Pat's Answer

Hello, you are very welcome to Ask Pat, 

Thanks a lot for your question. It sounds like you have having a hard time at home at present and that your relationship with your mum is not great. With all this going on its not surprising that you are finding it tough living at home at present. 

Sharing with us about the relationship at home with your mum is a great step forward for you. You have the right to talk, be listened to and to get support for all that you are experiencing right now. We are wondering, have you spoken to anybody about what life is like for you at home? That somebody could be a friend, another relative, a teacher, someone whom you feel comfortable chatting to, who could support you. Talking to someone really helps.

Family relationships can sometimes be hard and sometimes with our parents, it can be especially hard. You mentioned that you want to move out, is this something that you have thought about and what it would be like to be living with someone other than your mum? Everyone has the right to to feel safe in their home. If you ever feel unsafe, you have the right to contact the Gardaí at 999 or 112.

There are some articles on the Childline website about families and friendships that you may like to read. You can find them here www.childline.ie/home-and-families/  

If you feel that you cannot talk to somebody you know just yet, that is ok. How would you feel about contacting Childline? You already have done brilliant in writing to us, how do you think it would feel to chat to us about your home life and your friends. The Childline services are free and are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The Childline team will listen to you. We will not judge you or tell you what to do. We can chat about what options are available to you. You can phone us on 1800 66 66 66, or text us at 50101 and there is our web chat service also, which you an access through www.childline.ie. 

Remember, you do not have to go through this on your own. There is support for you at Childline when you feel ready to get in touch again. 

Take care of yourself, 

Pat