Sunshine and Hurricanes

Smart Parenting with Purpose

  • Mom Life
  • Young Kids
  • Tweens & Teens
  • Technology
    • Apps for Kids – The Ultimate Guide
    • Safety
  • Family Resources
    • Recipes
      • Meal Plans
      • Snacks
      • Dessert
      • Holiday Recipes
    • Travel
      • Florida
      • Disney
    • Savings
      • Monthly Best Buys
    • Holidays
  • Gift Guides
  • About S & H
    • Contact Sunshine and Hurricanes
    • Disclosure Policy
  • Shop

The Real Truth Parents Need to Know About Tweens, Teens, and Texting Acronyms

By Kira Lewis 15 Comments

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Many of you may have seen and even read a series of articles that have been circulating on social media about all the different texting acronyms parents should be aware of, one of the largest posts came from CNN. However, what many parents don’t know is that a large number of the texting acronyms are inaccurately defined, and even if that isn’t the case, most are already outdated.

So, why do these lists keep circulating?

Well, because while they aren’t successful at properly educating parents, they are FANTASTIC at feeding parents worst fears about tweens, teens and texting.

Are you concerned about what your child may be sharing via text? Do you know the real stats when it comes to tweens, teens and sexting? Do you need tools to help you navigate this part of parenting and technology? We've got the answers and the solutions you are looking for and some of them might surprise you. What Parents Need to Know About Tweens, Teens and Texting Acronyms. SunshineandHurricanes.com

 

Do you want to know what the real story is when it comes to tween, teens and sexting?

In reality, most kids are not out there “sexting” on a regular basis. Reported percentages vary, with the high end being 20% and the low end around 7%. In most cases, the likelihood to engage in “sexting” goes up with age and the greatest percentages are seen in older teens (17+). However, the definition of “sexting” is also not very clear. It can be anything from exchanging some fairly harmless and vague hormone fueled texts to the more serious, but far less prevalent, instances of sending more sexually graphic texts along with photos of a sexual nature.

Texing Acronyms – Be Smart, Not Scared

As parents, we would prefer none of this was going on via text, but we must also understand that part of it is just the modern day version of the very normal expression of our kids early sexuality. Also, while technology may be providing a new platform for this expression, it isn’t contributing to any increase in teen sexual activity. In fact, depending on the data source, teen sex rates have at worst stayed constant the last twenty years or have actually declined as much as 7%.

Now, this doesn’t mean that parents can sit back and take a head in the sand approach to the whole topic of inappropriate texting acronyms and “sexting”.  It is still happening and many tweens and teens who admit to engaging in “sexting” said they did it as a result of peer pressure.  One of the best defenses parents have to combat the influence of this kind of negative peer pressure is to simply keep an open and honest dialogue going on with their kids. We need to be willing to tackle the tough talks and make sure they know the risks.

Screen Time Sanity

Make Sure Kids Understand the Risks

While our kids may think sexting a photo to their boyfriends or girlfriend is safe, because this other person cares about them, they need to think about what might happen if they break-up and how such photos could then be used to hurt them. Help them to understand that once a sext is sent, whether it is only text or includes pictures, it can never be completely deleted. There can also be legal consequences to sexting as in some states it is considered child pornography distribution.

Also, if you are genuinely concerned about the possibility of your child sending or receiving inappropriate texts, this is not something that is out of your control. There are numerous ways you can manage this situation.

Parental Controls

The most obvious solution is to delay giving your child a cell phone. While it seems like kids are getting phones at younger and younger ages, you don’t have to give into peer pressure. If you choose to give your child a phone, it doesn’t have to be a smart phone. If your goal is for you to be able to reach your child and them to be able to reach you, a basic phone that makes calls, but can’t send or receive text messages will suffice.

If you ultimately still decide to give your child a smart phone, make sure expectations for its use are clear as are the consequences of not following the rules you set for the privilege of having a phone. A great way to do this is with a cell phone contract and we happen to have a handy dandy printable one available in our post Cell Phone Rules for Tweens and Teens.

You can also install apps that enable you to monitor your child’s cell phone activity. This is not “spying” on your child, this is parenting as long as you are up front with them. One of the more popular apps is My Mobile Watchdog, which provides you with a log of calls, texts and pictures sent to and from the phone. Over time as your child proves they can use the phone responsibly, then you can consider removing the monitoring.

What Exactly Do Those Texting Acronyms Mean?

Should the occasion arise that you come across any acronyms in your child’s texts that you are not familiar with, you can look almost any of them up using the Urban Dictionary. This site is a user generated online dictionary of slang terms and phrases. I’m going to warn you, this isn’t a site for the faint of heart of heart, but it will get you the information you need to know. However, I bet most parents will be pleasantly surprised when they discover 2G4E simply means “together forever” or WYCM means ‘will you call me”.

Yes, our kids are growing up fast, but maybe not as fast as we are lead to believe. If you DBEYR (don’t believe everything you read) and practice smart parenting by going ISO (in search of) real facts, these tween and teen years might not be so bad, and could even be GR8 (great)! TTYL. 🙂

Screen Time Sanity

Have you heard about any texting acronyms parents should know about? 

Need some more help navigating technology and your tween/teen? We’ve got lots to help you out!

Worst Apps for Kids

Apps You Don’t Want On Your Child’s Phone

So, you've decided your child is ready for a phone? Have you decided what type of fun to get? Should the phone have internet access? What types of rules should you set for our new phone user? We've covered the basics you'll want to think about to set your tween or teen up for success with their new cell phone and to make it a positive experience for both child and parents. A printable cell phone contract is included to make your life easier. SunshineandHurricanes.com

Free Printable Cell Phone Contract For Parents and Teens

For EVEN MORE great technology and kids information:

Follow Sunshine and Hurricanes ‘s board Technology for Kids on Pinterest.

Join Our Mailing List

We send out our blog posts by email--join today and receive a free SMART Parenting Printable as a Thank You gift! Your email is never sold or shared.

Filed Under: Safety, Technology Tagged With: Parenting and Technology, Sexting, Tech 101, Teens Sexting, Texting, Tweens Sexting

About Kira Lewis

Kira Lewis is a mom to a strong and sassy 8 year old girl and a funny, soccer playing teen boy.  Her career has included everything from corporate ladder climbing to teaching yoga. She's settled for now on free-lance writing and blogging where she covers topics like motherhood, parenting, technology, Florida travel and raising tweens and teens.Keep up with her parental musings by subscribing to sunshine and hurricane's weekly newsletter HERE.

You can also find her on social media:

Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest 

« Travel Is A Family Adventure and Giveaway
5 Things To Pack For A Family Boat Day »

Comments

  1. niteflirt buttons says

    August 12, 2017 at 4:32 am

    Can I simply just say what a comfort to discover someone that really knows what they’re discussing on the web.

    You actually realize how to bring an issue
    to light and make it important. More and more people need to check this out and understand this side of your story.

    I was surprised you are not more popular since you certainly possess the gift.

    Reply
  2. ActualTeenager says

    December 17, 2015 at 1:20 pm

    Great advice, but like, this is really outdated. No one sexts anymore, it’s all online. look up Kik or Omegle, or Instagram DMs, or Twitter DMs, or Tumblr, or Facebook, or like any website with pictures

    Reply
  3. Kendra says

    May 13, 2015 at 1:27 pm

    Thank you so much for this information. I know it will come in handy when my babies are old enough to have their own phones.

    Reply
  4. Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says

    May 13, 2015 at 2:14 am

    As a mom of three teenagers, I can’t tell you how much I agree with all of this! It is extremely important information in this day in age!

    Reply
  5. Stephanie of The TipToe Fairy says

    May 12, 2015 at 5:08 pm

    I think this is extremely important. I have a teen, and a couple years ago she had a boy sending her completely inappropriate text messages. She came to me about it, and I was able to deal with it without her having to figure out what to do alone.

    Reply
  6. Debra says

    May 11, 2015 at 11:47 pm

    I think every parent needs to read this post! Such great information!

    Reply
  7. Melanie says

    May 11, 2015 at 8:36 pm

    My husband is a youth minister, so I’m fortunate enough to be in the loop on most of this. I am sure by the time my kids are teenagers that it will have changed!

    Reply
  8. Meagan says

    May 11, 2015 at 8:12 pm

    I’m so excited about this because I know I will need these tips someday. I’m already behind the times with things and I don’t have kids yet. I love how you talk about knowing what apps and other devices are “in” because the more educated you are as a parent, the more you can monitor what they are doing. I also am lost when it comes to acronyms so I need to brush up on that. Thank heavens for Google!

    Reply
  9. Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads says

    May 11, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    This post has such a wealth of information! So useful for when my daughter gets a cellphone! Thanks!

    Reply
  10. Britney says

    May 11, 2015 at 5:26 pm

    This is really great information to know and to let our kids know! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  11. Kim @ 2justByou says

    May 11, 2015 at 3:38 pm

    Great info in this post. Like you say, it’s important to be smart when it comes to tech, not scared. Being scared won’t help with anything, but staying informed and communication with kids can help a great deal.

    Reply
  12. Tiffani says

    May 7, 2015 at 10:16 pm

    After reading this I am really interested in learning more about The Mobile Watchdog app. I really like the idea of being able to monitor what is coming in and going out of our children’s phones. Such a great post & I really enjoyed the last one regarding cell phone contracts. Ugh, what happened to the good ol’ days where you had to use the kitchen phone with the long curly cord to talk to your friends. Good times, good times! 🙂

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 10 Ways To Build A Rock Solid Relationship With Your Teen (or Tween) says:
    July 5, 2016 at 2:38 pm

    […]  The Real Truth Parents Need to Know About Tweens, Teens, and Texting Acronyms. […]

    Reply
  2. How to Have the Tech Talk with Tweens and Teens - Sunshine and Hurricanes says:
    April 9, 2016 at 1:40 pm

    […] The Real Truth You Need to Know About Tweens, Teens, Texting and Acronyms […]

    Reply
  3. Best Board Games For Teens - Sunshine and Hurricanes says:
    September 18, 2015 at 12:28 pm

    […] sit down for an old fashioned family game night. Yes, people still do that! In fact, I know several teens who will tell you it is one of their favorite family activities. Here are the best board games for […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
Hi There! We’re Michelle and Kira, two Florida moms who know that parenting is full of sunshine and hurricanes. So glad you are here. >>>LEARN MORE





POPULAR POSTS

  • Disrespectful Teens or Tweens - 5 Effective Ways to End the Attitude Today!
    Disrespectful Teens or Tweens - 5 Effective Ways to End the Attitude Today!
  • The Importance of Chores for Children (Printable Chore Chart)
    The Importance of Chores for Children (Printable Chore Chart)
  • Mama, These Are The Words I Know You Need To Hear Today
    Mama, These Are The Words I Know You Need To Hear Today
  • Lego Games Lego Challenge - Thinking Outside the Boxed Set
    Lego Games Lego Challenge - Thinking Outside the Boxed Set
  • 10 Dyslexia Apps To Help Your Struggling Reader Succeed
    10 Dyslexia Apps To Help Your Struggling Reader Succeed

Pinterest

Follow Sunshine and Hurricanes Best of S&H on Pinterest.

INSTAGRAM

Truth • • • #truth #parentingtips #parenting Truth
•
•
•
#truth #parentingtips #parentingkids #momlife
One & the same ☕️ (via @fowllanguagecomics )
•
•
•
#momhumor #funnymom #raisingkids #littleones #lovemykids #momlife
Never doubt that (via @michelle.merenda ) • • Never doubt that (via @michelle.merenda )
•
•
•
#parentingkids #parentingteens #raisinglittleones #momsofinstagram #momlife
We all had a playroom growing up...it was called o We all had a playroom growing up...it was called outside
*
*
*
#momhumor #parentingwithpurpose #raisingkids
Ever wonder what to say when your child is feeling Ever wonder what to say when your child is feeling left out?  A few years ago, I watched from my park bench as a young mother tried to console her sobbing daughter. “I’m sorry, honey. I don’t blame you for being upset.”  “I don’t know why they won’t let me be in their group for the talent show. They just said they already had enough people and their routine was done and there wasn’t anything they could do about it. I told them I would make a new one up, but they wouldn’t do it.”  I tried to focus on my kindle while occasionally looking for my kids to exit the school door. But as much as I tried not to eavesdrop, I had to admit I was interested to hear how the mom would handle this all-too-common situation of a child feeling left out.  “Well, they’re probably just jealous of you honey, because you are such a good gymnast and they aren’t. They probably don’t want you in their group because you’ll show them up,” the mom stated matter-of-factly. “You should do a solo routine. Or maybe one with Chloe.”  “You think?” the girl replied, her tears slowing down. “You think they’re just jealous of my tumbling?”  “Totally.”  Several minutes passed before my girls came out, but the interaction between the mother and daughter stuck with me for a lot longer.  Maybe the girls were jealous, or maybe they honestly had their routine finished.  To continue reading check the link in bio.
Repeat after me! * * * #momsofinstagram #parenting Repeat after me!
*
*
*
#momsofinstagram #parentingkids #raisingkids #momsofinstagram
Where did all of our money go?? * * * #momhumor #r Where did all of our money go??
*
*
*
#momhumor #raisingkids #funnymom #momofinstagram #momsofinstagram #momlife
Instagram post 17870490628965807 Instagram post 17870490628965807
This is an awesome way to keep track of height * * This is an awesome way to keep track of height
*
*
*
#cleverparents #parentingwithpurpose #momlife #momsofinstagram
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 · PRIVACY POLICY · Website by Moritz Fine Designs LLC

Copyright © 2021 · Tasteful Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • 152
  • 3056
Join our mailing list today and we'll send a free thank you gift!
×
×
Join our Mailing List Today!

Love our tech for parents series, mom advice, recipes and fun ideas? Join our list today and receive a weekly digest of our blog posts, delivered directly to your inbox. Plus, we'll also send you a free SMART Parenting Printable as a Thank You!

 (Your email is never sold or shared.)