I prefer emos to chaves any day they at least are not, probaly, carrying knives and getting asbos every five minutes.
If a child wishes to become an emo then leave them be it is a phase, only one thing, all ways keep the lines of communication open. Never shout at them, ok may be sometimes,because shouting never got any one any where.
Its part of the self discovery kids go through when they become teenagers.
Both my brother and sister have self harmed, our mother died when we were teens.
My brother is a Goth and regrets now having scars as permanent reminders of the hell hes been through. He is now in a happy stable loving relationship with another goth, and they plan to marry.
My sister though has turned into an unstable adult, she is marriead but i think she may have the start of a mental illness, which sadly appears to be the same as what our mother had.
I have thought about self harming but never actually done it.
I like EMOs i think some of there fashion sense is pretty d@m cool.
Me well im a professional who has taught a large number of EMOs during sixth form, many of whom now appear pretty normal, some are even studying at cambridge!
So there is light at the end of the tunnel, just be there for them.