Social media always dictates its own rules. Acronyms and abbreviations, for example, have become the part of the unique language spoken on social. Imagine coming to a foreign country without knowing the language.

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If you’ve ever glanced at your teen’s conversations over text or you’ve seen how she chats on social media, there’s a good chance that you sometimes have no idea what she’s talking about. Social media acronyms and abbreviations can feel like another whole language. But it’s important to learn what some of that shorthand means. Monitoring your teen’s online activity won’t be helpful if you can’t understand what your teen is saying.

You might allow unhealthy conversations to take place right in front of you. While you don’t want to spy on your teen, it is important to stay up-to-date on your teen’s social media and smartphone activity. Educate yourself about the most common social media acronyms and slang so you can be aware of the conversations your teen is having.

Here are the most common social media acronyms teens are using to communicate with one another:.