Hi there. Welcome to “Screen Time,” a weekly column about the positive side of family streaming written by father, author and blogger Clint Edwards.

The other day, I convinced my 14-year-old son to watch the animated comedy The Mitchells vs. the Machines with me. I know that sounds like a pretty casual accomplishment, but it was the first time he’d been willing to do really anything with me in... well... I can’t recall. Not that I hadn't invited him to watch movies or play video games or get ice cream or a million other father-son bonding activities. 

I totally had. 

But in the past year, every time I’ve invited him to hang out with his all-around awesome dad, he’s just looked at me in that disinterested teenager way, pulled his shoulder length hair out of his eyes and told me he’s busy — almost like he was working on some great novel, or the solution to cold fusion or some other important and deeply engrossing task. In reality, he was just playing Roblox with his friends online. Hanging out with his middle-aged father who buys his pants at Costco isn’t awesome anymore. 

I think this is one of the harshest realities of raising a teen. Tristan is pulling away from me, as if I haven't been making him pancakes for over a decade and showing up to every extracurricular activity. I’ve cheered him on at everything from youth soccer to academics with the overwhelming gusto of a loving and dedicated father. For the most part, Tristan simply grunts in response to my absolutely on-point dad jokes — which would have landed two years ago, but now he’s just not interested.

But, frankly, this transition is breaking my heart. 

So when Tristan actually agreed to watch The Mitchells vs. the Machines with me, I must admit, I squealed a little on the inside — but not on the outside because, you know, I didn’t want to ruin it. 

We sat on our sectional, just the two of us, me on one side and him on the other, feeling a million miles away from each other. Thirty minutes into the movie, I suddenly felt a very real connection with Rick Mitchell. His teenage daughter Katie is trying to pull away from her family to go to college, so, to get the most out of their short few days together, Rick schedules a family road trip. At one point, Rick watches home movies from a time when Katie used to adore him, and it all felt particularly real to me as I sat on the sofa with my son on the other end. I knew that if I moved closer to him, he’d probably get up and go into another room to play video games. 

Even two years earlier, when he was 12, he’d still sit next to me, maybe even snuggle at my side. As we watched the movie, I couldn't help but long for a robot apocalypse like the one in The Mitchells vs. the Machines because sure, we might die, but it also might help us connect again like we used to. 

Naturally, my son pulling away from his parents is on brand. I must have seen this plot play out a million times on a million different family comedies, but it hits differently when it’s happening to you. And I know, I know, If you read any parenting book, you know everything Rick Mitchell and I are experiencing is normal. But knowing all of this doesn’t seem to make the experience suck any less.

I’m starting to miss Tristan already, and he’s only 14. I didn’t realize how much his trajectory toward independence would pull at my heartstrings. Every emotion Rick feels as Katie pulls away, well... I felt it too as I glanced over at my son.

I wasn’t sure how to tell him all of this. I think there’s something about raising teenagers that makes these sorts of conversations challenging — because you never really know how they will react, and there's always the fear you might say or do something that will deepen the divide.

So I just kept my peace and Tristan kept his. But then, near the end of the movie, Katie has a realization about how much she loves her dysfunctional family, warts and all, I finally confided in Tristan, “I kind of wish we were fighting a gang of robots.”

When he asked why, I said, “Because it might get us to talk a little more. Maybe even hang out again. It seems to be working for Katie and her dad.”

I paused for a moment. Took a breath. And finally said, “I guess what I’m trying to say is... I miss hanging out with you, bud.” I shrugged. Tristan looked at me for a moment. Then he gave me the sweetest half-smile, pulled his hair behind his ears and moved next to me on the couch. 

As the final credits rolled, Tristan looked up at me and said, “You know, Dad, it doesn't have to be so complicated. We could just play Pokemon Go together or something.”

I sat there, completely surprised by his offer, but also elated. From his casual smile to the way he was slightly leaning into me, it felt like what he was really saying was, “Dad, you’re taking this too seriously.” 

And maybe, just maybe, he was right.

“Absolutely,” I said. “I’ll get my jacket. Maybe we’ll find a Pikachu.”