When school feels impossible Is getting your child to school a daily battle of tears, stomach aches, shutdowns, panic, or flat-out refusal? It is important to know that you’re not alone. School refusal is far more common than many parents realise and it can be deeply distressing for families who feel stuck between wanting to support their child and worrying about attendance, learning, and the future. A recent 2023 survey found that 39 per cent of parents agreed or strongly a

Parenting a teenager is challenging at the best of times. Parenting a teenager with ADHD can feel like you’re playing on “hard mode” — with the rule book constantly changing. As a parent of an ADHD teen are you feeling exhausted, confused, and unsure whether you’re being too strict… or not strict enough? Often you have tried everything — routines, consequences, encouragement — yet still find yourselves locked in a daily power struggle over homework, screen time, chores, or e

Author: Mark Burnard | Counsellor at Hills Relationship Centre Parents love their kids and the concern for their safety and wellbeing leads us to want to put up some guardrails and boundaries to keep them safe and happy. However, as they grow it is very natural for teens especially to test boundaries, to be adventurous, sometimes overconfident, to run risks and even be plain rebellious. However, not all teenagers are the same and even within families, kids can differ in pers

Resilience is the ability to “bounce back” from adversity. Resilient people still feel pain, sadness, or anger — but they are able to cope with and manage these feelings while continuing on with their lives. For children, resilience is an especially important skill. It: Helps them adapt to a new classroom or school Buffers them against bullying Promotes more favourable outcomes when home or family environments are stressful 10 Tips for Building Resilience in Children and Teen