Closed doors are normal – up to a point
In adolescence young people naturally seek more privacy. That doesn’t mean they don’t need you. It means the conversation has to look different.
What helps
- Talk “side by side” – in the car, while cooking, on a walk.
- Listen more than you advise.
- Don’t minimise (“that’s nothing”) – it matters to them.
- Share something of your own, honestly.
Signs not to wait on
Lasting sadness, withdrawing from everyone, changes in sleep and appetite, falling grades or talking about self-harm are reasons to seek professional help right away. In an emergency call emergency medical services.