i am guilty of clowning too much with my boys too. but you know what. they talk to me. they know i am always accesible when they need/want to talk. nothing is off limits. may not be the best way, but it seems to work for us. my kids are not bad or troublemakers. they are just boys. i have been tp'ing houses with my son and nephew. we had a blast. we will do it again. my 15 yr old tells me he loves me all the time. no matter who is around. he will laugh at his friends if they question him not being "cool". he just tells them that he loves his dad and he ain't ashamed of it. my 7yr old still thinks daddy is the best. but hopefully he will not draw away as he ages. my thought is that you have to stay close or you will lose them.