Hey @Hope_4  It is great to hear that you will be booking in a coaching session this week! I know you mentioned that you were researching around ADHD, and I thought I would share a post we have here around ADHD as well as a collection of resources we have here. I thought you might find these helpful to have a read through. We also have a youth community here which your daughter may be interested in joining. We have some spaces specifically for our neurodivergent community. We also have some resources around ADHD for young people here. Take care and all the best with the coaching service. ... View more

Loved reading these posts about what people are reading! That Claire Bowditch book looks great @ceskia22, I might have to check it out.   One of the best parent - related books I've ever read was "Confessions of a Domestic Failure" by Bunmi Laditan. I am in a book club with some family members and when it was my month to pick I chose that one and I really loved it. It also led to some beautiful discussions about motherhood and its identity, and the expectations on women to parent in specific ways that are unrealistic - the book is also HILARIOUS!    We're currently reading "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" by Ocean Vuong. Its written quite beautifully and is about family, written from the perspective of a son to his mother about relationships and Vietnamese culture. I am not too far in yet, but so far so good!  ... View more

Hey @sMarta    Thanks for checking in with a @Kiwiinoz.   It sounds like you're doing a lot to support your friend and their child who are moving to overseas. I'm sure your friend appreciates it a lot.    Also, I removed one aspect of your post - the part with the link - because sharing links goes against our guidelines. Our community guidelines can be found here. ... View more

hey @Kitty_Karen , thanks for your input on this thread - it's been a few years since someone posted in this one!  Pokemon go seems to have faded into the back ground now, but great to hear it's still a  positive thing for your family.  Let us know if there's anything you'd like to talk more about  - we have many parents here giving insights and advice on a whole range of topics.    ... View more

I know the family in this story. It had been a great journey for them to get to this point. Open communication is the key to maintaining good relationships with youth. ... View more

Hi @Mitzi, I actually had a similar conversation in a different topic so feel confident in sharing and knowing that it is appropriate. At times of suicidal ideation it was suggested to me that I ask my daughter if she wanted to actually die, or if she wanted to escape the pain and struggle she was experiencing. It let me know where she is at and what I'm dealing with. As well as that, as I've learnt, it also takes away any shame for how she is feeling if she can use and hear the words 'die' and 'suicide' openly instead of feeling like it all has to be kept a big secret. Thanks to @Ngaio-RO for these true words.   How is everything going with your son now? I realise I'm a bit late with my response! I just think it's a great question you asked, and one that parents are still asking.  ... View more

Thanks AmyJay. ... View more

Wow that brownie looks epic!! ... View more

Wow @AmyJay - teenage song... Very funny but also very catchy! ... View more

Great insight @readthemanual - thanks for the heads up! ... View more

As parents we have so many milestones to navigate don't we? This is one I remember clearly.   I didn't want my kids being driven by their friends who had just got their licence. Despite the arduous hours, it is vastly different without an experienced driver watching over them exacerbated by the potential for them to be cool or show off with their friends. I just preferred a bit of time for the driver to get used to driving alone without my precious ones with them. Having said that, I am not naive and I expect they ignored my rules anyway, sigh........   On the flip side, what rules do you make for your own children about them taking passengers? What comes first depends on whether your son/daughter is one of the early drivers or the later ones.  Once my son got his licence, he was very useful for driving his sister around but I made sure that I personally cleared it with the parents of her friends so they knew who was picking up from dance class or soccer practice.  And one more angle - you probably know your own kids better than you know their friends, so make the rules you feel comfortable with. Good luck ... View more

As parents we have so many milestones to navigate don't we? This is one I remember clearly.   I didn't want my kids being driven by their friends who had just got their licence. Despite the arduous hours, it is vastly different without an experienced driver watching over them exacerbated by the potential for them to be cool or show off with their friends. I just preferred a bit of time for the driver to get used to driving alone without my precious ones with them. Having said that, I am not naive and I expect they ignored my rules anyway, sigh........   On the flip side, what rules do you make for your own children about them taking passengers? What comes first depends on whether your son/daughter is one of the early drivers or the later ones.  Once my son got his licence, he was very useful for driving his sister around but I made sure that I personally cleared it with the parents of her friends so they knew who was picking up from dance class or soccer practice.  And one more angle - you probably know your own kids better than you know their friends, so make the rules you feel comfortable with. Good luck ... View more

Ok guys let's wrap it up! For furthrr info see: Here's some more info if anyone's keen   Set realistic boundaries with your teenager How to set boundaries that help your child gain independence, remain safe and make sound decisions. Read more Build trust to support independence Support and encourage your teenager to make good decisions so they become confident. Read more Teach your teenager to be independent Learn ways to encourage your child to be confident, independent and responsible. Read more Things to try: Self-confidence Learn about our top tips on building self-confidence in teenagers. Read more Help your teenager become trustworthy As a parent you can play an important role in demonstrating behaviours of trustworthiness. Read more     Tonight we talked about the ways our kids are already independent - whether it's on the domestic front, or about their school responsibilities; or their confidence with different types of people/situations; or the way they look out for themselves/friends when out and about. We then talked about the ways we help them build more independence - one step at time and don't be afraid of it failing the first time (with support)... We talked about money and how getting involed with family planning and budgets can help... See you round the forums! ... View more

Hi @Murgatroyd.  I'm definitely a nightowl as well.     i think the main thing is knowing how much sleep he is getting, rather than the hours in which he gets that sleep. If he's getting somewhere between 7 & 10 hours a night, I would think that's fairly normal for a teenager.  If he's sleeping more than that, it's worth starting to look at possible other symptoms of depression - lack of motivation, feelings of helplessness, appetite or weight change, loss of interest in things.   I suspect though that he is just staying up really late becuase he can!  But do try to rule out depression. ... View more