Your Teens Could be Sexting in Front of You

Attention Parents!

Please be aware—This article describes offensive graphic language. We believe it’s critical for parents to know and understand what their children are saying. So we have striven to be as plain and accurate in describing texting language as possible.

Acronyms, Lingo, Abbreviations & Apps

TWIMC (to whom it may concern):

How up-to-date are you as a parent with the abbreviations, acronyms, and apps your teen uses or is exposed to on their phone?  Do you know what those short-hand versions or phrases mean?  Or are you one of those parents teens refer to when saying, KPC (keeping parents clueless)?

Acronyms pop up everywhere, business, technology, medicine, education. In fact, abbreviations such as SOS, ASAP, or RSVP have long been a part of our conversations. But when you combine the world of acronyms with insular teen only communities, unsavory results often arise.

While the long-term solution to any problem with your teen is through developing strong communication patterns, knowing some of the most popular acronyms may help you intervene if a problem exists.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

A very few commonly use words and phrases are (FWIW-for what it’s worth):

And TLGO (the list goes on).  There are hundreds.

SWDYT (so what do you think)?  Are you appalled, or do you have a SOH (sense of humor)?  Perhaps both are required here.  YAFIYGI (you asked for it you got it).  RUUP4IT (are you up for it)?

Here’s your CTA (call to action).  As a parent and cell phone/computer user yourself, you should check out sites that list many of these acronyms and abbreviations such as Webopedia.

How Texting Lingo Affects Morality & Integrity

How many of us have taken the time to explain to our teens that appropriate language should be used no matter what situation we are in, what we are doing, or where we are.  Acronyms and abbreviations count as well.  Just because a ‘naughty,’ inappropriate word or phrase isn’t said out loud, or used in full form, doesn’t mean that it’s okay to use.

Using abbreviations and acronyms for bad words and phrases is still wrong.  They’re considered profanity, vulgar, and tasteless, just as if you were repeating the full word or phrase.

These words, however used; are degrading, demoralizing and offensive. They will, with continued use, damage our fragile spirits and minds. As our society becomes more and more casual; how often do we, as adults, find ourselves slipping up in speech and language usage?  Do we catch ourselves repeating some of these words unthinkingly, because we hear them commonly and often utilized in every day conversation?

Even using shortened versions, will still make us insensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Sexting Acronyms

Sexting has also, unfortunately become a reality and serious problem among teens. Some sexting takes place through images that are automatically erased by apps such as SnapChat. Other times, sexting is facilitated by acronyms that onlooking parents simply do not understand.

Examples include:

8-Oral sex

Code 9-Parents are around

GYPO-Get Your Pants Off

IIT-Is it Tight

If there is a particular acronym you’ve seen, but aren’t sure what it means, consider looking it up on the site Urban Dictionary. By its nature, Urban Dictionary is very obscene, but it’s also the most exhaustive resource of new abbreviated slang.

Teens may not think that activities like sexting and using sexual talk in their media communications is breaking the law of chastity, but it most certainly is!

The LDS.org Tech page on sexting describes the “extreme emotional toll that sexting can have on a teenager.”

This is nothing less than verbal pornography.

How Texts Can Affect Our Spiritual Connection with Deity

There are appropriate words we use when referring to Deity.  We use them in our prayer’s, and when speaking of God the Father and Jesus Christ, in conversation or teaching experiences.   How are we using their Holy names in texting?  Not with Reverence.

Many acronyms include the name of the Lord in vain. Perhaps most prominently the now-ubiquitous OMG. Even children’s books that are otherwise faithful are using this profane phrase.

The day I heard my five year old grand-daughter exclaim, “OMG!’, while playing with her younger brother, my mouth dropped in amazement.  I asked her what it meant, when I could speak once again. “It’s O.M.G.! grandma,” she said, as if it meant nothing.  I then asked her what the letters stood for.  She couldn’t tell me.

We had a chat about exactly what it stood for and that using it, was the same as taking the Lord’s name in vain, as if we were saying it fully. She learned that just because others may use words and phrases commonly, she needed to find out what they meant, before using them herself!

Teen Texting Savvy

Texting does have it’s place.  It’s convenient, quiet, generally not disruptive to another person or others in a room; it’s an easy way to get a message or question to someone, and receive a quick answer.

When my daughter was in high school and college, and going through a rough patch,  I would text her, after we were both in bed for the night, just to chat for a minute about her day.  I wanted to see how she was doing and to let her know I cared.  It was a simple, fun way to share the day’s events.

There are times, when parents can use it to their advantage in communicating with teens and staying close to them.  Texting can be powerful, so make sure you’re using that power to your advantage.