When They Shut Down: 15 Scripts for Re-Opening the Door

You ask how their day was. They say fine. You try to check in. They disappear to their room. You can feel the distance growing and you don't know what to say that won't make it worse.

This kit was made for exactly that moment. These 15 scripts are designed to re-open the door — gently, without pressure, and without starting a fight.

What's inside:

• 15 word-for-word scripts for the most common shutdown situations
• Scripts for one-word answers, post-fight reconnection, crying with no explanation, and more
• The golden rules for using silence and space to your advantage
• A guide to knowing when everyday emotional distance may need professional support (with crisis resources included)

These scripts work not because they're magic words, but because they signal safety. And safety is the only thing that gets a shut-down teen to open back up.

Best for: Moms whose tweens or teens have become harder to reach — emotionally distant, monosyllabic, or quick to pull away — and who want to reconnect without making things worse.