Ep. 100: Navigating your teenager's LGBTQIA+ challenges

*TW - Suicide and self harm   This week's guest is the parent of a 17-year-old transgender boy. She talks about how it felt to support her son as they came to the realisation that their assigned gender did not match who they knew themselves to be. She describes how difficult it was for her son despite her family's acceptance and support of his decision, compared to other teenagers she knows of who have not been supported by their families. I ask her why she thinks some parents don't accept their children's LGBTQIA+ feelings.    Heidi told me the hardest part of her son's transgender journey was their decision to change their name. She says she went through a period of mourning for the daughter she gave birth to.  We talk about how difficult it can be as parents to allow our children to determine for themselves who they're going to be, without trying to influence them. She gives some insight into what age she thinks is best for a teenager to undertake surgical transition, the controversy around puberty blockers and  how normal gender and sexuality changes are to our own teenagers' generation. Heidi also talks about her own teenagers years growing up with undiagnosed bipolar, and how easy it was to miss amongst all the teenage hormones.    Who is Heidi L Gross?  Heidi published her first personal and heartfelt work, Embracing Love: A Parent's Guide to Nurturing and Celebrating LGBTQ+ Identity. Inspired by her journey as the mother of a transgender son, the book aims to support parents who are navigating similar experiences, offering them insight, compassion, and guidance.   More from Heidi * Embracing Love: A parent's guide to nurturing and celebrating your child's LGBTQ+ identity - https://amzn.to/42nGW5E [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3AwVkZ6WHlqVUZweXBndEphLXItWE44MWlTd3xBQ3Jtc0tuNnVWUlpsdUgxUHc5LXNPX0hGd1VVNGszSm5RRWhTTEVuVzBkV2V1dVRKd1hMb0IyTk4zaGZwa0xPRk44OGV5ZjlfWDZlaHVfdU00ZWY2QnF5X1hwRnlOWHMxSE96aEcxZkpsbUdTd0dMM0NCSzJNZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F42nGW5E&v=uD6M1hxiTOM] Also listen to   * What your transgender teen wants you to know [https://zencastr.com/z/O4tHaC0D] * Overcoming self-harm [https://zencastr.com/z/Qyl7tr2X] * Mental health, sexuality and self-harm recover [https://zencastr.com/z/OD8Mh9l-]y More teenage parenting from Helen Wills * Helen Wills Counselling and Parent Coaching [https://helenwills.com] * Actually Mummy parenting teens blog [https://www.actuallymummy.co.uk]  * Helen on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/iamhelenwills/] Thank you for listening! Subscribe to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email helen@actuallymummy.co.uk. For information on your data privacy please visit Zencastr's policy page [https://zencastr.com/privacy-policy]   Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about yourself or a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional. Episode produced by Michael J Cunningham [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-j-cunningham-245586266/]

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Welcome to the Teenage Kicks podcast, where we take the fear out of parenting - or becoming - a teenager. The internet is full of parenting advice, from when you feel those first baby kicks, until they reach secondary school. And then it stops. No one is talking about teen parenting problems; so we’re going to. Essential listening for teenagers and their parents, as well as those who work with young adults; Teenage Kicks has teen mental health at its core, and each episode will empower young people to tackle their own problems, and give parents the guidance to know how to help them. Each week Helen speaks to real individuals who've experienced the issues that young people are dealing with now, and they don't sugar-coat it. From exam nerves and career worries to issues around sexuality and consent, we get tips and advice from expert guests who understand what it’s like to be a teenager today. Helen will also be chatting about tough teenage problems like cyberbullying and self-harm, drugs, alcohol and teenage pregnancy, all with a heavy dose of reality from someone who's been there and made it through to the other side. Teenage Kicks for Parents: As parents, we understand some of our kids’ struggles, but let’s face it, it’s been a while, and things have moved on since we last panicked over a detention! Teenage choices today can seem alien to their parents because teenage life has changed so dramatically since we were young. Teenage Kicks helps you unravel topics like social media, sexting and teen self-esteem so that you can figure out what your child needs support with, and what’s just normal teenage behaviour.   Teenage Kicks for Teens: Teenagers and parents come at things from different angles, we know. But teenage life can be challenging, and the support of your parents can make navigating tricky dilemmas easier. Teenage Kicks guests aren’t adults who’ve read a textbook; nor are they heavily invested in your day-to-day safety, like your mum and dad. They are real people who’ve been through what you’re dealing with, and they have the inspiration and advice you need to handle it yourself. Join Helen each week as she chats to a different guest about topics affecting teenagers in 2020, and helps parents and teens to open up a dialogue that will make life easier to navigate on all sides. You'll also find me chatting about teen parenting here: * Actually Mummy [https://actuallymummy.co.uk/] - my personal blog * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/iamhelenwills/] * Twitter [https://twitter.com/iamhelenwills] Useful websites: * The Mix [https://www.themix.org.uk/]- good information for under 25's * Shout [https://www.giveusashout.org/] - for anyone struggling with anxiety or depression This series of the Teenage Kicks Podcast is sponsored by Blue Microphones [https://www.blue-designs.co.uk/], who gave me the fabulous Yeticaster mic for all my recordings. It's really straightforward to use, and gives me great sound quality without too much editing.