Lived Experience Forum

[Julia2019]

Hi @eth 

That is really valuable information.  These groups are great because it makes us realize that we are not alone in our experiences, which can be helpful.  These online forums also provide great opportunities to give your experience a voice in an anonymous way.

PANDA is another great service that can offer a space for parents to be "REAL"about what is happening for them and also a service that can share information about other relevant groups/ services of relevance.  

[Sarzie]

From my experience I found it really helpful to begin talking in a safe space such as an anonymous forum (just as everyone here is doing now!) or a helpline. While it can feel very scary to open up and be ‘real’ it can help to take baby steps by sharing with someone in a way in which you don’t have to worry about their response or judgment. I’m sensing from the conversations this evening that it is important for everyone to be real about their experiences as this is how we connect and get the support we need and deserve.

[Lauz]

@Owlunar @eth @Teej @Wanderer @cutiepiekitty @Jane06 @Sarzie @Julia2019 @Shaz51 (sorry if I have missed anyone!!) 

Its that time of the night where we need to wrap up - but this has been a truly wonderful discussion everyone. The theme of being real has really shone through in everyones vulnerability in sharing tonight. Thank you so much to Lisa @PANDA , @Sarzie  and @Julia2019  for guiding this discussion and sharing such valuable insight and knowledge. We are so grateful for your time tonight and for being real with everyone here too!

For everyone here tonight or reading along, be sure to check out some of the great factsheets that PANDA have here that cover some of the things we have discussed tonight

While responses to this event will close tomorrow morning, please do feel free to head over to the The Virtual Village - a space for parenting 'stuff'  to continue talking about this topic with other peers!

[Teej]

Thanks @Lauz , @Sarzie , @Julia2019 🙏😊

[Sarzie]

Thanks so much for having us here tonight everyone 🙂 It's been wonderful being real with you all!

[Shaz51]

thank you @Lauz , @Sarzie , @Julia2019 for a very interesting night xxxx

[Julia2019]

Thanks for all your contributions!

Keep talking and know that it is OK to be REAL!

[Owlunar]

That was a huge amount to share - I have yet to read the whole thread and I didn't get to respond to as many posts as I would have liked to

It is still - and my daughter is middle-aged now - a hard time to think about - so isolating and difficult to deal with the culture-shock of just being a mum and losing so much of our identity. It takes time to find all that again

And although it has hurt me tonight to say that my son died - it's a long time ago now - if feel that losing a part of my mother-role was devastating - this is something we are never prepared for - we mostly expect to have kids

Perhaps this is the wrong place to write this but it does feel like part of the same subject - a transistion regarding parenthood

Dec

[Wanderer]

Late reply and apology.

Just going through two major family crisis right now and tonight was in the middle of it.

Sorry I missed you all and couldn't join you.

@Lauz @Shaz51 @Julia2019 @Sarzie  everyone who was here tonight.

[Owlunar]

Thanks @Determined 

Dec