Do you have a grasp on the latest online chat?

Do you know what your kids are saying to each other?

Now is not the time to be ignorant… It’s so important you’re aware of what they’re saying and to who.

Kids use the internet in ways we can barely even imagine. You might think you’re up-to-date with all the latest trends, but do you really understand how your child uses the internet and how online chat has actually evolved?

In my day, the common acronyms were lol (laugh out loud), rotfl (roll on the floor laughing), ttfn (ta ta for now) and BRB (be right back). All pretty tame!  There were of course others not so nice, but when I was growing up and a young adult, the internet was still a long way off being the social connection it is nowadays. I was already an adult when social media came into the forefront and all of the platforms play a very different part in my life than they do in a school student’s life.

It’s so very important that we understand how children are using the internet and how they’re talking to one another.

I’ve compiled a list of the most commonly used acronyms in online chat today. Lean them, remember them and be aware of them. Click on the image or this PDF link to expand, print and share.

infographic - online chat - acronyms to be aware of

Want to learn more about online chat and internet safety in general? I have a whole section of my blog dedicated to it. Click here for the full list of online safety articles and here for a clear and simple safety checklist for parents.