Dear Dr. Meg,

I am a mother of 4 kids.   My two eldest are 16-year-old twins (girl/boy) and my twin son has essentially abandoned me.  I am divorced from my children’s father (3 years) and my 16-year-old son has been living with his father for 6-months now.  He will not see me, always forgets dinner plans, etc.  He has told me that I am crazy and all of his friends think so too.  He has been involved with abusing marijuana and alcohol.  My other children remain with me and do not feel the same as he does.

Their father is not the best influence for a teen boy in respect to relationships with women and is a bully and manipulator (hence why we are divorced!)…and has alienated me from our oldest son.  I have almost accepted that my son will never return and have said goodbye to him, but it’s killing me. What do I do?

Best,

Mother Missing Her Son

Dear MMHS,

The situation that you are in is not uncommon for many divorced mothers. The teen years are a time when young boys need their fathers and many will do whatever they can to be with them. Boys feel…