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Kids and teens seem to have a lingo all their own, especially in text messages and internet chats. Many chat acronyms are innocuous (i,e, BFF "best friends forever" and LOL "laugh out loud") and simply make chatting easier and faster, particularly on cramped cell phone keyboards.
However, there is a also dark side because many of these “codewords” can also be used to hide inappropriate behaviors from concerned parents. Of particular concern are terms like LMIRL "let's meet in real life," and TAW "teachers are watching" and P911 "parents are coming."
To help parents keep better informed about what their kids are saying in text messages, here is a list of common terms and their meanings provided by the Center for Missing and Exploited Children:
- 121 - one to one
- A/S/L - age, sex, location
- BF - boyfriend
- DIKU - do I know you?
- F2F - face to face
- GAL - get a life
- GF - girlfriend
- GMBO - giggling my butt off
- H&K - hug and kiss
- ILU - I love you
- IPN - I'm posting naked
- IRL - in real life
- LMIRL - let's meet in real life
- IWALU - I will always love you
- KOC - kiss on cheek
- KOL - kiss on lips
- LTR - long term relationship
- LULAB - love you like a brother
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- LULAS - love you like a sister
- M/F -male or female
- NIFOC - naked in front of computer
- NP - nosy parents
- OLL - online love
- OTOH - on the other hand
- RPG - role playing games
- SHID - slaps head in disgust
- SO - significant other
- P911 - my parents are coming!
- PA - parent alert
- PAL - parents are listening
- PANB - parents are nearby
- PM - private message
- POS - parent over shoulder
- SOT - short of time
- TAW - teachers are watching
- WTGP - want to go private
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This is the one we liked best, though... HDOP: help delete online predator
Obviously many of these are simply shorthand ways of saying things you might normally hear your tween or teen talking about, but there are countless other terms -- some downright shocking and not fit to print. This list is meant as a starting point to start figuring out that mumbo-jumbo on your kid's text messages.
If your child is sending/receiving questionable or objectionable text messages, try to address the situation calmly. First find out if your child knows the sender (in the real world), next find out if your child knows the meanings of the chat terms you find troubling. If the sender is a "cyber friend" (someone your child ONLY knows online), you need to discuss with them the importance of not talking -- or texting -- to strangers.
However, if you know who is sending the message(s) and feel they are truly cause for concern, take a screen shot of the message(s) by pressing the "print screen" key and pasting it into a Word document. Share the file with the school (if it's a student) or local authorities so you don't have to combat the cyber bully on your own. If you feel your child is being threatened, be sure to contact the police or the cyber threat tipline at CyberTipline.com.
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