Meet my teen

Young people going through the process of adolescence need what they have always needed from their parents. They want your love, your support, your encouragement, your nurture, acceptance and attention. The difference for teenagers is that while children need their parents to be in the lead, pulling them along, directing their steps and making the important decisions, teenagers need to be side by side. There are particular skills that support children in learning how to manage for themselves, to trust their own judgment and develop their own skills. When it comes to dealing with teenagers, we may use much the same skills as we did when they were younger, but at a greater remove.

The e-girl's emergence this year has corresponded with the rise of TikTok, the short-form video app Generation Z turns to for its latest viral memes and internet entertainment. Thousands of TikTok videos tagged with egirl show girls with thick eyeliner and dyed hair and guys in beanies wearing belt chains — teens who have embraced an aesthetic separate from the VSCO girls and hipsters sporting Supreme and streetwear. The e-girl and e-boy are just the latest iteration of mainstream counterculture, similar to the emo and scene kids who posted grainy pictures on Tumblr in the s. These e-teens live on the internet and are fluent in the latest video games, and their goal is to push the boundaries, in spite of what parents and older generations may think.

My mom did it for my sisters and me as teens, and it made a world of difference. My oldest has reached the age where he's "dating," we all know what this really means for teens: they like someone, they decide to become exclusive, and they depend on their parents to allow them to see each other outside of school. He's not quite old enough to drive, but we are getting there.

Help your tween navigate those tricky matters of the heart. No parent looks forward to "the talk" about teen sex or deep discussions about teen love. But there are ways to make these conversations easier. Check out these tips from Rosalind Wiseman, best-selling author, mom and Family Circle columnist, about how to help your child navigate the murky waters of relationships, sex—and, yes, teen love. My year-old son has found his first love.