Since my divorce, my 14-year-old son has been distant and openly disrespectful. He believes it’s my fault that his father and I split up. Related Articles In reality, I discovered that my ex-husband had been paying women for sexual favors, and I was disgusted and felt betrayed.
Despite this, I haven’t told my son the real reason for our separation because I want him to continue to respect his father, who has been a great dad to him. However, given my son’s recent change in behavior, I’m starting to wonder if now is the right time to reveal the truth. : Your son definitely needs your attention and loving care as well as a reestablishment of boundaries.
What he does not need is a revelation about his father’s bad behavior. You can explain to him that sometimes couples grow apart, no longer share the same needs or values or have other challenges that drive them to disconnect. While it may be hard for him to understand what happened to his family, both you and your ex love him and want the best for him.
What cannot work, however, is for him to continue to speak to you in a disrespectful manner. Remind him of how you taught him to interact with you and other adults, including what tone of voice is appropriate, making eye contact when talking, responding to questions, honoring time, etc. Tell him you expect him to communicate with you accordingly.
You may also want to get him a therapist who can have strategic conversations with him about his life and his future. : As a t.