I have a hat full of tips to offer parents for building meaningful relationships with their teens. But in some situations, a teen will flat-out say that he just doesn’t want anything to do with his mom and dad.

Is your teen fighting against your every effort to connect?

It’s possible there’s a deep-rooted grudge left over from a painful fight or breach of trust. Try sitting down and confronting the issue face-to-face. Ask if there’s anything you can do to heal the relationship.

If your teen still shuts you down, remember this verse from First John 4:19: “We love, because he first loved us.” And as followers of His example, we should never give up on a relationship with our own children, either.

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