When Your Child Pulls Away — And It Feels Like Rejection

There’s a particular kind of ache no one prepares you for — the moment your once-chatty, cuddly child closes the door more than they open it.

They say they’re “fine.” They shrug off your concern. They roll their eyes at the dinner table. And slowly, without warning, you feel like a visitor in their world.

It’s normal. It’s developmental. But it doesn’t make it easy.

If you’ve googled “why does my tween hate me?” or “how to stay close to my teenager without pushing them away” — you’re not alone. That quiet sting, that ache of feeling pushed out — it’s a real part of parenting this stage.

What’s Really Happening When Your Teen Pulls Away

What looks like attitude, silence, or disconnection is often something deeper:

• A nervous system learning how to regulate without you in the room.
• An identity stretching into independence, unsure if it still fits your expectations.
• A young person overwhelmed by emotions they don’t yet have language for.

They’re not trying to reject you. They’re trying to become themselves.

But I know it can feel like rejection anyway.

What Parents Tell Me (That They’re Afraid to Say Out Loud):

• “I miss them.”
• “They barely talk to me now.”
• “I feel like I’m walking on eggshells.”
• “They used to want hugs. Now I’m lucky to get a grunt.”
• “I want to respect their space, but I feel completely shut out.”

You’re not wrong for feeling this. You’re not failing. You’re navigating one of the most emotionally complex parts of parenting — and you don’t need to do it alone.

You Don’t Need More Tips. You Need Someone Who Sees You.

This isn’t about perfect strategies or parenting hacks.
This is about finding steady ground when everything feels like it’s shifting.

In my mentoring work, I support young people through this big emotional work — and help parents stay close without clinging. I become a calm, grounded presence for both sides. A bridge. Not to “fix” anyone. But to translate what’s really going on beneath the surface.

Because this isn’t just about them learning who they are.
It’s about you feeling confident in how you love them through it.

If You’re Googling...

• “How to reconnect with my teen”
• “Why is my tween so moody?”
• “Teenage mood swings or something more?”
• “How to help my child through emotional overwhelm”
• “My teen shuts me out — what can I do?”

…then this blog — and this work — is for you.

What Mentoring Looks Like:

• A space for your child to decompress — without pressure or performance.
• Support that meets them where they are (not where we wish they’d be).
• Regular updates + partnership with you, the parent, so you’re not guessing what’s going on.
• Attuned, heart-led guidance that helps your child feel safe being exactly who they are.

This isn’t therapy. It’s grounded, relational support for families who are growing through hard things — together.

Need a space to talk it through? I offer a free 15-minute consultation — no pressure, just support. Sometimes the hardest step is admitting you want something to feel different. And that’s okay.

💌 lesley@thesoulfulcoach.co.uk
📍 Wirral | Cheshire | Online

I’ll help you hear what they’re really saying — even when the words are missing. Because it’s not about getting back to who they were. It’s about trusting who they’re becoming. Together.