CREATING STRONG CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PARENTS AND TWEENS.
I love being a mum.
I ESPECIALLY LOVE THE TWEEN YEARS WHEN OUR KIDS ARE AGED 8-12.
You know why I love it? Our kids are that little bit more independent and showing magical glimpses of their future selves! They love science or basketball or Frida Kahlo or writing poetry or all of the above! At the same time our voice is still the strongest in their lives and the opinions of their friends are yet to really dominate their own! The tween years offer us an amazing window of time to help us establish ourselves at our children’s lighthouse — a go-to source of wisdom and comfort as they learn to navigate friendships, school, puberty and everything else life seems to throw at them.
BEING A LIGHTHOUSE TO OUR CHILDREN IS REALLY ABOUT ESTABLISHING A STRONG, OPEN RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
If you're like me, you want to have the type of bond whereby your child will come to you if they're worried or anxious or struggling with an issue. We want them to turn to us when things go pear-shaped rather than leading (as some teens seem to do) a double life or even worse, suffering in silence.
We especially want them to feel comfortable talking to us if:
- They're being bullied
- They're struggling with friendship issues
- They're worrying about something (school work, family dramas etc)
- They've seen or done something dodgy online
- And perhaps most crucially - if they've experienced something that left them feeling uncomfortable or unsafe or alone.
BUT HOW EXACTLY DO WE DO THAT?
Here’s one thing I know for certain: leaving it to chance is not the answer. Having a close connection with your child isn’t about luck. Instead it’s about key strategies and decisions you make when BEFORE the teen years hit in full force.
That's where
comes in.
I’M GIVING YOU A ROADMAP TO THE TWEEN YEARS ...
I'm a big believer in laying a strong foundation of communication, support and openness when our kids are tweens - after all this is when we're still the major influence in our child's life. And that's what my Lighthouse Plan is all about. It’s a roadmap to the tween and early teen years.
A bond building strategy (this is a tool or strategy to help build and/or strengthen the bond between you and your child. My intention is for your tween to see you as their lighthouse -- that person to turn to for guidance and wisdom particularly when the seas are rough)
A gold-star tween/teen parenting tip(these are the best parenting tips for tweens I've read over the years).
A How-To-Handle page: periods, friendships dramas, body image issues — I’ll curate the best resources I’ve found and put it all in the one place for you to go back to.
Access to a closed Facebook group where more than 1500 mums share tips, ask advice and brainstorm solutions for their parenting dilemmas in a private, judgement-free space.
IN THE LIGHTHOUSE PLAN WE COVER ALL THE STICKY SITUATIONS PARENTS AND THEIR KIDS FIND THEMSELVES IN OVER THE TWEEN/TEEN YEARS, INCLUDING:
- Friendships and Frenemies
- Getting Your Period / Puberty fears
- Body Image worries
- Confidence and Resilience
- Mental Health (anxiety and depression)
- Social Media and Smartphones
No more hours spent Googling different concerns! I’ve done the legwork for you and curated the best articles, podcasts, books and videos on these key topics. You’ll find the best resources in one spot at your finger tips.
STOP RIGHT THERE
(THANK YOU VERY MUCH!)!
Before we go ANY further, let me make something really, really clear.
I’m not a psychologist. Or a youth worker. Or a teacher.
I've been working with tweens and teens in schools for 20 years.
Every year I speak to THOUSANDS of primary school and high school students at hundreds of schools across Australia about friendship, personal boundaries and life online. I’ve written three best-selling books for girls on navigating high school, I’ve hosted an award-winning agony aunt podcast for teenage girls (Ask Me Anything), I’ve been invited to write parenting advice pieces for magazines like KIT and Mindful Parenting and in 2018 I was invited to sit on the Queensland Government’s Anti Cyber Bullying Taskforce. My articles and resources are used by psychologists and school teachers across the country.
But I’m the first person to point out that I’m not a “parenting expert.” I lose my shit. I lose shit. I don’t have all the answers and I don’t pretend to. But I am very good at finding out the answers and then pointing my members in the right direction to the best experts, books and other resources.
And that is why I created The Lighthouse Plan. Yes, I wanted to share everything I’ve personally learned over the past 25 years connecting with and understanding tweens and teenagers. But even more than that, I wanted to help other parents feel less isolated and less overwhelmed. Because TODAY as parents we are stretched in ways that no other parenting generation has been. And we are dealing with issues that no other generation has had to handle. Here’s what I know: All the answers/resources/support are out there...but you have to know where to go looking for them. So think of me as your Tour Guide to your child's tween and teen years. And the Lighthouse Plan in your roadmap.
So when I hear mums say, “Life is so busy, and I can feel my daughter (or son) slipping away from me… and I don’t know how to stop it.” - I HEAR YOU.
Life IS busy, and as parents we get caught in the endless treadmill of work / carpool / washing uniforms and packing school lunches.
In The Lighthouse Plan I’m giving you all the best strategies I’ve learned about connecting with tweens and teens AND doing the leg work for you when you’re thrown a parenting curveball. Plus our 1500+ private Facebook group has become a judgement-free, safe space where parents can ask each other for advice and support. (In the past few weeks we’ve covered everything from frenemies in the playground to first boyfriends to group sleepovers.)
I would love to help you better connect with your daughter.
I would love to provide you with the best resources
to navigate the sometimes rocky, often wonderful path ahead.
Here’s what some of the
past participants of
have said about the course:
Just wanted to send a quick note to let you know how much I’m enjoying ‘TheLighthouse Plan’.
My daughter is 12 and in year 6 (her last year of Primary School) and it is proving to be a challenging year …. I am loving this ‘lifeline’ you are providing. The topics are all of great benefit and the fact that you are writing about them makes me realise that I’m not alone! The articles and videos are very informative and helping me interact in a more positive way with my daughter.
I am learning a lot about me too.
JN
Parent
Just wanted to let you know how much I loved Week One and how useful the information is! I have a 13 year old who is getting her very first period and the tips and links you have shared are super helpful.
SH
Parent
I’d love to have you join me!
ABOUT REBECCA SPARROW
Over the past 30 years Rebecca Sparrow has been a travel writer, a magazine editor, a newspaper columnist, a TV scriptwriter and a novelist. She is perhaps best-known as the author of three best-selling non-fiction books for teenage girls designed to help them navigate those tricky high school years. Those books include Find Your Tribe (and 9 other things I wish I'd known in high school); Find Your Feet (The 8 things I Wish I'd Known Before I Left High School) and the best-selling Ask Me Anything (heartfelt answers to 65 anonymous questions from teenage girls). Aside from writing books Rebecca writes for Mamamia and plays agony aunt to teenage girls on the Ask Me Anything podcast. Bec talks to thousands of high school students every year about friendship, resilience, giving back and life online. With Jane Sullivan she runs four hugely successful online bookclubs at Books With Bec & Jane and in 2018 she was invited to be a member of the Queensland Government’s Anti-Cyber Bullying Taskforce. She is a mother to three kids and two labradoodles.
The Lighthouse Plan Lite is $120 (+ GST For Australian Residents)
ONE OFF PAYMENT
- 12 Months Access to The Lighthouse Plan Course
- A bond building strategy, gold-star tween/teen parenting tip and a How-To-Handle page
- 12 Months Access to a closed Facebook group
- Before You Hit Send notes
- Ultimate Resources List for Boys
- Ultimate Resources List for Girls
- NEW MEMBERS also get access to 'School Bites'
Bec's Guarantee:
“In today's world, the tween years feel trickier than ever. Our kids are experiencing friendship dramas, a drop in confidence and body image issues to name a few. This membership is your roadmap to the tween years as I show you how to guide your child through this often wonderful and sometimes rocky period!
Best of all I’ll show you how to teenage-proof your relationship by strengthening your bond and your lines of communication with your tween before they become a teenager. I offer a money-back guarantee for anyone who completes the membership and feels like it wasn’t worthwhile - that’s how much I believe in it.”
Bec Sparrow
PRAISE FOR
Frances Whiting
Parent
KD
Parent
I love everything Rebecca Sparrow stands for. She has made my parenting journey of our two gorgeous young girls so much more confident. Having a Bec in my back pocket has been in valuable!
LW
Parent
Disclaimer:
Like everything in life, your decisions are you own. Please do not substitute the advice given in The Lighthouse Plan for that of a trained professional such as a Psychiatrist, Doctor or any other health professional.