The Secret Language of Tweens - a Guide to Text Abbreviations

A St. Louis TV station, Channel 5, came out with a story this week about the abbreviations that tweens using when texting, and the list might surprise you. In addition to what you would expect as standard short-hand, the list includes "codes" covering everything from whether a parent is in the room ("POS" for "parents over shoulder") to finding a party ("WTPA" for "where the party at") to hooking up ("MIRL" for "meet in real life" and "NIFOC" for "nude in front of computer").

If your tween has a smartphone - and many do, including the DDs of yours truly - it is critical to talk early and often about the standards of conduct that your family has for ALL communications. For a primer on a Digital House Rules for your family, see this oldie-but-goodie article here.

Here is the full list of over 100 tween text abbreviations:

1. 143 - I love you

2. 2DAY - Today

3. 4EAE - For ever and ever

4. ADN - Any day now

5. AFAIK - As far as I know

6. AFK - Away from keyboard

7. ASL - Age/sex/location

8. ATM - At the moment

9.  BFN - Bye for now

10. BOL - Be on later

11. BRB - Be right back

12.  BTW - By the way

13. CTN - Can’t talk now

14. DWBH - Don’t worry, be happy

15.  F2F or FTF - Face to face

16.  FWB - Friends with benefits

17.  FYEO - For your eyes only

18. GAL – Get a life

19. GB - Goodbye

20. GLHF - Good luck, have fun

21. GTG - Got to go

22. GYPO - Get your pants off

23. HAK - Hugs and kisses

24. HAND - Have a nice day

25. HTH - Hope this helps / Happy to help

26. HW - Homework

27. IDK - I don’t know

28. IIRC - If I remember correctly

29. IKR - I know, right?

30. ILY / ILU - I love you

31. IM - Instant message

32. IMHO - In my honest opinion / In my humble opinion

33. IMO - In my opinion

34. IRL - In real life

35. IWSN - I want sex now

36. IU2U - It’s up to you

37. IYKWIM - If you know what I mean

38. J/K - Just kidding

39. J4F - Just for fun

40. JIC - Just in case

41. JSYK - Just so you know

42. KFY - Kiss for you

43. KPC - Keeping parents clueless

44. L8 - Late

45. LMBO - Laughing my butt off

46. LMIRL – Let’s meet in real life

47. LMK - Let me know

48. LOL - Laugh out loud

49. LSR - Loser

50. MIRL - Meet in real life

51. MOS - Mom over shoulder

52. NAGI - Not a good idea

53. NIFOC - Nude in front of computer

54. NM - Never mind

55. NMU - Not much, you?

56. NP - No problem

57. NTS - Note to self

58. OIC - Oh I see

59.  OMG - Oh my God

60. ORLY - Oh, really?

61. OT - Off topic

62. OTP- On the phone

63. P911- Parent alert

64. PAW - Parents are watching

65. PCM - Please call me

66. PIR - Parent in room

67. PLS or PLZ - Please

68. PPL - People

69. POS - Parents over shoulder

70. PTB - Please text back

71. QQ - Crying. This abbreviation produces an emoticon in text. It’s often used sarcastically.

72. RAK - Random act of kindness

73. RL - Real life

74. ROFL - Rolling on the floor laughing

75.  RT - Retweet

76. RUOK - Are you okay?

77. SMH - Shaking my head

78. SOS - Someone over shoulder

79. SRSLY- Seriously

80. SSDD - Same stuff, different day

81.  SWAK - Sealed with a kiss

82. SWYP - So, what’s your problem?

83. SYS - See you soon

84. TBC - To be continued

85. TDTM -Talk dirty to me

86. TIME - Tears in my eyes

87. WYCM - Will you call me?

88. TMI - Too much information

89. TMRW - Tomorrow

90.  TTYL - Talk to you later

91.  TY or TU - Thank you

92. VSF - Very sad face

93. WB - Welcome back

94. WTH - What the heck?

95.  WTPA - Where the party at?

96.  WYCM - Will you call me?

97. YGM - You’ve got mail

98. YOLO - You only live once

99. YW - You’re welcome

100. ZOMG - Oh my God (sarcastic)

101. 182 - I hate you

102. 420 - Marijuana

103. ADR - Address

104. CD9 - Code 9 - it means parents are around

105. ILU - I Love You

106. KOTL - Kiss On The Lips

107. LMIRL - Let's Meet In Real Life

108. NIFOC - Nude In Front Of The Computer

109. P999 - Parent Alert

110. PAL - Parents Are Listening -or- Peace And Love

111. RU/18 - Are You Over 18?

112. WYRN - What's Your Real Name?

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45% of Teens Would Change Their Online Behavior If They Knew Their Parents Were Watching.

The online security company McAfee has just published their annual report on "Teens and Screens", and the findings are prescriptive for us as parents. While most social networking sites' Terms of Service limit usage by tweens, many tweens use them anyways.  See below for a great infographic summarizing the report's findings; highlights from this report include:

• Nearly half (45%) of teens said that they would change their online behaviors if they knew that their parents were watching. Do you know how your tween behaves online? Do you know their virtual friends and hangouts?
• Nearly half (49%) of teens regretted something they've posted online - this despite being told that anything posted online is forever (yes, even SnapChat).
• More than half (52%) of teens do not turn off their GPS or location services on their smartphones. This means that online strangers can find your teen IRL (in-real-life).

For LOTS of tips on how to approach tech with your tween, check out our article on Creating a Family Technology Policy.

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Update from the Discovery Girls Tween Summit

Check out this terrific interview of two tween sisters from Kansas City as they talk about their experience at the Discovery Girls Tween Summit:



The sisters talk bullying, technology, and giving tweens a voice.

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