Your Kid Won't Tell You What's Wrong
Something is clearly off, they're quiet, withdrawn, or irritable, but every question gets a shrug or a "nothing."
Kids can vent endlessly to AI chatbots without ever practicing the harder, more vulnerable act of opening up to a real person who actually knows them.
Stop trying to fix it. You haven't heard it yet. Your only job right now is to make yourself safe to talk to.
"I'm not going to push. But I want you to know I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."
"I've noticed something feels off and I haven't wanted to make it worse by crowding you. I'm not here to fix anything right now. I just want to sit with you for a minute — you don't have to talk if you don't want to."
"You can tell me anything — I won't get upset.": You can't guarantee that, and they know it. The promise breaks trust before the conversation starts.
"I'm not going to make this a bigger deal than you want it to be. But I'm also not going to pretend I don't notice. You don't have to talk to me right now. I just need you to know you're not alone in it."
Don't bring it up again directly for 24 hours. Create low-pressure proximity instead, a drive, a meal, something side-by-side. Most kids talk when they're not facing you and there's no expectation to perform.