One mom braids her daughter's hair before special occasions. Find excuses for closeness . Next time your stand-offish child is doing homework at the kitchen table, scoot your chair next to him and ask to see what he's working on. Your interest and the physical closeness will both convey warmth. Find an opportunity to kiss.
Boys begin to shy away from kissing in elementary school, and by puberty it's usually an ordeal.
Find alternatives to the traditional hug. With moms especially, a boy may feel like physical touch is an invasion of his personal space. He's not so much shying away from you as he's trying to become a separate person, disconnected from childhood and its dependence. Be patient, and keep looking for other points of contact. Virtually all teens feel uncomfortable when touching turns too personal.