend playing games a day? What are some strategies you use (if you use any) to get him off the computer? Of the strategies you have used, which have been successful/unsuccessful? ... View more

Hey @LenoreG  That's great that you've started therapy :).  How has that been going? ... View more

@Deebumblebee    That must be really distressing for you.  Certainly this kind of behaviour can occur when a child expresses some depressive symptoms.  You've been really proactive with this to go the doctor, commence medication and already notice a positive change.  Well done! ... View more

Hey @Jaype    It sounds like you're going through a difficult time with your son. You mentioned your son has received professional psychological support  - is he still seeing a psychologist? Also, I'm wondering whether you're seeking any professional support to assist you through this difficult time? Parenting can be challenging at the best of times so it's important that you're seeking the right support. Not sure if you've ever tried calling Parent-line, but they can be a really good (and free) resource for parents like yourself. Check out this website to see what services are available for your state.    It sounds like your son is struggling with boundaries. I guess a tip that I've found helpful when working with young people, is ensuring I follow through on said rewards/ punishments. E.g. if you tell your son that you'll take his Xbox if he does Y, and then he happens to do Y, make sure you take his Xbox away. And then, if he reacts negatively (such as throwing a tantrum), try not to give in and instead just ignore him as best as you can, otherwise it'll teaching him that throwing a tantrum = mum giving me what I want. Same goes with rewards. It might be useful to find something that your son loves, and tell him you'll reward him with it, if he follows X rule.    The upside of the situation is that your son is open about what's going on. It's good that he confides in you. Was he even open to you about experimenting with drugs?   I've tagged some parents here who are generally very good at supporting other parents on the forum @JAKGR8 @Maruko @JohnT @DadFad @DSmum @KattMomma @Dad4good @sunflowermom @Nikkita @Faob_1 @Orbit64 @PapaBill  ... View more

Hi @Alexendra    Just posting here to let you know that I had to edit your post. I removed the second half of it because we prefer if our users are not linked to, or told to book in with, specific health organisations. Please have a read of our guidelines here for more information on the kind of posts we want and don't want to see on our forum. Thank you  ... View more

Hi @ykk1kda    Thanks for joining ReachOut and sharing your story with us. You obviously really care about your son and sound like a beautiful mother.    From what you've described, I personally don't think you have overreacted. Any form of corporal punishment should be discouraged and it may be illegal. Therefore, I think it makes complete sense to want to protect your son. It sounds awful that P has previously emotionally abused your son, too. No seven year old deserves that. In my opinion, if P had an issue with your son's behaviour, he should have raised it with you to deal with appropriately, instead of taking it upon himself to flick, slap or kick him. Like yourself, I'd personally be reluctant to leave my child alone with/ see P in future. This must be hard for you to deal with given that it is a relative and may be awkward. I hope you are okay    Does your husband understand why you reacted the way you did?   Also if you don't mind me asking - does P have any kids of his own or is he living with any children (such as a younger sibling)?    Also you seem to want the opinion of other parents... so I have tagged some regular users here for you. @PapaBill @JAKGR8 @LuckyGirl2000 @MomTo3Plus @Dad4good @sunflowermom @Orbit64 @Nikita16 @mrskode  ... View more

Hey @Goingthruit2    Just posting here to let you know that I moved your comment from the new member thread to here, so now you post has it's own thread, which should increase the amount of support you receive from other parents.  I titled it "teenage son misbehaving" as I felt that summed up your issue - I hope you don't mind.    It sounds like you are going through a really hard time with your son. Have you spoken to a psychologist about what you're going through? Are you receiving any support? Parentline  is a confidential telephone helpline that offers information and counselling about parenting issues. It  is a really good, free resource for parents. If you're interested in calling their number can be found here - just note that their number does vary per state so scroll down to the bottom of the page and make sure you're calling the right line    I have tagged some regular users here. They often provide super great advice for parents on this forum, which we appreciate heaps!  @PapaBill @Dad4good @JAKGR8 @Zarazara1 @taokat @Schooner @compassion @Faob_1  ... View more

Hi @Xculture and welcome to Reachout Parents Forum.    Thank you for sharing this concern with the forum, this  can be a really tricky thing to discuss with our children. It would be interesting to hear of other parents experiences with setting rules in regards to letting their teenagers stay at their girlfriend/ boyfriends house.    As a parent its natural to worry about our children and what they are doing in regards to sex and safety.  It might be a good idea to have a conversation with your daughter where you can both express your values on this topic so you can understand each others perspectives. It sounds like honesty is something your daughter values and it's great that she wants to keep her communication with you honest and open. Building on this trust with her could be an opportunity to potentially strengthen your relationship.    What do others think on the forum?         ... View more

Hey @DuckAquarium777    Thanks for sharing your story on ReachOut! You sound like a wonderful and caring mum! It must be hard to see a decrease in your daughter's confidence. I think it's great that you're doing your best to support her. In terms of how to get her to regain her confidence, that's a little hard to answer because I do not personally know your daughter. If you continue to see a decline in her confidence, it might be worth taking her to see a therapist? That way the therapist can understand what exactly is causing it, identify any negative self-talk that might be occurring, and then provide her with positive coping strategies.    In terms of yourself, it might be worth calling Parentline, which  is a confidential telephone helpline that offers information and counselling about parenting issues. Their number does vary depending on what state you're in so I have linked you this website here. If you scroll to the bottom you can see the different contact details per state.  I have also tagged some of our most regular users here in case they can offer help in any way. They generally offer great support to users on the forums   @PapaBill @Dad4good @JAKGR8 @sunflowermom @compassion @taokat          ... View more

Hi @Jonnie, That sounds like a very stressful and tough situation to cope with, especially not understanding why she is acting so differently compared to before.    Would she be open to talking to someone? A good place to start is to get some help to figure out what is going on for her. Perhaps a first step could be to visit your GP or encourage her to start seeing the school counsellor.   Another good option is Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), if she is open to speaking to someone she could speak or chat online to a counsellor.    If she is unwilling to engage in these options, its important that you as her parents are getting support during this time. A good place to start could be Parentline, find out more about what Parentline can offer as well as how to contact them here.   I hope some of these options are helpful to you.   ... View more

It is good to hear that you have support and that the family is coming together to show their support to him. What do you think about your daughters and husband suggestion to seek some help for yourself?   It sounds like you have been through a lot but I can also hear how supportive, loving and caring you have been and sometimes that is the greatest gift a parent can give to their child, so being there even when not much is said can be a comfort.   It's good to hear that he is open to going back onto medication and hopefully the process goes smoothly.   What you are feeling is a normal reaction to the very difficult situation you have been through but if things feel like they are too much at the moment it might be a good idea to consider what you need (what kind of support etc.) to get through this very difficult time. ... View more

Hi @GabeIsFabulous    Thanks for joining ReachOut and for posting on the forums. I'm not sure if you're aware but the ReachOut Parent's Forum is a peer-support platform designed for parents to discuss any issues (usually emotional or mental health-related) they may be having with their adolescent children. Unfortunately we are unable to answer any specific questions about homeschooling. I assume that if you're home-schooling you should be following some sort of government-based curriculum? I'd like to redirect you to this website about home-schooling in Australia. It has some really good information and should hopefully help and provide you with the right contacts to answer your question.    All the best  ... View more

Hey @mrskode    Thanks for sharing with us here on ReachOut. It's great that you're reaching out during times of stress. It must be hard to watch your innocent 8 year old be treated negatively by her older sister. Can I ask - is this sort of behaviour typical of your 19 year old or is it uncharacteristic of her? If it is an ongoing issue it might be helpful to speak with a child/adolescent psychologist or counselor. Parentline can be a helpful starting point for such services. The number for Parentline may vary depending on what state you're in. This link provides the numbers per state if you are wanting to call.    I like your thought of only returning her presents to her if she apologises to, and does something nice for, her younger sister. Did you end up doing this? If so, how did it go?  ... View more

Hi @Chloe2007 ,   Thanks for sharing your concerns, I can hear you are very worried about your daughter. It is difficult to know what to do in these situations and there is a lot to consider - how old is your daughter? How old is her partner? Have you met her partner? Do you and your daughter have good communication? Can you work out a way forward where you compromise and both get a little of what you want? This might involve setting some boundaries, for example, around how much time your daughter spends with her partner vs how much time she spends studying.   Also, are you aware that ReachOut offers free parenting support? It may be helpful to speak with a professional about this and get some support to work out the best way forward. You can access parenting support here.   Keep us updated on how you go :) ... View more

Hey there @Redrobin, We cant see your post! Try to post it again so we can have a discussion :) ... View more