Hey @missmoneypenny  Welcome to the Online Community! I am really glad that you have found us and have been about to reach out for some support. School refusal is something that a lot of parents and carers experience and you are certainly not alone in feeling this way. It sounds like this has been a lot to be managing and I just want to acknowledge everything you are already doing. It seems like you have been trying your hardest to support your son and navigate through this by rallying up support for him, taking him to see a psychologist, getting blood tests done and even by reaching out here for some support. It really shows just how hard you are trying and your son is very lucky to have you. I know you mentioned that you are concerned about your son who has missed a lot of school this year and it is very understandable that you are worried about this. I was wondering if you have tried to talk to your son about this? I know you mentioned that he has been seeing a psychologist which is really great to hear. Have you also been able to talk to the psychologist about this and have they provided you with any support on what to do? I was also wondering if you have been able to speak to his school about this and if they have been able to provide you and him with any additional support? I wanted to share this post with you that has some resources, information and tips about school refusal which you may find helpful. I also wanted to let you know that ReachOut offers one-on-one support sessions for parents. If this is something you would be interested in signing up to or would like to learn more we have some information about it here. I also wanted to check in to see how you are coping with all of this? School refusal can be really tough to navigate through and it is important that you are also taking care of yourself. I know you mentioned that you are a single mother and working full time and was wondering if you have any additional supports around you? This is a lot to be managing and it sounds like you are doing everything you can but you also deserve as much support available. Thank you again for reaching out. Take care and we look forward to hearing back from you soon. ... View more

Hey @tylisha  Welcome to the Online Community!  I was wondering if you felt comfortable sharing more about what is happening for you and your son?  We hope to hear back from you soon.  ... View more

Hey @Eknettle  Welcome to the Online Community! I am really glad that you have found us and have been about to reach out for some support. School refusal is something that a lot of parents and carers experience and you are certainly not alone in feeling this way. It sounds like you have gone through this before with your daughter who is diagnosed with anxiety. I can hear how much your children mean to you, and want to acknowledge all the steps you have taken to support your daughter. It sounds like you did a really great job at rallying up all the support possible for her mental health, and have found alternative ways to help her and I am so glad to hear that she seems much happier. It seems like you are doing the same for your son, even by reaching out on here shows just how hard you are trying to navigate through this.  It is a real testament to how much of a supportive and caring parent you are and your children are both very lucky to have you. I know you mentioned that you are concerned with your son who is also refusing school and it is understandable that you are feeling this way. I was wondering if you have tried to talk to him about why he doesn’t want to go to school? I wanted to share this post with you that has some resources, information and tips about school refusal which you may find helpful. I also wanted to let you know that ReachOut offers one-on-one support sessions for parents. If this is something you would be interested in signing up to or would like to learn more we have some information about it here. I know that you also mentioned that your son spends a lot of time online gaming and it is really great to hear that has also been going mountain bike riding with his friends. I can hear that you have some concerns about his gaming use which is understandable. If you are interested in speaking to the one-on-one coaching service, it may be helpful to talk to them about this and these concerns. We have an article about managing scree time here, and the Raising Children’s Network also have some really great age appropriate resources here around technology and gaming. Do you think these would be helpful to have a look through? I also wanted to check in to see how you are coping with all of this? School refusal can be really tough to navigate through and it is important that you are also taking care of yourself. Do you have any supports or anything that helps you prioritise your own wellbeing? Thank you again for reaching out. Take care and we look forward to hearing back from you soon. ... View more

Hey @speedy_1  I wanted to check in to see how things were going today. Have you heard from your son? I can only imagine how incredibly stressful and worrying this must be for both you and your wife. Were the police able to provide you with any support? How are you both coping with all of this? I know you will be having another one-on-one session this week and I really hope that this will be helpful for you. It really sounds like you are doing everything you can. This is a lot to be dealing with and trying to navigate through, and it is very clear how much you love and care about your son. He is very lucky to have parents who are trying so hard to help him through this, and who are doing everything they can. Remember to be kind to yourselves and continue to take care of yourselves. You both deserve all the support available to you right now. Take care and we look forward to hearing how things go. Remember that we are all here for you. ... View more

Hey @speedy_1  Thank you for updating us about what has been happening. I can hear just how concerned and worried you and your wife are about your son, which shows just how much you care and love him. He is very lucky to have you both in his life. I can also hear how hard you have been trying to help him, and I want to acknowledge how much you have already done by gathering as much information and trying to find as much support available to navigate through this. It sounds like you are doing everything you can right now. This must be a lot to be going through and I was wondering how you are your wife are going? It sounds like you are accessing some professional supports, but I was wondering if you have any other supports at the moment through friends or family or if there is something you can both do to prioritise your own wellbeing? It is important that you are also taking care of yourself as this is a lot for anyone to be dealing with and you deserve all the support available to you. I also wanted to check in with how things were today. I know you mentioned that your son hadn’t come home last night when you posted, have you heard from him since? We want to remind you that if there is ever a time where you haven’t heard from him, and are worried about his safety and where he is, there are options available such as calling the police. Please remember that we are all here to listen and support you as much as we can. Take care. ... View more

Hey @Forster43-  Thank you for sharing this with us. It sounds like you are your family are all going through a very tough time at the moment. It is understandable how hard this must be for you, and I am really glad that you have been able to reach out for some support and share this with us. It sounds like some of the things your daughter has been saying have been really hurtful towards you, as well as the rest of the family which is understandable. I can hear how much your daughter means to you, and how much you are trying to support her. It also sounds like you have done a great job at getting her as much support to help her through this and it is great to hear that she is receiving support from a psychiatrist, MH service, psychologist and school supports. You mentioned that your daughter has experienced suicidal thoughts and has self-harmed in the past and I was curious about whether you have a safety plan in place, or if you would consider creating one? We have some information here about safety planning and how to create one here which you may find helpful. We also have some more resources about supporting your teen with suicidal thoughts here.  I was also wondering about what supports you have at the moment and if you have spoken to anyone about what is going on? This is a lot for you to be dealing with and it is important that you are also receiving some support. You don’t have to go through this alone. Also, we have sent you another email to check in. Could you please keep an eye out for it? Thanks.  Take care and we hope to hear back from you soon.  ... View more

Hey @Jarm9  Thank you for reaching out and sharing this with us. I am sorry to hear that your friend is experiencing this, it must be an incredibly difficult thing to be going through. It sounds like you have been a great support for her during this, even by posting this shows just how hard you are trying to help and support her through this. She is lucky to have such a caring friend in her life. Whilst we can’t provide any confirmation around the validity of the advice that you received and are unable to provide any legal advice, we really encourage you to connect with the Family Relationship Advice Line (FRAL) to talk through this. FRAL is a national telephone service that will be able to provide you with more appropriate support and guidance, you can call them on 1800 050 321 or find out more information about it here. All the best. ... View more

Hey @dolphinlover  Thank you for being so honest and for sharing this with us. I am sorry to hear that you and your daughter have both been experiencing such an incredibly difficult time lately. We are really glad that you have found us and have been able to reach out for some support. It sounds like you have been doing everything you can to support your daughter through this and she is so lucky to have you. Even with everything going on for yourself, and your own grief, it sounds like you are still doing all you can to help her through this. I was wondering what supports your daughter currently has and whether she might be accessing any professional supports? It sounds like even getting her along to these sessions might be really challenging right now. I am also mindful of the impact that this must be having on you. How are you going with all of this? Do you have any supports around you to help with your daughter, as well as for yourself? It is important that you are also receiving all the support available to you. Also we have just sent you an email to check in, can you please keep an eye out for it? Take care and we hope to hear back from you soon. ... View more

Hey @Health-hazard  Thank you for sharing what has been going on for you. It sounds like you have also been going through a challenging time with your eldest daughter. I am sorry to hear that your daughter has been saying those sad sentiments to you, it is understandable how upsetting and hard it must be for you to hear those things. It is clear how much you love and care for your daughter and she is very lucky to have you. It sounds like you have been doing a really great job at making sure that she knows how much you love and care for her which is really great to hear. Have you found this to be helpful? I also encourage you to create your own post if you are ever wanting to talk more about this, or share anything else that may be on your mind. We are all here to listen and support you as much as we can. Take care. ... View more

Hey @LeeBelle  I wanted to jump in after reading through your post. I am sorry to hear that you are going through such a tough time at the moment with your daughter. It sounds like it has been a really difficult time for you and your family to be managing. I know you mentioned that you spoke to your doctor yesterday and had a meltdown, and from what you have shared it sounds like this is very understandable and completely normal. I can hear how much of a difficult time this is for you and you deserve all the support available to you - especially through your doctor. I can hear how much and how hard you are trying to help your daughter and she is so lucky to have you. This is a lot to be dealing with and the fact that you haven't given up on her,  and are still trying to support her in every way shows just how much you care and how hard you are trying. In saying that, it is so important that you are also taking care of yourself and prioritising your own wellbeing and mental health. It is equally as important that you too are receiving all the support available to you. I was wondering what your supports look like and whether you have any support from family, friends or other mental health professionals? I know you mentioned that you are going to be speaking to a psychologist which is really great to hear, do you know when that will be? Thinking of you and your family. Take care and we hope to hear back from you soon. ... View more

Hey @Daisy18  I am sorry to hear that you, and your family have been experiencing such a difficult time lately and I am really glad that you have found our forums and have been able to reach out for some support. I can hear how concerned and worried you are for you son, and how difficult this has been for both you and your husband. It is clear how much your son means to you, and it sounds like you have been doing a great job at rallying up as much support available to help him through this. Even by posting on here shows just how hard you are trying. Your son is extremely lucky to have parents who love and care for him as much as you do, and who are trying so hard to help him through this. It is understandable how concerned and worried you must be for him, and how upsetting and hard it must be to see him experiencing this. It is really good to hear that he has been seeing a psychologist, GP and will be seeing a psychiatrist. It also sounds like you have been trying to encourage him to have some kind of routine by exercising. I know you mentioned that he doesn't want anyone else to know about this so you and your husband are feeling very alone and isolated as you are unable to ask for some support. It sounds like a very challenging situation to be in. In saying that, this is a lot to be dealing with and it is just as important that you and your husband are also receiving all the support available to you to help you manage  this. I was wondering if you were, or have considered speaking to a professional yourself so that you are also receiving some support? It's important that you are prioritising your own mental health and wellbeing as well. I can hear that you are also concerned about him missing school, and are worried about the repercussions this may have and was wondering if you have considered speaking to the school about this, and if they were able to provide you and him with any additional support whilst he is at school? I wanted to share some resources and information we have about depression and suicide which you may find helpful to have a look through. It has some information as well as a list of things you can try. I was also wondering whether your son has a safety plan in place, or if this is something you would consider creating with him, or with support from his GP or psychologist? We have some information here about creating a safety plan here if you wanted to learn more about this. I can hear how much you are all trying to navigate through this and am mindful of the impact this is having on you. I was wondering if you have any positive coping strategies, or anything that helps you prioritise your on wellbeing? Also we have sent you an email to check in, can you please keep an eye out for that?   Take care and we hope to hear back from you soon. Remember that we are all here and you don't have to go through this alone.   ... View more

Hey @TassieMama  How are you? I just had a read through your post and I am sorry to hear that you and your family have been experiencing such a difficult time. It sounds like your whole family have been doing everything they can to help support your daughter with her anxiety and depression and it is really great to hear how much support she has around her. She is very lucky to be surrounded by people who all love and care for her so much and just want the best for her. It is understandable how difficult this must be for you all, as it sounds like you have all been trying really hard to help her through this and are unsure on how to move forward. I am mindful of the impact this must be having on you, your relationship and your family in general. I know you mentioned that your daughter was seeing someone but I was wondering whether you, or anyone else in your family were also receiving any support around this? This is a lot to be dealing with and you all deserve all the support available to you during this time. I know you also mentioned that your husband has suggested for her to move out, and was wondering if this were to happen, whether your daughter has anywhere safe to go and if she would have any additional support if this were to happen? It sounds like this is a lot to be managing and I was also curious about whether you have any positive strategies, or if anything helps you to take care of yourself and prioritise your own wellbeing? Take care and we look forward to hearing back from you. ... View more

Hey @Johnny888  I just had a read through your post and I am sorry to hear that you are going through such a challenging time at the moment. I wanted to thank you for being so open and honest with us all about this. It takes a lot of courage and strength to share such personal things like this online, and you should be really proud of yourself for taking that step. I can hear how much your daughters mean to you and they are so lucky to have such a loving and caring father like you. I can also hear that you have some concerns around what the best decision going forward will be for both your daughters and yourself which is very understandable. It is very clear how much your family and daughter means to you – and have always meant to you. I know you mentioned that you have chronic depression and I was wondering if you were receiving any treatment for this or if you have receieved any professional support? I was also curious about what other supports you have in your life, whether it be friends, family members, or other health services or professionals? This is certainly a lot to be dealing with on your own and you deserve all the support available to you. Is there anyone else in your life that you could speak to about this, and about how you are feeling and get some support from? I can hear how much of a difficult situation this must be for you and I wanted to thank you again for being so open about this. Remember that we are all here to listen and support you as best as we can and you don’t have to go through this alone. I look forward to hearing back from you soon and wish you all the best. Take care,   ... View more

Hey @Sunshine73  I just had a read through your post and from what you have shared, it sounds like you are doing everything you can to support your son through this, and to get him all the support available. I can hear how hard you are trying to rally up as much support as possible for him with GP's, psychologists and school supports which can be challenging in itself. It is clear how much he means to you and how hard you are trying to help and support him through this and he is very lucky to have such a special and supportive mum.   It sounds like it has been a pretty challenging time for you both to navigate through and it is great to hear that you were able to book a psychologist appointment for him. It is understandable how concerned you must be and how difficult it must be for you to be managing whilst also managing working full time. It is a lot to be dealing with and I was wondering what your supports looked like and whether you have any support, or have been able to speak to anyone about this like a friend, family member, GP or mental health professional? It is just as important that you are also receiving all the support available to you and you don't have to deal with this alone.   I wanted to let you know that we have a free and confidential parent service where you can speak to someone one on one for some more support if you are interested. We have some more information about it and how you can book a session here   How are you feeling today and about the upcoming psychologist appointment?   Remember that we are all here to listen and support you as best as we can and that you aren't alone. Take care and we hope to hear back from you soon! ... View more

Hey, Thank you for reaching out and sharing this with us. It sounds like you’ve been experiencing a challenging time at home at the moment and are wanting to make things better. I know that you mentioned that your son will sometimes cause physical harm to you and that you have tried disciplining him but that your wife does not agree with you about this. I was wondering if perhaps you have spoken to her about how you could address this situation? Our service focuses on supporting parents with teenagers, so we are unable to provide specific advice but it would be best to speak to a GP about this and any concerns you may have around your son’s behaviour. You could also have a look at the raisiningchildrens network which provides some really great information and resources about children for each age which you may find helpful. They even have some information about behaviour for toddlers. I know that you also mentioned that your wife has expressed the difficulties she experiences whilst caring for your children whilst you are at work. I was wondering if you have tried to talk to her about this to try and share your perspective, as well as hearing her perspective in order to better understand each other, and find a way to support each other better? I also wanted to share another service with you called Relationships Australia that you could also look into. They too have really great resources about healthy relationships as well as information about relationships and parenting. Do you think that this might be helpful? Thank you again for sharing this with us. ... View more

Hey @Christina7  Thank you for sharing this!  It sounds like you are already such an incredible support for both of your children and they are both very lucky to have such a loving and caring mother like yourself.  It makes me happy to hear that with your support, your daughter has become more confident and has been opening up with her friends. This is a a real testament to the support you provide.  I can hear that you are also wanting the same for your son, but that it has been more challenging. I can only imagine how tough it must be for you to know that people are treating him this way and it sounds like you are trying very hard to make your son feel more supported and comforted. He is very lucky that he has such a supportive family to help him through this.  I was wondering whether your son has any other supports through school, a GP, or mental health service or professional that he can talk to about this? I wanted to share some resources with you which I thought you may find helpful to have a look through. We have a list of articles around things to try for sexuality which include articles on helping your teenager with coming out, coming out at school and more. We also have one about supporting teens with their sexuality which may also be helpful.  It sounds like your son feels very comfortable talking to you about this which is great to hear. I was wondering if perhaps you have had a conversation with him and asked him how you could best support and comfort him, similar to how you have asked us? Do you think this would be helpful?  Thank you again for sharing this with us.  ... View more

Hey @Sars11899  Welcome to the Parents and Carers forums! I'm very sorry for your loss. I can't begin to imagine how difficult and challenging this must be for you and your son and I am really glad that you have found our forums. It must be an incredibly difficult  for you to be dealing with this grief whilst also having to take care of your son, it takes an immense amount of strength and your son is very lucky to have you. I know you mentioned that you are struggling at the moment and was I wondering if you felt comfortable sharing more about this with us? I was also wondering whether you have any other supports at the moment to help take care of you as well as helping with your son, whether it be a friend, family member, GP or mental health professional? It's important that you are receiving all the support available to you for both yourself, as well as your son. ... View more

Hey @Nwsyd  Thank you for sharing this with us. It sounds like it has been a challenging situation for you. I can hear that you are feeling upset and frustrated by the situation and by the arguments and lying. I can hear how much you care about your daughter and am mindful of how this must be making you feel. It is very understandable that you are feeling this way, especially when trust and honesty are very important. I was wondering if you have tried having a conversation with your daughter about this? Sometimes communicating how you are feeling and raising your concerns can create an opportunity for you both to better understand each others perspectives. Do you think that this would be helpful? If this is something that you are interested in, we have some resources about communication here that might be helpful to have a look through. We also have an article around building trust that you may also find helpful. I know that you mentioned that her boyfriends’ parents are not aware of the relationship, and I was wondering if you have spoken to your daughter about this and tried to understand why? I also wanted to share this article with you about romantic relationships and teenagers which has some information that you may find helpful. ... View more

Hey @2teenageboys  Thank you for sharing this with us. I can hear that you are concerned about your son's hygiene and body odor and it sounds like this has been something that is going on for some time now. It sounds like you have tried really hard to talk to him about this and help him with this. I can hear how patient you have tried to be with your son, and how hard you have tried to help him with this. I know that you mentioned that you have had several conversations with him about personal hygiene, but was wondering if you have tried to talk to him about why he finds it difficult or if he has ever shared this with you? If not, do you think that it would be helpful to have this conversation with him to better understand why and if there's something that makes it difficult for him. I was wondering whether your son has any sensory issues that you are aware of? If this is something you'd be interested in doing, we have some really great articles about communication with teenagers which you may find helpful and may be good as use as a guide to having this conversation with him. If you're interested, we also have an article on creating boundaries and open communication through puberty which you may also find helpful to have a look through.    I was also wondering whether you have spoken to a GP about this or if this is something that you'd consider? A GP would be best to share your concerns with and they would be able to provide you with the most appropriate support.   Best wishes, ... View more

Hey @NannyPop  Thank you for sharing more about your situation with us. From what you've shared, it sounds like it has been a very tough time for you and your family recently. I can hear how challenging this has been for you and your family and how hard you are all trying to support her through this and get her all the support available, even by sharing this with us shows just how hard you are trying. Your granddaughter is lucky to have such amazing people around her for support like yourself who care so deeply for her and just want the best for her. In saying that, I can hear how much of an impact that this has been having on you which is understandable. It sounds like it has been a difficult situation to navigate through and like you are all trying your best to manage. I know you mentioned that your daughter was meeting with the school principal today and are worried about the outcome of this which is very understandable. I was wondering whether the school has been able to provide any support for your granddaughter? Have they been able to come up with a plan together on how they can best support you all, or is this something that would be an option to discuss with them? I was also wondering whether your granddaughter had any other supports from either a GP, school counsellor or mental health professional?  I wanted to share our parents and careers coaching service with you which you may find helpful. It is a free service where you can speak to a family professional and receive some support. We have more information about it here. I can also hear how much of an impact this has all be having on you and was wondering if you have been able to do anything to help take care of yourself? It's important that you are also prioritising your own wellbeing and taking care of yourself. We have some information about the importance of self-care for families here which you may be interested in. Thank you again for sharing this with us. Remember that we are all here for you, to listen and support you as much as we can. Also, I have sent you an email to check in. Could you please keep an eye out for that. Take care and we hope to hear back from you soon. ... View more

Hey @Banjo14    Thank you for reaching out and sharing this with us.   It is understandable how concerning it would be to not be able to communicate with your daughter and having her live far away from you, especially when her depression and anxiety has exacerbated.   Is your daughter receiving any support for her ADHD, depression and anxiety from either a GP or mental health professional?   I was also wondering if you've tried speaking to your daughter about your concerns and if you've tried to talk about the communication with her?   I wanted to share this article we have on effective communication which may be helpful, it includes a list of things to try. Do you think any of these might be helpful to try? We also have a coaching service for parents, where you can speak to a family professional one on one and get some support. You can find more about it here.   As your daughter lives far away from you, I was wondering whether your daughter has any other family or friends for support that live near her? ... View more

Hey @allibullbull  Thank you for sharing this with us and for being so honest. It sounds like it has been a really difficult time for you recently and I'm really glad that you have been able to share this with us all. It sounds like this has been a lot for you to be dealing with and has been having a big impact on you and your mental health. I was wondering whether you have spoken to anyone about this or whether you have any supports from either a friend, family member, GP or mental health professional? It sounds like this is a lot to be dealing with and you deserve all the support available to you to help you navigate through this. I was curious about whether your daughter has any other supports, or whether the school has been able to offer any support? I know that you mentioned that things have been difficult with your daughter recently, and  was wondering if you felt comfortable sharing more about this and about what's been going on for you and your daughter recently? I was also wondering whether you have been able to use any coping strategies, or if there was anything you could do to help priorities your wellbeing and take care of yourself? Thank you again for being so honest. Remember that we are all here to listen and support you as much as we can and that you don't have to do this alone. Also we have sent you a quick email to check in, can you please keep an eye out for it? Best of luck     ... View more

Hey @auren  Welcome to the Online Community!   Thank you for sharing this with us. Navigating through conflicting parenting styles can be challenging and it is great to see that you are wanting to improve this and find a balance. I was wondering if you would feel comfortable sharing more about your situation with us?    There are some really great resources and information on the raising children's network website. They also have this article about raising children as a team which may be helpful to have a look through.    If you would like some more support and would like to speak to someone about this, we have a free Online parents coaching service where you can access one on one parenting and family support with a professional. We have some more information about it here. ... View more

Hey @Rene123  Welcome to the Online Community! Thank you for sharing this with us.  It sounds like you have noticed that your teenager has been getting angry recently and sometimes prefers to be alone and not spending time with friends.  Whilst we can't say for certain whether this behaviour is normal due to the limitations of our scope of service,  we encourage you to speak to a GP or local doctor to discuss any concerns that you may have.  I was wondering if you have tried talking to her and asking her about what's been going on for her recently? If you think that this might be helpful, we have a really great article on effective communication and teenagers. It includes some information, resources and tips which you might find useful.  I was also wondering whether you have spoken to her school about your concerns or whether they have noticed any changes in behavior? Thank you again for sharing this with us.  ... View more

Hey @Ihearyou  Welcome back! Thanks for sharing more about your own journey with others.  I'm sorry to hear that things are continuing for you and your family. It sounds like things have still been pretty tough.  How are you all managing as a family?  ... View more

Hey @Lolalee  Thank you for being so honest and for sharing this with us. I'm sorry to hear that you've been experiencing this and that your daughter has been treating you like this. It sounds like you have had a lot going on lately with your daughter as well as having your own health conditions which must be really challenging. I can hear how hard you have been trying to do the best that you can for your daughter and get her the help and support that she needs. Even by reaching out and sharing this shows how hard you are trying and how much you care about your daughter. I can only imagine how hurtful it must have been for your daughter to tell you that you are the worst mother. It's important to remember that you are only human and just trying to do the best that you can to navigate through a very challenging time. In saying that, you don't have to do this alone and deserve all the support available to you and to your family. I was wondering if you have any supports or if you have spoken to anyone about what's been going on and about how you have been feeling. Whether it's a friend, family member, GP or mental health professional? I know that you mentioned that your daughter isn't seeing a therapist at the moment and was wondering whether she had any other supports? Have you considered connecting with a GP to explore what supports are available or perhaps even speaking to her school to see if they can provide you with any support, some schools have supports in place and school counsellors which may be an option. I wanted to share this article we have calming an angry teen which I thought you may find helpful. Importantly, it includes a section on staying safe, which is important to keep in mind if your daughter becomes physically aggressive again. I also wanted to let you know that there are some more resources which you may find helpful, they are available via Project Air (click on ‘Families, Partners and Carers’ on that page) which is focused on providing support for BPD. With everything going on, it's important that you are also making sure that you are taking care of yourself.  It can be really hard to do especially when you are doing so much to look after your daughters, but it makes so much of a difference in your ability to care for others when you take the time to look after your own emotional wellbeing. Also, I have sent you an email to check in. Could you please keep your an eye out for it? ... View more

Hey @Hatedmum  Thank you for being so honest and for sharing this with us.   I'm sorry to hear that you've been experiencing this and that your daughter has been treating you like this. It sounds like it has been a really tough time for you and a lot to be dealing with.   I know that you mentioned that you have been feeling like a terrible mother. From what you have shared it sounds like you have been trying really hard to deal with this, even by reaching out shows for support shows how hard you are trying. It's important to remember that you are only human and just trying to do the best that you can to navigate through a very challenging time. In saying that, you don't have to do this alone and deserve all the support available to you and to your family.   I was wondering if you have any support or have spoken to anyone about what's been going on and about how you have been feeling. Whether it's a friend, family member, GP or mental health professional?   I was also curious about what supports your daughter has and whether she has ever engaged in therapy or seen a mental health professional? If you'd like to find some support for your daughter in your area, you can find out where a local headspace is on there website. Or you could also speak with your GP about other support services.   I know that you mentioned that when your daughter has been angry she has damaged your home. It must be very frightening to experience this behaviour. I wanted to let you know that if you're ever needing urgent support, have concerns about your daughters wellbeing and safety or would like some immediate support you can call the CYMHS crisis service. The Child and Youth Mental Health service provides crisis support to young people and their families and the acute response team is available 24/7 on (07 3068 2555). If you'd like more information about CYMHS, or would like to connect with your local team you can find more information about it here.   I was also wondering whether you have spoken to your daughters school about what's been going on and whether they've been able to provide you or your daughter with any support?   Thank you again for sharing this with us and for being so honest. We can hear how difficult it has been for you recently and we want you to know that you don't have to deal with this alone and that we are all here to listen and support you as best as we can. ... View more

Hey @kiddos  Thank you for sharing more about your situation with us. It's good to hear that your children have been doing extra curricular activities and it sounds like from the playdates that you've been trying really hard to help them create these friendships and connections. As our service focuses on adolescents, we may not have the best resources for you however it may be worth speaking to a GP or local family doctor for some support and to discuss any concerns you may be having, including the concerns you raised about your daughter lacking motivation. It may also be helpful to discuss this with the school and with your children's teachers to see if they have noticed anything and to explore what's going on at school. Is this something you would consider? I also know that you mentioned that you've been wanting to work on emotional intelligence with your children. We have this article about emotional intelligence, however given that our service is aimed at teenagers, some of this may not be appropriate but might be helpful as a guide for next steps. ... View more

Hey @purpledaisy87  Welcome to the Online Communities!   I'm sorry to hear that you have been experiencing this and are feeling this way but I'm really glad that you have found our forums and have been able to share this with us. We know that it can be challenging to talk about these things and to reach out for support, it takes a lot of courage so we really appreciate your honesty and bravery in doing so. It is clear how much your daughter means to you and how much you do for her, even whilst juggling so much already - she is incredibly lucky to have such a strong, caring and devoted mother like yourself.   It sounds like you have had a lot going on right now, and a lot of responsibility to take care of everyone at home as well as now returning to work. It is very understandable that you are feeling this way as this is a lot for anyone to be dealing with.   I can hear how disappointing and difficult it must be to not be receiving much support at home and having to do all of this on your own. I know that you mentioned that you have brought this up with your husband several times before and I'm sorry to hear that he was dismissive. If you would like to speak to someone about this, Relationships Australia provide counselling services and online resources that you may find helpful.   I was also wondering whether you had any other supports or whether you have spoken to anyone about this like a friend, family member, GP or mental health professional? It's important to know that you don't have to deal with this alone and that you deserve all the support available.   Thank you again for sharing this with us, we want you to know that we are all here to listen and support you. ... View more