 (Nick Galifianakis for The Post) | Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: My 17-year-old son is an only child. (Context, not an explanation for what is going on.) My ex and I are good friends — and would be even if we didn't have a child together. Lately he spends all his time at her place, which isn't ideal, but I'm at peace with that. For a few years, any interaction between us is always initiated by me and usually rebuffed, ignored altogether or met with hostility. He won't respond to texts or pick up when I call — and I don't contact him a lot. He talks and looks at me like he loathes me. I put no pressure on him. I invite him to discuss things with me, but there's nothing. Just loathing. He will discuss things with his mom, which is good. At least he's talking to someone. I have a thick skin, so this is not me being overly sensitive. I go over to his mom's house once or twice a week to say hi and be available. They are short visits. I leave feeling awful about myself. I do confront him about his awfulness sometimes, but he doesn't care. My ex says he's just being a teen. If he weren't my kid, I would give up. No one has ever treated me this way. But I am a responsible person, so I continue to make myself available and hope I will not get a hostile response. Should I give up? I want to say I do it because I love him, but I feel I don't have any more love because of how he treats me. I feel I have to keep trying, but what is the point? If I stop going over to his mom's, I'll never hear from him again. — Parent | 
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