It takes courage for your child to begin the process of adolescence, pushing against and pulling away from your control to gain more independence from family and freedom for self-determination, letting his or her “bad” (more abrasive) side out, arousing some degree of your disapproval in the process. It also takes courage for you to parent your child through adolescence, taking stands for the boy's or girl's best interests against what he or she may want, letting your “boss” (more authoritarian) side out, arousing some disapproval from your child in the process. With the onset of adolescence, the hard “half” of parenting begins. Now you face the challenge of keeping up loving closeness and discipline with your son or daughter as more social separation and conflict over differences are helping you to start growing apart.