It can feel heartbreaking when your teenager pulls away, shows little interest in your life, or seems dismissive of family connections. This is a common experience for many parents, and while it can feel personal, it’s often just part of healthy adolescent development.
In this episode, I talk through what’s happening for teens at this stage, and what parents can do to stay connected without pushing their kids further away.
You’ll hear about:
- Why teenagers turn toward peers and away from parents
- How to avoid taking their changes personally
- Moving from “manager” to “consultant” in your parenting role
- Why empathy is key (even when you disagree)
- The problem with angry pursuit and guilt-driven connection
- How to invite closeness without criticism
- Practical ideas for spending meaningful time together
- Why listening and curiosity matter more than fixing
This episode is all about finding ways to feel connected, even when your teen seems uninterested in you.
Resources:
- Submit a question for a future episode: https://forms.gle/6GJsNv9MeppUvw5j8
- Connected Teens Program: https://marievakakis.com.au/connected-teens/
- Grab my free ebook https://marievakakis.com.au/my-teen-wont-talk-to-me/
Connect with Marie
https://www.instagram.com/marievakakis/
Submit a question to the Podcast
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.