A psychologist explains why a 13-year-old stopped hugging his mother: small misunderstandings pile up until the child feels unheard and the parent feels disrespected. She suggests sitting silently beside him and saying "I miss you" without trying to fix or guilt-trip, then offers five phrases for when kids shut down.
Last week, a mom told me that her 13-year-old son had not hugged her in over a year. As a psychologist, I hear this a lot from parents, and you know, my heart goes out to her. But I'll tell you, it's not her son's fault, and it's also not the mother's fault. It's the situation, how teenage is. It did not happen overnight.. It started with small disconnections. Child maybe not feeling understood, mother not feeling as if the child is respecting her, constant correction, constant nagging, and one day the door shut, not just physically but also emotionally. If this is you, firstly, don't worry, we can help you. Start small. Sit next to them silently and say, I miss you. I'm here. No fixing, no resentment, no giving them guilt trips. Just me and you. Touch doesn't return through pressure, it returns through safety. So save this and read the caption to know 5 things that you can say to your child when they shut down or when they stop sharing their life with you.
