Until recently, we have had a very close relationship. Lately, however, she is much less talkative than when she was younger. Her grades are good, and she is reasonably popular, but I miss the hours we used to spend just talking with each other. Not all the time, of course. The reason so many teenagers go mute around their parents is that seeking advice and counsel from them is incompatible with discovering just how much they can do for themselves.
Teenagers do it through silence.
This doesn't mean you will never again have a good conversation with your teenager. Studies show most teens and their parents get along pretty well, including sharing new experiences, talking over plans and problems, and enjoying one another's company. Conversations with teenagers, however, usually happen on their timetable, not your's. Teenagers like to talk to us when they want to, not necessarily when we want them to. The fact that teenagers do not respond to every parental overture with hours of discussion does not mean you should stop making overtures.