Ep. 54: Being a single mother of teenagers

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 says her kids have benefitted from being raised by a single mother: * Resilience * Emotional maturity * Organisation * Independence Listen to the podcast to find out how Sarah's teenagers have benefitted from their parents' separation. Sarah and I compare notes on the things that go wrong in our houses (think lost keys, crisps for dinner, and security issues) and agree that they're the same in all busy families - single parent or otherwise! We talk about allowing our kids to fail sometimes, and how they learn life lessons from that. Advice for single parents of teenagers Sarah's gives her best advice on how to cope when you become a single parent, including getting in touch with the charity Gingerbread [https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/what-we-do/]. She says single motherhood is also a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your female friends on a different level, as well as gaining new friendships. Who is Sarah Thompson? Sarah Thompson is a Sunday Times bestselling author and journalist. Sarah's features, on subjects ranging from parenting and divorce to sex, mental health and female friendship, have appeared in numerous publications including the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian and the Daily Mail. She's also written books about the perils of modern motherhood (You're So Mummy, published by Michael Joseph). Sarah is the (single) mother of two children and lives in Bridport, Dorset. Happy Single Mother [https://amzn.to/3TOSqYe] is available in most bookstores and on Amazon (Affiliate link). More teenage parenting tips from Helen Wills: Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy [https://www.actuallymummy.co.uk/] a resource for midlife parents of teens. Thank you for listening! Subscribe [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/teenage-kicks-podcast/id1501488455] to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear new episodes. If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email teenagekickspodcast@gmail.com. There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-do-you-cope-loss-parent-when-youre-teenager-ryan/id1501488455?i=1000495564421], becoming a young carer [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/danielle-on-being-a-young-carer-for-her-alcoholic-mum/id1501488455?i=1000468538022], and being hospitalised with mental health problems [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/emma-bradley-on-being-hospitalised-mental-health-problems/id1501488455?i=1000470008123] - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives. You can find more from Helen Wills on parenting teenagers on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/iamhelenwills/] and Twitter [https://twitter.com/iamhelenwills] @iamhelenwills. For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co. [https://www.podcast.co/privacy] Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing

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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.