My mom never listens to me and then wonders why I never talk to her about anything. If I do tell her about something that upsets me, like with friends or boys, she just tells me to get over it.

It sounds like your mom wants to be a part of your life, but you two are getting your signals crossed. Let her know that a relationship with her is important to you but that you two need to work on how you communicate. Don’t assume she doesn’t have an interest in your problems. Instead, tell her how it makes you feel when she responds that way. When she tells you to get over stuff, that’s probably just her way of dealing. People have different ways of approaching problems—some choose to forget and move on, while others like to talk out issues. Let her know that you don’t necessarily expect her to fix everything for you—you just want her to lend an ear.

BY ANDREA T. ON 5/15/2008 8:44:00 AM 122 COMMENTS