A teenager never stops needing affection… they just stop asking for it.
Many parents believe their child no longer wants affection because they no longer seek it. But the truth is, they stop asking because they’ve learned they won’t receive it.
At three years old, they hug you endlessly.
At thirteen, they push you away—but inside, their heart is trembling.
And if, in that moment, you’re not the one who reaches out, if you don’t set your pride aside, if you don’t cross that invisible wall they built out of fear, the bond begins to grow cold.
After an argument, they shut themselves in. You feel hurt and decide not to approach.
But while you wait for them to make the first move, they’re on the other side, staring at the ceiling, carrying a doubt that hurts more than any punishment: What if they don’t love me like they used to?
Many teenagers seem to reject affection, but in reality, they don’t know how to receive it without feeling weak.
And many parents pull away out of pride, fear of rejection, or the belief that it’s no longer needed.
But it is needed.
Very much so.
A hug, a brief word, a hand on the shoulder can calm a teenager who feels broken.
It’s not losing authority.
It’s reminding them that even in conflict, love doesn’t disappear.
Because when love is withheld out of pride, it feels like abandonment.
And that abandonment leaves wounds that can last for years.