How do I reconnect with my teenager when we've grown distant and frustrated?

Distance between parent and teen often comes from both sides trying to protect themselves. You've likely built walls to avoid rejection or disappointment—your teen has too. The reconnection isn't about grand gestures; it's about showing up consistently without needing anything in return. Rabia teaches us about love that asks for nothing, that shows devotion simply because devotion is the practice itself. Start there: spend time with your teen without agenda. Not to lecture, fix, or extract information. Just to be present. Listen more than you speak. When they share something—even something small—receive it like it matters, because it does. You might ask: "I've noticed things have felt off between us. I'd like that to change, and I'm willing to start." Then actually start. Show up for their interests, their schedule, their world. This isn't weakness or surrender. It's the hardest form of love—the kind that gives first and waits. The frustration won't disappear overnight, but connection rebuilds through consistency. You're not trying to become friends or erase boundaries. You're remembering that beneath the eye-rolling and closed doors is someone you deeply care about, and they need to feel that again.