Hi there @Younique thanks for reaching out to our parent community to start a discussion! We just wanted to comment to welcome you and also to let you know about our guidelines, which you can read through here.    Something that is really important to us at ReachOut is fostering a safe online community with a focus on strengths. It would be great if we can reframe your question, moving away from what parents are doing wrong and rather around what parent's feel they are doing really well and what they'd like to improve.    What do you think about that?  ... View more

Hi there @Hopesprings123, thank you for coming here and entrusting us with your story. I can imagine how painful this would be for you and your daughter. As a survivor of school bullying, I remember these times and I can feel the turmoil - I want to assure you that what I also remember from these times is how supportive my mum was and how that absolutely saved me and made a difference for me. You are doing the most important thing for your daughter and that is being a great parent.    School can be so tough and there are answers out there, which ones will be right for your family will depend on your unique circumstances - but we are happy to chat through this with you. I am glad to hear your daughter has a psychologist, I was just wondering if you have any support for yourself in this situation? You mentioned wanting to walk into the ocean, so I am a little worried about your well-being as I know these situations absolutely take their toll on a person.    Are you okay right now? And do you have any supports that you can call upon today? We will be looking out for your response   ... View more

Hey @Dad42 hope you are going okay - just reminding you that we are here to chat about this more with you.  ... View more

Hey @Newdad  thank you for coming here to get some support with this. I can imagine there are lots of emotions and thoughts you're having at the moment. I did want to let you know that we may not be the best space to chat about this as our scope is teenagers - however there is an amazing site that has a lot of self-help articles for new families. Here is a link to Raising Childrens Network. All their content is broken down into different stages from pregnancy to new born and beyond. They would also have some stuff on blended families! Let us know how you go with the website.  ... View more

Aw @hrmsj1447 it sounds like you have a lot on your plate and I can understand why you'd be reaching out to lots of different platforms to get support. Feel free to post here about anything to do with your teen. Did you get a chance to check out the Raising Childrens Network link? Apparently they are quite helpful with the toddler stage. Also, do you have any other support networks around you?  ... View more

Your views on editing of the posts are fair and we are open to hearing about how this would be weird for you.    As we are a mental health space, ensuring the safety of all young people is our number one priority. It sounds like you have had experience with de-trans and that was what was best for your child and family. However, as there are families from all walks of life, with differing needs/circumstances, we have created the guideline that we steer clear from giving specific medical advice.    In the same way we wouldn’t condone promoting medical advice to transition, we also can’t promote de-transitioning. These conversations are best left between families and their GP's, as it is not our scope.    Just letting you know, I did need to remove the link due to our guideline around sharing social media sites. ... View more

Aw @Anxietyprincess reading through this I felt like first and foremost it was important to acknowledge you. You have really done so much, gone above and beyond to be there for your daughter. The fierce love you have for her is clear. I can also hear how much pain your daughter is in and that would be incredibly hard for you both to go through.    I'm just wondering if you have any friends/family members that are helping you through this hard time? Maybe even a counselor for yourself, to chat through some of the questions you have around how to support your daughter.  ... View more

Hi there @jamman we work with young people up to the age of 25 years, so this is most definitely a place you can talk about your young persons mental health.  ... View more

Heya @Jozansag thanks for coming here to give support. Just letting you know we had to edit some of your post as there were parts that weren't in line with our guidelines. Which you can read in detail here.  ... 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

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