How to fill that awkward silence: 'I love you.' Your teen will hate it - and love it

Tonia is lying on the couch watching television. Her mother comes into the room to look for a pencil, finds one next to the magazines and leaves.

Adam is in his room with the door closed. His parents are both home. Over the course of the next three hours, there are no verbal exchanges between them.

Morgan's dad drops her off at soccer practice. She mumbles "Bye," as she darts out of the car.

Lance, on the way to his room, passes his father in the hallway. No words are spoken between the two.

Once they hit their teens - as part of the normal temporary allergy to parents - a child's end of conversations can all but dry up. It becomes very easy to go through days with virtually no communication, apart from day-to-day business.

"Ryan, don't forget you said you'd take out the recycling."

"Sure, whatever."

Days at a time - maybe even more than days - can go by with no real loving contact between a parent and a teen. Even if your relationship is mostly harmonious, there may still not be a whole lot positive happening.

This is not good.

Let me suggest another way. Let's try the above scenes a little differently.

...