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Preteens

DD 11 talking to childline online

4 replies

londoner01 · 16/01/2012 15:42

My DD is in year 7 and has settled well, making a lovely group of friends and generally has been very happy. She is at an all girls school so at times it can be bitchy but it hasn't been bad at all yet compared to her primary.
Me and her dad are split up after he had an affair (v messy divorce) and have been for quite a few years now, she saw a family therapist for some time after our divorce and last year as well as she got older. She is normally fairly open with me and comes to me when things are worrying her. Recently shes seemed down and I have talked to her but she'll often 'go off on one' and storm off trying to cover up whats wrong.
I keep reassuring her i am here but she doesn't seem to want to come to me. I told her she knows if its too hard to talk to me she can always talk to her teacher (aware of situation) or friends or auntie or we can get her some more help professionally. She doesn't want to know and tells me she's fine and that is all in the past.

Yesterday I checked our internet history, as i do every now and then, and saw she has been on childline one to one chat. While I'm relieved shes talking to someone I'm also worried its a far greater than her feeling down about her dad or normal pre-teen hormones.
I don't know whether to ask her about it, I've tried and tried to let her know i'm here but she doesn't want to talk to me.

OP posts:
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CheeseandPickledOnion · 16/01/2012 15:47

Well, one easy way to find out would be to install a key logger if you want to take that route?

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Flisspaps · 16/01/2012 15:49

I think you should just keep reassuring her that you're there if she wants to talk, but I personally wouldn't mention that you've seen she's been on to Childline.

If she does feel that she needs to talk to someone who is impartial and she knows that you know, then it may put her off going to them again, and it's better that she talks to someone than no-one IYSWIM?

It could be anything from the divorce, to school, to wanting to ask simple questions about puberty without getting embarrassed about talking to Mum (sometimes there's nothing worse than having to talk to your parent about that stuff when you're actually going through puberty yourself, no matter how open you are normally!)

The going off on one and storming off could well be hormone-related, especially at age 11.

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OldLadyKnowsNothing · 16/01/2012 15:50

Sorry, a key logger would be an appalling breach of her privacy!

She's talking to somebody, and at least that somebody has had training to know how to deal.

Keep reminding her that you're there and willing to listen, but allow her her privacy.

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michglas · 16/01/2012 15:50

Whatever you do, don't tell her that you know she has been on childline. You don't want to cut off the one route she has feels she has got for talking.

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