What do emojis and slang words even mean? Learn the secret language kids are using
Did you know there’s a secret language kids are using to communicate with emojis and slang?
What would you do if your teen’s new boyfriend texted this 🍆? Or this 🌽? Or this 🍃?
You should be concerned if you start seeing these!
We’ve got some quick and easy resources for you.
Here’s the Ultimate List of Decoded Emojis to be aware of as a parent.
And an updated list of slang terms and their meanings.
Yes, we need to know this stuff!
How will you find these emojis and slang terms?
You may see them in your child or teen’s text messages, DM’s (direct messages) on social media or even social media posts. Drug dealers sometimes are brazen enough to add an emoji to their profile name, to attract buyers.
If you’re using a monitoring app like Bark, you’ll get parental alerts with a short excerpt of the message so you can see a bit of context. Context really helps you decide if the emoji or slang usage was innocent or could mean your child is involved in something inappropriate.
What can you do about these slang terms and emojis?
Be aware of multiple meanings and context. Sometimes a 🍑 is just a peach and that’s okay. Other times it’s worth looking into.
Look at the context for how your child is using them.
Look for changes in your child. Changes in behavior or attitude. Falling grades. Friend group changing. Money changes - either more or less money suddenly.
Talk with your child. (Not “lecture them”.) Talk with them. Listen more than you speak. Ask questions and pause.