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 describes her recovery from growing up with a narcissistic parent, and Kellina who lives with a disability.

There are also fascinating episode on bias and discrimination, from Caryn Franklin MBE and Prof. Keon West, a deep dive into relationship red flags parents should know when their teens start dating, and tips from a sleep expert on how to get your teenager to sleep better.

The first guest airs tomorrow. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss it!

Who is Helen Wills?

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy a resource for midlife parents of teens.

If you have a suggestion for the podcast please email [email protected]. I love to hear from listeners, and I'm always looking for new stories to tell about challenges in the teenage years.

There are already stories from fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers - including losing a parent, becoming a young carer, and being hospitalised with mental health problems - and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

You can find more from me on parenting teenagers on Instagram and Twitter @iamhelenwills.

For information on your data privacy please visit Podcast.co.

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 a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.

Podcast produced by James Ede at Be Heard production.

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