About Claire-RO

testerr · ‎08-17-2023

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Taylor-RO · ‎08-04-2021

Hi @Baryl11, thank you for your response. Our forums are designed to be a community led space where parents can come to receive peer support. Unfortunately, we do not offer one on one support and our service is anonymous. If you'd like to chat more, feel free to make additional posts or replies

Andrea-RO · ‎01-31-2021

Hey @Jaytag, that is really concerning and I can really imagine that you must be very worried for your daughter right now. One of the best things you can do for your daughter right now is to remain being supportive and caring in the same ways you described. It might also be a good idea to have a chat with her about whether there was any more tangible reasons why she goes back to him (e.g. finances etc.), and whether that was something you could help with. I also just wanted to quickly ask how old your daughter was?

Fullhouse · ‎12-19-2020

Mumsy2 it’s been a while since my original post and things have been pretty good for us here at home. Both of my boys are still single but have dated casually - we have all enjoyed not having the pressure of them managing relationships for a while after previously having long term girlfriends under our roof a lot of the time. I stood my ground with my house rules and they have both have accepted and respected them. I think Covid has played a part in limiting casual encounters, though we live in a state that has been fairly unrestricted, but still definitely more conscious of social contacts and gatherings. The best thing you can do for your kids is start discussing these things with them as soon as it is age appropriate. Build a relationship with them so you can talk openly about sex and other subjects relevant to teenagers. Every family dynamic is different and has their own set of values, rules and expectations, so there is definitely no one size fits all guideline. I will gladly admit that I have at times wished that teens came with an instruction manual where I could just look up the index and find a solution to every situation I didn’t automatically have an answer for 😂. For us, setting our ground rules and boundaries, continuing to discuss things with our young men, staying consistent and being willing to listen to them has really helped. They mostly accept our family/household rules and boundaries, even as young adults, and although we still have the occasional heated discussion, for the most part, things are working out for us. It’s definitely a learning curve that is constantly changing and moving. I think you have done well to manage being thrown in at the deep end with an instant teenager who is not just under your roof, but an employee and helping with your children. You’ve had multiple considerations to take into account and I think you’re doing great. It will also give you valuable experience and insight for when it comes to discussions with your own kids when the time is right.

Forty-sumfin · ‎10-29-2020

Scary, isn't it. It's like they have suddenly changed. I try to find the familiar ways we connect, the interests, jokes, etc. Walking the dog, if she agrees to come along. Cooking food for her, asking what yummy things she'd like to eat. I don't try to delve into her thoughts, but I do check in on the safety plan traffic light system - do you have that going? It kind of works, kind of. But I'm new to all this, so I am making it up as I go along, and taking the advice of health people. Punishment or cracking down is useless. I wish you and your 13 yr old all the best.

Cocochque · ‎10-14-2020

My 17 year old daughter has been feeling sad during this unpredictable and unsettling year. She’s hated remote learning and started to feel sad and her breakup with her boyfriend seems to have amplified the sadness. We have encouraged her to get well being support from school which she has committed to and she is trying to figure out her reasons for feeling sad. I also sit and encourage open conversation about her feelings. Not always well received but I reassure this is coming from a place of love. Since the breakup she has closed up a bit and not really wAnting to confront her feelings. I know deep down this is the root cause of her sadness. She has also lost a lot of confidence. I am afraid she’s manifesting her feelings as they are too hurtful. I’m worried she could break down and her exams will be affected so I am encouraging her to push herself to be honest with herself and confront head on. It’s not easy but I am making her see that she needs to take control and resolve conflicting thoughts about her ex by talking to him. They broke up mutually due to Covid situation. Nothing was wrong so hence I think the uncertainty, fear of rejection and unresolved. The future of uni and choices are also stressing her so we have defined a step by step logical outlook of what we can control. My advice to her is to be ok with the uni choices for now and once exams have passed she will have a better idea of how she might score. Between exams and results there’s one month to reassess those choices without the exam stress. If she’s changed her mind then we wait for results and change. If not sure still then stay with current choices until she figures it out with options available through uni. We always try to talk openly and honestly with her knowing that we will always support and help her achieve her goals where we can. This has been a very difficult year and I’m heart broken for my daughter and all other teens dealing with this final year of their schooling and transition to adulthood. They have lost so much but as parents we have to stay positive and just understand, love and support them. Ta....

Claire-RO · ‎04-03-2020

Ask a Child and Family Professional Question: “Hi I have a daughter turning 14 this month and she has just started to drink alcohol she has been honest and open with it. There are so many views on teenage drinking I'm pretty relaxed and believe you are better of knowing what your teen is up too rather than being lied to. Some advice would be helpful.” __________________________________________________ Hi, this is a really difficult question to answer. Firstly the legal drinking age in all Australian states is 18, so firstly we can’t condone underage drinking. There are also penalties for supplying alcohol to minors, these vary state to state….. With that out of the way its really important to be honest with your teen about your opinions of their activities. This isn’t the time for lectures rather a time to ask them what their thoughts are on the subject of underage drinking, what they are doing when they drink, do they feel safe and the allowing your self time to listen and consider their perspective. After you have both had some time to think it can then be good to arrange a time to sit down with your teen and explain your perspectives and your thoughts on their drinking. This isn’t going to be an easy conversation remembering that teenagers normally consider scenarios from an emotional irrational perspective vs an adults rational logical perspective. Consider this if you are trying to come at the conversation from a purely factual angle, your teen probably knows the rules and right from wrong, what they may not know if why you are making the decisions you are making and your reasoning behind them. Helping your teen to understand your perspective allows them to better understand a situation and hopefully make informed decision based on fact rather than speculation and assumption. The choice going forwards is yours to make but having as much information about your teenagers perspective as well as your teen knowing where you stand is going to help both of you moving forwards as you navigate this together. Below are some resources from ReachOut.com to give some more perspectives. https://parents.au.reachout.com/common-concerns/everyday-issues/things-to-try-alcohol/what-parents-think-about-drugs-and-alcohol https://parents.au.reachout.com/common-concerns/everyday-issues/alcohol-and-teenagers https://au.reachout.com/everyday-issues/alcohol-and-drugs Child & Family Professional, The Benevolent Society Speak with a professional now We also partner with The Benevolent Society to offer free personalised one-on-one support for parents and carers of teens over the phone and online. For more information: https://parents.au.reachout.com/one-on-one-support

Andrea-RO · ‎03-15-2020

Hey @UnhappyHouse., I am so saddened to hear that things have escalated in your home. I can only imagine how stressed and scared you must be at the moment. It sounds like the thing that you've been looking for most are professional supports for your family, so I've done some research and linked them below. Non-Violent Resistance is an Irish not for profit that focuses on child to parent abuse, and providing information to support families going through similar issues. Responding to Child to Parent Violence is a multi-agency research project led by the University of Brighton. The project team consists of organisations in the UK, Bulgaria, Ireland, Spain and Sweden, brought together to study the emerging problem of abuse perpetrated by children on their parents and carers. I hope these help!

Claire-RO · ‎03-12-2020

Hi @Veynna I am really sorry to hear what you have been through with your parents, that sounds really tough! You sound like you are such a strong and caring person especially when it comes to your family. You spoke about being at college, do they provide any counselling services, they might be able to talk though with you what has happened when you were a kid and what't happening now. I did just edit your post as we are an anonymous service, you can check out our community guidelines here I did just want to let you know that ReachOut parents forum is for parents of 12-18 year olds.

Jess1-RO · ‎02-13-2020

Hi @newtoparenting, Just thought I would reply to link you threads of a few other parents who have been talking about teens and marijuana in the last couple of weeks. While these threads speak more to using marijuana, you may be able to reach out to these parents to see how they have conversations with their teens. This topic here by @CBlovesherboy and this discussion here with @melinee and @Keddie

Andrea-RO · ‎01-25-2020

I'm sorry to hear that you and your son have both experienced what I can only imagine to be an incredibly difficult and distressing situation @Bishy71. First of all I really want to reinforce that you have done the right thing in protecting yourself. While it can be both incredibly scary and sad when those we love are aggressive, it's important to make sure that we are safe first before we help others. I wanted to check if you have any professional supports yourself? It might be a good idea to call ParentLine or 1800Respect, as they would be able to give you some really indepth information and advice about your situation, as well as provide some immediate counselling and support. I hope this helps!

Bre-RO · ‎01-23-2020

Hey Parents! We completed our Facebook live series last night, finishing off with a really important topic. Negative body image and eating disorders are something almost every young person will be exposed to in one way or another. As a complex issue, it's one that requires careful navigation from parents and family. Click here to join Juliette Thomson, National Helpline Manager & Psychologist at The Butterfly Foundation and father of two Gavin Holman, who’ll share their experiences with body image and eating disorders. Missed one? No problem, you can watch our previous ReachOut Parents Live panels in our videos here: www.facebook.com/ReachOutAUS/videos/ Or, listen as a podcast here: www.ReachOut.click/Parents_Podcast

Janine-RO · ‎12-24-2019

Hi @inteenhell , I'm sorry to hear that you're going through similar things with your son, hopefully you and @Froggirl find this a useful place to find support. I hear your love and concern for your son, 14 is a really tricky age in terms of kids experimenting with drugs and pushing boundaries. You say that your disappointment had a really strong impact on him, it sounds like he does care a lot about how you feel about things, and hopefully having that relationship with you will be a really positive, protective factor for him. It can be really hard to have conversations with kids about drugs and risk-taking, there's some resources here that you may find helpful in navigating this with your son.

Jess1-RO · ‎12-12-2019

What's happening in December 2019? December 2019 The Holidays are here! December marks the start of the holiday season! With teens home from school for five or more weeks, we will be talking about how to support your family to cope this Christmas and New Year! Our forums are getting a make over! As of Sunday the 15th of December, our forums will have a whole new look! All the functionality will remain the same, but the look will be fresh and easier to navigate! Ask a Child and Family Professional (Almost) Anything! ReachOut is partnering with The Benevolent Society to answer your questions about your teen! We will be posting a new question and answer from our child and family professionals every Thursday! You can submit your questions here! Facebook Live for Parents: Drugs, Alcohol and teens On Wednesday the 4th of December, ReachOut had a live discussion on the topic of Drugs, Alcohol and teens! For more information, check out the facebook video here. Special Discussion: Co-parenting during the holiday season. The holiday season is right around the corner, and this month we are talking about the experience of co-parenting through the holidays including ways to look after yourself during this stressful time! While we will be focussing on co-parenting, we would encourage all parents to check this discussion out around planning for the holidays. Weekly Wrap Up: Every Friday, we will be continuing with highlighting three contributions to the forums community! You can check out last month's weekly wrap ups here

Claire-RO · ‎12-06-2019

Hi @millsc I am really sorry to hear that you have been having such a tough time with your daughter's dad and her health. It sounds like you are really caring and trying to give her some joy on her birthday. Unfortunately as we are an anonymous service, and can't share personal information, I also had to remove you other post as it was a duplicate, for more information you can check out our community guidelines here

Bre-RO · ‎01-23-2020

Hey Parents! We completed our Facebook live series last night, finishing off with a really important topic. Negative body image and eating disorders are something almost every young person will be exposed to in one way or another. As a complex issue, it's one that requires careful navigation from parents and family. Click here to join Juliette Thomson, National Helpline Manager & Psychologist at The Butterfly Foundation and father of two Gavin Holman, who’ll share their experiences with body image and eating disorders. Missed one? No problem, you can watch our previous ReachOut Parents Live panels in our videos here: www.facebook.com/ReachOutAUS/videos/ Or, listen as a podcast here: www.ReachOut.click/Parents_Podcast

Jess1-RO · ‎10-08-2019

The Facebook Live Event has been filmed, and you can watch it back at any time using the link here! Live videos will be more common place for ReachOut Parents, so keep an eye for more live events coming soon

Jess1-RO · ‎09-11-2019

Hi @H0210 and thank you for checking back in with us It sounds like the custody discussions moved really quickly since we last spoke. We are very relieved to hear that your children are now safely back in your care for the time being. In such a stressful time for you, how have you been coping? Do you have a support system around you or people you can lean on when you need to?

Claire-RO · ‎08-29-2019

Text version Ask a young person! Parent question: "How can I talk to my teen about dating and relationships?" Youth Answers: "I can only speak for my own experiences, so my suggestions might not fit your situation. What I would find helpful is having a parent, family member or another trusted person be open to me coming to them for advice. If a family member was supportive of my choices every time I came to them for advice, I was more likely to confide in them in the future. Most teenagers don't want to feel as if they are being made to feel bad about themselves or their sexuality. I think most teens would want to have someone who they feel is on their side... I would personally find it beneficial to have a parent tell me that I could talk to them about anything and that I would be supported no matter what. I think it's wise to keep in mind that social norms are different for each generation. The rules regarding relationships and dating are constantly being rewritten. Just because something was acceptable in your generation does not mean that it is acceptable in theirs, so saying things like 'When I was your age...' might not be helpful for them. There are also new issues that previous generations might not have had to deal with, such as sexting, cyberbullying, social media and increased awareness of gender and sexuality. Perhaps you could do some research or ask them what is considered 'normal' for them. You could also discuss peer pressure. I have known some teens who felt pressured to get into relationships by their friends. It's important to emphasise that this isn't a good reason to date someone. You could discuss the signs that could indicate when someone is ready to have a relationship. Another important issue you could talk to them about is abuse in relationships and how to have healthy relationshipd. You could discuss what the possible signs of abuse are and where they could get support about these issues. I missed a talk like this growing up and therefore didn't recognise when I was being taken advantage of. The Line is a good resource for information about these issues. Maybe you and your teen could brainstorm what would make a good partner together. Parents also need to be aware that there is a lot of misinformation and urban myths about teenage relationships and sexual activity... Not every teen is eager to get into a relationship or having sex. It's important not to assume that your teenager is." - WheresMySquishy (Youth Volunteer) Our youth volunteers have shared their thoughts, what are yours? What are your tips for talking to teens about dating and relationships? What's worked well, and what could have been done differently ?

Claire-RO · ‎08-29-2019

Hi @Missnrc Welcome to the forums. There may be some parents on here that can share some tips for what you are facing right now, and it can be so tricky when you have the kids only part of the time, routine falls by the way side. I did just want to let you know that we are mainly a forum for parents who have children 12 - 18 years old

Claire-RO · ‎08-28-2019

Hi @SMS77 That sounds really tough, and I can hear how worried you are about this. It can be really hard when children don't open up about what is happening for them especially when it comes to suicide. Whilst it is upsetting they are not speaking with you about this, it is a positive step that he feels he can speak to his friends about it. The fact that you know that he is speaking to his friends and you are checking in with him are all great ways to support him. We have some really helpful resources here for parents when talking to their teens about suicide. I really encourage you to have a look, also keep speaking with your son and let him know that you are there to listen to him when he is ready, which I am sure you are already doing Let him know the kids helpline and lifeline are services that can talk through suicidal thoughts and he can have those conversations in private. You are not alone

Claire-RO · ‎08-16-2019

Hey All Thought it would be good share some of the discussions we have been having with on the youth forum about sexuality and being a part of the bisexual and pansexual community.

Claire-RO · ‎08-16-2019

Hey All Thought it would be good share some of the discussions we have been having with on the youth forum about sexuality and being a part of the bisexual and pansexual community.

Claire-RO · ‎08-15-2019

Text Version Ask a young person! Parent question: "My daughter has never been in trouble before and was caught shoplifting. I grounded her for the weekend. I just heard her arranging to have a boy pick her up and go to a party. I rearranged my plans to stay home and try to keep her home. What could be going on with my daughter and what can I do to support her?" Youth Answer: "Sorry to hear that your daughter was caught shoplifting. Since you've mentioned previously that your daughter has never been in trouble before, it is quite odd behaviour of her to engage in shoplifting. Have you had a check in with your daughter to see if she is okay at the moment? From my experience, there was one instance where I knew someone who was going through a tough time and so they were engaging in "rebellious" behaviour to cope with it. Maybe this could be happening to your daughter as well? As for your daughter making plans to go to a party, perhaps a possible reason why she decided to do this is due to you grounding her? Of course, she needs to know the repercussions of her actions and so I can see why you chose to ground her. However, I was wondering if you explained to her why you've grounded her for the weekend? You could address to her (if you haven't done so already) why shoplifting is never okay and explain why you've chosen to ground her so that she will never shoplift again. However, I think the most important thing is that you let her know that you're always open for a chat or support if she needs it. Hope that helps! Good luck" - Esperanza67 (Youth Volunteer) Submit your question here. We have over 10 young people ready and willing to share their thoughts and experiences! Our youth volunteers have shared their thoughts, what are yours? Have you been through something similar with your teen? How did you approach the situation?

JAKGR8 · ‎08-09-2019

Music tends to be our most common unifier and it can be listened to anywhere. Walks are another.

Claire-RO · ‎08-07-2019

@PapaBill what a great plan I am sure that really motivated the kids to get to bed on time

Claire-RO · ‎08-02-2019

International Day of Friendship- 30th July 2019! We are a few days late but we couldn't let this special day pass without celebrating on the forums! What is International Day of Friendship all about? International Day of Friendship stems from the work of UNESCO and the UN who in 1997 brought forward a proposal to promote international peace and prevent world conflict. There was a recognition in the years following that reducing conflict involves a strong focus on educating the next generation, young people and children, about peace, harmony and friendship. From the important work on peace that has happened globally over the last 20 years, International Day of Friendship was announced in 2011 to celebrate friendship between people, cultures and countries, in the hope that friendship will help to build peace and connect people from all backgrounds! International Day of Friendship is all about building social connections between people for a better, brighter, and more peaceful global future! As young people and the next generation of leaders, we have a role to place in ensuring world peace What can I do to get involved in International Day of Friendship? Reach out to those around you Start conversations about your interests, shared experiences and passions Listen to others, try to understand different perspectives and challenge yourself to be open to new ideas and ways of seeing the world Hold space for those in your life to come to you and share their views/thoughts/feelings/ideas Let your friends know that you value them Share the importance of International Day of Friendship, and it's history, with those around you to educate others about steps they can take to promote international peace through friendship Want to learn more about the International Day of friendship? Check out information on the UN website here, and see the release from 2011 declaring International Day of Friendship here Activity time!: What is the role and value of friendship in your life? How can friendship help to promote peace and harmony? What will you do this International Friendship Day to celebrate the friendships in your life __________ Check out our community activities calendar for August 2019 here

Dad4good · ‎08-02-2019

Great response! I had "the conversation" with my son last year (in actual fact it was a number of conversations . . . its an open door). Actually, one thing that was a little awkward but I took my son to the supermarket and showed him how to buy condoms (he was running away a lot and so I felt that he needed to know how to access them when not at home). Yes, I even brought carrots and when we got home showed him how to put the condom on. Such an embarrassing dad . . . .

PapaBill · ‎07-25-2019

hi @mommyof3 Raising teens is very tough. Teens today have a very different view on certain things than we do. A phone to them is very different from what it is to us. The phones are their connection to friends and a whole digital life. In a strange coincidence, my partner asked to see my phone last week. I said no. Pretty sure it would have ended very ugly if she tried to snatch it out of my hand and go through it! It sounds like a authoritative approach is escalating the issues with your son. It is possible he is pushing back to try and assert his Independence. While I agree parents need to guide teens in to adulthood my experience you can not dictate rule to them. Would you be open to a more collaborate approach to setting limits for your son?

Claire-RO · ‎07-25-2019

Hi @Online123 Welcome to the parents forum. That sounds like a worrying situation, upsetting for you and your son, as well as the concerns around being threatened. Is your son under 18? In any case the best approach would be to contact the police, they should have a department that specialise in online crime so touch base with them. Hopefully you can get the support that you need, there may be some other parents here that have been through something similar and can provide some suggestions in how you can support yourself and your son in this difficult time

Date Registered	‎05-31-2019 09:41 AM
Date Last Visited	‎12-03-2021 06:19 PM
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Date Last Visited	‎12-03-2021 06:19 PM

About Claire-RO

About Claire-RO

About Claire-RO

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