Dear Queenie,
My ex-wife and I have been divorced for almost ten years and we have a daughter who is now getting to be a teenager. My daughter and I have always been close until this past year when she has stopped doing things and going places with me.
I asked her what had happened and she wouldn’t tell me. My ex says it’s just “growing pains” but I don’t understand what that means.
Queenie, should I ignore all this and hope it will go away or should I be concerned about it?—Worried father
Dear Father,
I do not think you have anything to be concerned about. It is normal for teenagers to pull away from their parents and develop interests of their own. Let your daughter know you love her and are there for her if she needs you, and wait for her to grow up a bit more. Eventually she will come around to you again.
