Parents

Supporting your child or teen

Parenting doesn’t stay the same for long. As your child grows, things shift - new behaviours, new questions, sometimes new worries. Here, you’ll find guidance to help you understand what’s going on and feel a bit more steady in how you respond – all vetted by Kids Helpline’s professional counsellors.

   

Mental health

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MENTAL HEALTH
Talking with kids about Kids Helpline
How to start a conversation about mental health with a child or teen.
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MENTAL HEALTH
Supporting a child who is thinking of suicide
If your child is having thoughts of suicide, it may feel overwhelming but there are ways you can support them!
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MENTAL HEALTH
Mood swings and puberty
Here’s some ways you can support your child through the emotional rollercoaster ride that is puberty.

   

Family & relationships

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FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS
How Parentline can help you
Talking to a Parentline counsellor can help you navigate difficult parenting dilemmas.
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Family & Relationships
Supporting a child through grief and loss
When your child loses someone or something close to them it can be a challenging time. We’ve got some tips to help.
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Family & Relationships
Communication tips
Young people often tell Kids Helpline they find it difficult to communicate with their parents. Here are some tips around helping you and your child communicate well together.

   

School

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SCHOOL
School refusal
A parent’s guide to supporting kids and teens with school anxiety and ‘school can’t’.
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SCHOOL
Bullying: the ultimate support guide for parents
A one-stop shop for all things bullying and cyberbullying to support children and teens.
Teen looking stress while mum watches her.
SCHOOL
Helping kids cope with exam stress
Exams can be an incredibly stress time for kids and teens.

   

Safety & abuse

Illustration of a mum and daughter talking
Safety & Abuse
Responding to disclosures of child abuse
When a child discloses abuse it can be hard to know how to respond and what to do. Here are some tips to help.
A child covering their ears.
Safety & Abuse
Understanding child emotional abuse
Words can harm - emotional abuse can be just as hurtful as physical abuse and the effects can last a lifetime.
A mother hugging her daughter.
Safety & Abuse
Understanding child sexual abuse
In this article we’ll explore what child sexual abuse is and what you can do to help keep your child safe.

   

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Share Kids Helpline

Many young people contact Kids Helpline because an adult shared it with them first.

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Get professional counselling support for all things parenting.

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Check out our other topics - all written by Kids Helpline counsellors.