A very warm welcome to this new discussion board!   We've created this space especially for those parents doing it solo. Feel free to share your experiences, challenges and triumphs as a single parent, as well as hear from other parents too.      Many single parents have told us they feel proud that they’re raising their children on their own. Many also enjoy the freedom it gives them to make their own decisions about what they think is best for their families. Parenting alone can also be exhausting and difficult sometimes, and that’s okay. Many single parents experience unique challenges and we're excited to create a safe space for us all to support one another.    To get things going we want to know...    What support would you like as a Single Parent?  ... View more

It can be really easy to get swept up in the chaos of life - work, appointments, school and extended familial responsibilities. As hard as we try to fit everything in sometimes good quality time with our loved ones falls to the bottom of the list.        Quality time is great for catching up on non-serious issues, learning more about your teen and how they are changing. It can also be a good chance to role model healthy habits and encourage both of your well-being.    I thought we could use this weeks well-being activity as a time to share ideas and tips for quality time. To get us started here are some of my thoughts:    Long car drives/mini road trips can be a good way to have long talks together, sing along to the radio and make memories. I remember I always opened up to my mum about what was going on for me on long trips together. Later on in life when I did face-to-face youth work, car time was always the best time to have meaningful chats.  Cooking/Baking together. This is usually more fun when it's not for dinner but getting a special treat cooked for the family. It can also be a nice time to talk about nutrition, food and the importance of eating well.  Exercise together. Setting and achieving goals together is really rewarding and we can all use some of those lovely happy hormones you're flooded with after a great workout.  There are also some examples here of relaxing activities you could try with your teen as well.    Activity   Share a memory of quality time spent with your teen and how that strengthened your relationship?   Do you have some tips for quality time activities?                                                         ... View more

We want to talk about Bullying    We’ve noticed that many of you have come to the forums to discuss and get support around bullying. Bullying is something that takes a huge toll on the victim and their family - it’s also something that parents often find hard to resolve with schools and teachers.    At ReachOut we try to find ways to support parents to support their teen. We’ve done this in the past by having a special discussion with a young person who has experienced bullying - you can read through here.    We’ve also put together quite a few guides on what to do if your teen is being impacted by bullying. You can find that and much more about bullying here.    Activity:    How do you talk to your teen about bullying?                                                         What love to get your thoughts @PapaBill @Dad4good @Maggiemay @seaglecc @taokat @Murgatroyd @Dani_  ... View more