Katherine Heigl explains her 'anxiety' over raising teenagers

Katherine Heigl has shared her "anxiety" over being a mother now her children are in their teens.

The 46-year-old American star is the proud mother of three: teenage daughters Naleigh, 16, and Adalaide, 13, and eight-year-old son Joshua, who she shares with husband Josh Kelley, 45.

With two out of three of her brood now in the teenage era, the Grey's Anatomy icon admits that she feels a little on edge as a parent.

She told PEOPLE, "It really increases your anxiety and your fear as a parent. You are not as in control as you were when they were little, where you had all the power of keeping them safe and guiding choices.

"They are their own little people now and they really have their own minds and they're going through it. It's a tumultuous time."

Shining a light on family life, the TV star said that her daughters have grown closer as they have aged, but can become embroiled in sibling arguments.

She revealed, "Now that Adelaide's 13, they're both into makeup, they're both into this TikTok dance and that TikTok dance. They're spending more time together, but that can also go south."

And giving an insight into her approach to parenting, Heigl explained that she tries to give her daughters the space to work through any clashes.

She said, "I do not try to interfere or navigate or referee. I walk out the room, I'm like, 'They'll work it out.' And they always do. They're very close, but they're teenage girls. They're going to fight."