WTF Does This Even Mean?

A lesson in modern-day acronyms aka keeping up with the kids

Before everyone and their Lola had a cell phone, pagers were it. If you don’t know what a pager is, look it up. It’s a real thing. I was too young for one during its time, but my older cousins had them and I thought they were so sick. My parents would try to ask them what it all meant and my cousins would just laugh and say they were too old to know. At the time I thought it was so funny. Like, “chill mom, you’re just not cool.”

Ok, but for those who don’t know what pager code is, here are a few examples:
143 – i love you
823- thinking of you
406 -hugs and kisses

I grew up in the AOL generations where online chatting (not just dating) was everything. Code that was my everyday vocab went like this:
BRB – be right back
GTG – got to go
TTYL – talk to you later
LOL – laugh out loud.. Which was only used if you were actually laughing out loud, and not breathing through your nose a little harder like it is used in today’s context.

Today, we live in a generation where young children all the way to their great grandparents have cell phones. Hardly anyone calls because text culture has fully taken its place. Over the years, text messages have evolved, and the once simple acronyms have become so damn popular. I feel like new ones are popping up each day! Then it hit me, “Wow, I am now that mom! That mom that can hardly keep up with the times. I’m just not cool anymore.”

Ok, so maybe I still think I’m cool, but I definitely feel like i’m completely out of the loop. Staying up to date is annoying and I couldn’t really care less at times. But then, there’s that other part of me. One, the part that doesnt wanna google the acronym every time someone shoots me a message and i have no idea wtf (i like that one alot, it’s like the OG of abbreviations) they just said. And two, everything is an evolution of the previous years. I feel like if I skip too many years, I’m screwed once my kids are teens and I CANNOT allow that to happen.

If anyone else has struggled through these crazy acronym times, I am here to relieve you of your “i feel old” stress. Mamas, here is a list of the must knows:

TBH – to be honest
IMO – in my opinion
ILYSM – i love you so much
IMU – i miss you
IYKYK – if you know you know
GTFOH – get the fuck outta here
IDGAF – i dont give a fuck
WYA – where you at
LMK – let me know
IRL – in real life
KPC – keeping parents clueless (what the actual fuck)
MYOB – mind your own business
PAL – parents are listening (ugh hell yeah we are)
FRFR- for real for real
AF – as fuck
TYSM – thank you so much

There you have it mamas! TBH, it was a little challenging searching for all of these but IDGAF, it was fun! The only two that worried me were KPC and PAL. If I ever see my kids using those IRL they will be straight up grounded. FRFR. If this is something you’re not into then you can totally go back to MYOB, I totally feel you. Like I said earlier, this stuff can be annoying AF. But TYSM for reading along. We appreciate your support! LMK what your thoughts are in the comments below! Peace, mamas!