Alex's Answer

Hi there, you are very welcome to Ask Alex.  

Thank you for contacting us. We understand that it’s not always easy to share how we’re feeling, but we also know how important it is to talk about our worries.  

You have asked what you should do if your Mum isn’t being nice to you and horrible instead.  Family relationships can often be tricky to navigate, but everyone has the right to be treated with respect. Communication is an important part of relationships, but often times our emotions influence the way we respond in certain situations. It is important to communicate with your Mum – have you tried speaking to her about how you are feeling? It may be helpful to sit down and have a conversation about this when you are both calm and feeling relaxed.   

However, sometimes talking about our feelings can be difficult – it can be hard for us to express ourselves and also hard for the other person to hear. Perhaps you could write a letter to your Mum expressing your feelings. Or maybe you would feel comfortable reaching out to a trusted adult, this could be an aunt/uncle, older sibling or cousin, sports coach, or teacher to let them know how you are feeling. They may be able to facilitate a 3-way conversation with you and your Mum around this matter. You have the right to be heard and listened to, and to express how you are feeling. You also have the right to be happy in your home.  

Here is an article from our Childline website which you may find helpful: www.childline.ie/how-to-manage-family-relationships/. 

If you feel that you are not ready yet to talk to your Mum or another trusted adult about this, you are very welcome to chat with the Childline Team by phone on  1800 66 66 66  or through our web chat on www.childline.ie. Childline services are free and confidential, and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.   

Thank you for reaching out to us.  

Take care,    

Alex