So I used to run a successful construction business but last year an accident happened during an assignment & not only did the business go bankrupt but also went into huge debt from all the legal stuff I had to pay off. Sold house, sold cars, sold everything valuable. Now I have a day job which doesn’t pay super well. I have a son and I feel like I’m letting him down, even though he’d never admit it; on the contrary, he always comforts me & tells me he’s happy with what we have. I basically cut off all of my personal expenses to spend the money on him. I feel so bad everyday.
It sounds like you are doing your best to connect with him (I’d have loved for my parents to take an interest in my hobbies back when I was a teen), but not all kids take the stresses of going through adolescence the same way.
… And they’re very influenced by other kids, so if his friend circle puts emphasis on material things, it might be that he feels like he’s struggling to keep up with them or is actually feeling FOMO, and is taking that out on you.
Either way, best thing you can do is to keep extending that olive branch to him. Perhaps try to see if there’s any other hobbies he has that you might be able to connect with him over?