How to Connect With a Distant Teen (Lessons From a Foster Dad of 47)

If your teen feels distant, defiant, or shuts you out, you're not alone, and there's hope.

👉 Want to reach a teen who shuts you out? Inside Parenting Teens Academy, parents learn to guide instead of control, start fresh after hard days, and build the kind of trust that keeps their teen coming back. Try it free for 7 days

In this episode, I sit down with foster and adoptive dad Peter Mutabazi, founder of the Now I Am Known Foundation. A survivor of childhood abuse and homelessness in Uganda, Peter has since fostered 47 children. He explains why teens can be easier to parent than younger kids, and how shifting from control to mentorship changes everything.

You'll get practical, trauma-informed tools to lower conflict, rebuild trust, and guide your teen without power struggles, whether you're facing defiance, craving deeper connection, or simply want to understand your teen better.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• How a foster dad of 47 connects with teens using mentorship instead of control
• Why your teen's acting out isn't about you, and the "three-person approach" that sees hormones, trauma, and normal development
• Why starting fresh every day builds trust
• How celebrating small wins and one-on-one time build confidence in defiant or withdrawn teens

EPISODE CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Why parenting teens feels so hard
• 01:20 Peter's journey from Uganda
• 06:50 The power of being seen and known
• 09:55 Inside the foster care system
• 12:09 Building trust with foster teens
• 13:35 Mentor vs. parent: a new approach
• 17:41 Understanding teen trauma and behavior
• 20:21 Why you shouldn't project your past onto your teen
• 23:50 Celebrating small wins
• 28:14 Finding time and patience in a busy house
• 29:57 Using social media to change the story
• 35:01 Finding joy in parenting
• 38:38 Key takeaways for parents

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Now I Am Known Foundation
• Trauma-informed parenting strategies
• Foster care system and licensing information

CONNECT WITH PETER MUTABAZI

• Website: Now I Am Known
• Instagram: @fosterdadflipper
• Facebook: Foster Dad Flipper
• TikTok: @FosterDadFlipper
• YouTube: Now I Am Known

CONNECT WITH DR. CAM CASWELL

• Website: AskDrCam.com
• Instagram: @DrCamCaswell
• Parenting Teens Academy

ABOUT THE SHOW

Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam is hosted by Dr. Cam Caswell, an adolescent psychologist and certified parenting coach. Each episode gives you practical strategies, expert advice, and real-world insight to build a stronger relationship with your teen.

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