Parenting a struggling teen support in Finland 🇫🇮

“If you're just starting with a teen who won't leave their room, I won't pretend I have the answers. For me, the waiting list felt endless and the exclusion letters kept coming. What helped was finding one other parent who got it. I still drive nights and Nathan still games, but we had a chat last week about nothing much. That was something.”

“Dear stranger, i was in the same place nearly four years ago. It was a friend group I do not trust and I couldn't see past it. Last month I had people round for dinner. Praying for you.”

“When your teen is struggling, you will feel like you are failing. You are not. The lying and the vaping and the closed door, it is not about you. Keep the small routines. For me it was Sunday hiking. One hour. It doesn't fix anything but it keeps you standing. Ask for help even if you are the one who usually gives it. And when they come out of their room for dinner, just say the food is good. Don't make it a big thing. They will come back when they are ready. In the meantime, you have to keep yourself well.”

“Dear stranger, this time last year I was exactly where you are. It was vaping and lying and I couldn't see past it. These days I mostly feel like me. It comes back so slowly you don't notice until one day you do. From someone who gets it.”