And for Leah Messer's 15-year-old twins Ali and Aleeah, their high school debut came with an added layer of stress. Eleven years after she was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of muscular dystrophy, Ali frequently relies on a wheelchair to get around, which is why her mom wanted her to use the school's more accessible entrance.
But in teen world where being just like everyone else is the goal...
"Oh, yeah," the Teen Mom star surmised in an exclusive interview with E! News when asked if Ali struggles with feeling different from her friends. "And getting Ali to really open up and talk about it, and coming from a place of acceptance, it's been a challenge. Definitely been a challenge."
Ultimately, though, Ali reasoned it'd be okay if she needed someone to open the door for her because she can always get by with a little help from a friend.
Twin sister Aleeah is "so supportive," raved Leah, who shares the twins with first husband Corey Simms. "So it's a balance between the two, letting Aleeah be a child and then also having empathy and being there for her sister."
And, ultimately, Leah and her girls—she also parents 11-year-old Adalynn with ex-husband Jeremy Calvert—have found a way to keep everything in balance.
"We all do it together, we all manage," explained Leah. "And for us, it's kind of awkward when people want to help us. It's our day-to-day life. We just do it."
Leah Messer/Instagram
It's not that the West Virginia-based family doesn't like to have someone to lean on, it's just "our normal," Leah noted. "And, also, it's uncomfortable for Ali if people are feeling bad for her. That makes her feel a little different."
And though the high school freshman is special, so is everyone else.
"I think we all have unique stories, we all have unique personalities," Leah reasoned. "We are all different in our own ways." But don't for a second feel sorry for Ali, stressed the mom of three, "because she's intelligent and strong."
Thriving with the help of equine therapy and other hobbies, Ali and her twin sister are truly relishing their high school era.
"Although they're twins, their personalities are completely different," Leah said, noting that Teen Mom: The Next Chapter viewers will be afforded a glimpse into the teens' world this season. "You get to see a little bit of their social life and scenes with just them and their own friends."
And as they inch closer to the age their mom was when she gave birth, fans will also get a look into how Leah handles talking about sex, baby.
"We talk a lot about drinking, drugs, alcohol," detailed Leah, who shared her own experiences in her 2020 memoir Hope, Grace & Faith. "But I've also created that safe place for them at home, so friends will come over, they know the rules."
And should they break them...
"I will call a parent tomorrow," insisted Leah of her daughters' pals, "just because the safety of teens and kids is extremely important to me and I want to create that for them."
It's a safe space she's been cultivating since her girls turned 13.
"When you start those conversations early, it becomes normal," Leah stressed. "And if you know your kid, you will know when they're ready to have those conversations and when they're not and you'll know who their friends are."
Ultimately, she continued, "Just creating that trust circle and that safe place for them really goes a long way and that's what we've done."
As for her own love life, "I'm really focused on my career and my daughters," said Leah of embracing the single life. "And I think everything will fall into place the way it is."
Romance has certainly worked out for many of her costars. Check out which of the Teen Mom stars have found their perfect match.
