Hey @DolphinLover80, Thanks for reaching out to the forums,  I'm sorry to hear about your daughter’s situation. It sounds as though she is going through a really tough time. I can imagine it would be hard for her to want to go to school if her best friend is not attending at the moment. Does your daughter have other friends at school she spends time with? I wonder if the school has any ideas on how to support your daughter? Does your daughter see a counsellor or psychologist at all? Maybe it could help for her to see a mental health professional about her anxiety. You might like to look at our anxiety webpage here. It's so great that you have reached out to support your daughter. I can hear how much you care. Hopefully others on the forums have some advice to share as well. ... View more

Hey @Rigbert, Welcome to the Reach Out forums,  What you’ve described sounds like a very tricky situation for both yourself and your son. It sounds as though he wants to succeed in class but is having trouble prioritising his sleep which is then impacting on his attendance and study. It's great that you have reached out here for some support.  It might be a good idea to get your son to speak with a doctor. If your son is struggling to fall asleep a doctor might be able to recommend some strategies to help your son maintain better sleep hygiene. The doctor would also be able to provide support around anxiety.  It could also be helpful for your son to create a schedule/routine for themselves with a visual calendar. On the nights before they have class they could schedule in an hour of reading or something light before bed, as opposed to something more intense like video games. This could help him wind down before sleep. He might also want to find a way to reward himself for going to class, like buying himself a coffee during class or lunch afterwards. There is some great advice on the following webpage around sleep and adults on the spectrum: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/physical-health/sleep/autistic-adults Did your son mention what has been keeping him up late? whether it was video games, anxiety or something else? Thank again for reaching out  ... View more

Hi @Elisemc,  Thank you for reaching out and contributing to the Parents Forum, I'm sorry to hear your family hasn't been supportive of your wish to have your post-wedding ceremony lunch alone. It's your special day and if you would like to spend this time just with your partner and yourself, i think that is perfectly reasonable. What are your family's objections? Do you think you’d like to organise a lunch or dinner with them another day to celebrate your wedding? ... View more

Hey Tinkerkell, Thanks for posting tonight on Reach Out parents, You’ve mentioned moving in together with your partner and his daughter, how is this going? You suspect that your partner’s daughter may have ADHD, and while the symptoms you’ve listed are consistent with an ADHD diagnosis, they can also be typical behaviors for a young child. It can be really tricky to distinguish between the two and like you’ve mentioned its important to have a professional conduct an assessment. ADHD Australia have a lot of useful information on their website, such as the advice given in the paragraph below. They recommend that your partner and your self talk to a GP. “If you suspect you or your child might have ADHD, please make an appointment to see your general practitioner (GP). Your GP will carry out an initial assessment and if they also suspect ADHD, they will complete the necessary referral to a specialist who can diagnose the disorder, such as a psychiatrist, developmental paediatrician or psychologist.” - https://www.adhdaustralia.org.au/about-adhd/adhd-in-children/ If you’re partners daughter does have ADHD and this is not identified, it could be detrimental to their wellbeing as explained in the link above by ADHD Australia. Do you think your partner would be willing to read through that webpage? It could shed some light on the situation for him. Thanks again for reaching out, it’s great to hear the concern you have for your partners daughter and wanting her to receive the support she may need. We’re here if you need any more advice or if you want to share any further thoughts. ... View more

Hey Yas247, Thank you for introducing yourself and sharing your tips for parenting. I agree that communication is so important. As you’ve mentioned, it's also very important to respond to your children in a way that allows them to feel safe and comfortable to continue sharing any issues or difficulties they may be having. Thank you again and I hope to hear more from you around the forums! ... View more