My teenage son and I had a screaming match about his grades that ended with both of us saying awful things, and now two weeks later we're stuck in this polite stranger mode where he answers my questions but won't actually talk to me. I know I messed up but every attempt I make to really fix it just seems to make him more distant.
More people experience this than they realize.
The parent's attempts at repair are filtered through the adolescent's need to maintain psychological independence, creating a cycle where reaching out pushes the child further away.
“Where Are You with Repair after conflict?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.