Trigger warning: episode deals with suicidal ideation. Suzanne also briefly mentions the impact on her life of being raped.  My guest in this episode is Suzanne Alderson [https://suzannealderson.com/]. When Suzanne's 14 year old daughter Izzy became suicidal, following a period of sustained bullying, Suzanne found herself in a desperate place. While her daughter was immediately wrapped in professional care, Suzanne found that there was no support available to help her or her husband make...

Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley, hosts of Some Families podcast, join me on Teenage Kicks in this episode to talk about how we approach our teenagers about gender and sexuality. Stu says here that it's completely normal for parents to find this difficult - it's a very easy conversation, where I make lots of mistakes and am not made to feel bad about it, so it's perfect for parents who don't know how to approach the subject with their teenagers.  * 6:00 - Fighting our homophobic upbringings as...

Mike Parker tells the story of how he told his family he was gay. It's the warmest story, with a family who were totally accepting, and yet Mike's vulnerability is palpable. He takes us back to that age, when he was terrified of his parents' reaction, and takes us on that journey he went on.  This podcast is for anyone who is loved, but doesn't know how they're going to tell their family the truth about their lives. It's also for their parents; Mike gives tips on how to approach your child...

This week's guest Jill Grimes is a MD in a US college (like a university GP), so she's well placed to talk about staying healthy at university. But first we talk about popularity in school (spoiler - neither of us was in the popular gang in our teens), why even the popular people don't feel confident in school, and how that all changes when you hit university and everyone is in the same boat.  Once you get to university, being clever is cool, playing a musical instrument is impressive, and...

In this episode of the Teenage Kicks podcast I talk to psychologist and therapist Dr Tara Porter about why parent/teen relationships are so fraught with misunderstandings, and what to do about it. Specifically, Tara talks about why teenagers think their parents don't understand them - her book, You Don't Understand Me*, is aimed at teenage girls, to help them navigate these tricky years, as well as giving insights into what their daughters are experiencing. *Affiliate link. We also talk...

In this episode I talk to Luke Grim, one half of the dad duo who run website/newsletter These 16 Things. Luke told me about the fathers' belief that kids need to be taught life skills by their parents - some that most parents don't feel equipped to teach. Their newsletter aims to walk parents through the process of having those important conversations with their kids, to teach them to think on their own and to hold their ground when culture says they should do something that goes against...

Today I'm speaking to Danielle Marsh, of Marsh Family fame. Together with Ben and their 4 children Alfie, Thomas, Ella and Tess, all aged 11-16 Danielle shot to online fame during Covid lockdown, when they uploaded a parody version of One Day More, outlining their views on how the pandemic was being handled by the UK government. The video went viral, and after that they were in demand! Since then, they've created multiple humorous takes on UK life and politics, and even a song about...

Something a little bit different on the podcast today - we ARE going to talk about teenagers, and how they're affected by toxic relationships when things go wrong for their parents. But FIRST we talk about something a lot of us midlife mums (and dads) might relate to - FEELING BLAH. That's the title of my guest's book. Parenting author Tanith Carey writes a lot about the teenage brain. She had a tough time when her parents divorced, but it was midlife when she noticed that despite having a...

Sarah Middleton is the writer of a new female-led coming-of-age production perfect for teenage girls (age advice is 12+). SHEWOLVES had an incredibly successful and highly critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and was named one of The Stage’s ‘Best shows of 2022’. It is now heading to the Southwark Playhouse from 21 June – 8 July 2023 and it's a really lovely, exhilarating piece for teens and adults alike. Sarah says teens are hugely under-represented in the theatre,...

Today's guest is Harry, aka the Champagne Socialist on TikTok. I found Harry through one of his irreverent but astute commentaries on the political landscape. Harry has a no-nonsense view on UK politics, and is raising awareness amongst young people of his generation of how they can influence what's happening in their world. We talk about what it's like choosing a university degree course, what kind of doors open for you while you're there, and how to approach the myriad opportunities a...

Natasha Devon, MBE, joined me on the Teenage Kicks podcast to talk about something most parents of girls will be all too familiar with - friendship issues. Teenage girls don't grow out of problems with their friends as early as we'd like them to, but they do grow out of us being able to fix fallouts for them with a playdate or a sleepover. Put simply, when they're teenagers, it gets even messier. Add social media, and the permanent ability to stay connected via Snapchat and Whatsapp, and our...

Welcome back the the first in the new series of the Teenage Kicks podcast, where we take the fear out of parenting teenagers. This week I got tips for living with a teenage daughter, from a mum who fears she might be repeating the mother- daughter trauma from her own teenage years with daughter, despite her best efforts to do quite the opposite. Emma Campbell told me how she tries so hard to get teenage parenting right, yet she constantly feels like she's failing. And I sighed a big sigh of...

I am so excited to bring you a new season of the Teenage Kicks podcast. Over the last few months I've been putting a series of really interesting conversations in the can, with a range of fascinating guests that I know are going to resonate with parents of young adults and soon-to-be teens. Find more on the podcast on my website, subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts, and come over and say hi on Instagram. You can also join my Teenage Kicks Facebook group - we're a really...

What is modern slavery, why should we care, and what do we need to know to keep our teenagers safe? *This episode deals briefly with suicidal thoughts. If this is likely to be triggering for you, please skip this episode. Modern slavery is something we hear about on the news, but don't imagine it could happen to someone we love. I was struck by a conversation on another podcast - Two Women Chatting - about an incident that had happened to one of their adult daughters that felt like a...

"Severe acne affects your mental health far more than some medication ever will." Sarah Wood, mum of two young men and a teenage girl. Sarah Wood joins me on this episode to talk about her experience of teenage acne, how she coped, how she eventually treated it, and how she's supported all of her own teenagers through the same thing. Sarah first got acne when she was 12 and she still has it at 49. But nowadays she manages it with medication, and talks about how important it is to get the...

Today's guest suffered huge anxiety as a teenager. After trying all the traditional medical remedies for stress, Devorah Goldblatt discovered something she never thought would work - EFT. EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques and involves tapping on acupressure points to reduce emotional distress. It's an evidence-based treatment for anxiety, depression, PTSD and phobias that's backed up with solid research. Helen is a complete skeptic where alternative therapies are concerned, so...

Is your teen dating? As a parent that's been one of my most confusing stages as a parent - how do you give your teenager privacy when they start dating, but still keep them safe? If you've ever wondered if your child's choice of partner might be unhealthy, this episode is for you. Liz Merrill is a relationship and mediation expert who specialises in helping people who are in narcissistic and abusive relationships. Liz recently set up a campaign to highlight to young people the red flags...

'Sleep Whisperer' Dr. Chris Winter talks to Helen about how to recognise sleep problems in our teenage children, and what they need us to do to help them. Dr. Chris says that he's seeing more and more incidences of sleep disturbance in his clinic, especially in teens and young adults. Who is Dr Chris Winter? Chris Winter is a sleep expert and specialist in sleep problems. His book The Rested Child* helps parents understand when children might need their help, and why it's not always...

Kellina Powell became deaf at the age of 4 due to an ear infection. Before that she had been a normally hearing child, so it was a massive shock to Kellina and her family. Kellina describes how hard day to day life was as a teenager. She says that it took her Grandma to step in and tell her to get on with life for her to change her mindset to her disability and gain the motivational attitude that's served her in her professional career. Who is Kellina Powell Kellina recently graduated...

The world is set up for dual parent families, says today's podcast guest author Sarah Thompson, who discovered all sorts of hurdles were placed in her way when she became a single mother. However, there is a silver lining, and Sarah has written a compelling book about everything she thinks her children have benefited from since their parents' separation. Listen to the podcast to find out why solo parenting can work out well even when you have teenagers. Here are some of the ways Sarah...

This episode is a little dose of comfort for anyone who has older teenagers and is staring in the face of a prospective empty nest. Liz and Michelle both have adult children, and have so many good things to say about their life since their kids left home for university. We discuss the fact that being over 50 isn't the end, and how learning new things is just part of the new normal for us as our kids move on. Liz and Michelle have reassuring words for anyone who fears that the eyerolls...

Do you have a narcissistic parent? Or has your child experienced narcissism in the family? Listen to this episode of Teenage Kicks to learn how to identify narcissistic parenting, and how to help your child heal from it. Marie Ellis Cook says that growing up with a narcissistic parent left her unable to accept love as an adult, and confused about her value. What it's like being a daughter with a narcissistic mother Marie says that when you're a child it can be difficult to see how a...

What do you know about bias? The chances are, if you're a white British parent who doesn't have to use a food bank, you know much less than your teenager. And I'd wager that if you have teens, they will understand much more about bias than you do. In fact, my own teenagers have been instrumental in my own learning curve as I've discovered unconscious bias not just in myself and my family, but all around me in the world. So what do you need to know about bias as the parent of a...

*Please be aware that this post contains references to self-harm and suicide. When Brenda realised her 11 year old daughter Faith was sexting with an older boy she was shocked. Over the next few years Faith continued to send nudes on her phone and became suicidal, despite her parents' best efforts to support and guide their daughter. Brenda says she eventually realised this: you can't control your child's behaviour, or their pain. Letting go of your own goals as a parent, and acknowledging...

Welcome to a brand new series Parenting teens isn't always roses, and sometimes it can feel like the hardest thing in the world. But there's always a positive behind the tough times, even if it's difficult to see. In this series Helen hears more tough stories about the teenage years, and how families have navigated their way through them. You'll hear from Brenda and her daughter Faith, who began sexting at the age of 11 and went on a very difficult journey with her mental health. Marie...