Use our handy A to Z guide of Tween Terminology to get to grips with a whole new parenting lingo!

We’re adding to this list as we go, and for the latest trends that are emerging in the ’20s, so bear with us as we get to the bottom of the magical and often confusing world of tween talk!

AF – as f^ck – usually added to the end of a sentence

Aura – the vibe or energy someone gives off

Aura points – a measure of coolness, mythical points ‘earned’ for doing something cool or on point (or lost for doing something bad/stupid)

Bae – “before anyone else” babe, or baby – an endearing term for a romantic partner or close friend

Basic – boring or unoriginal, someone whose conformist or common

Brain Rot – consuming too much online content

Bruh – same as Bro

Bussin – very good (usually food)

Cap/Cappin – fake or lying; ‘no cap’ is being truthful

Clap Back – a comeback delivered with attitude

Crashy – describe someone considered crazy and trashy

Cray – crazy

Cringe – someone displaying embarrassing behavior (probably you!)

Delulu – delusional, having unrealistic expectations

Dope – cool or awesome (not the drug..)

Drip – someone with clothing or fashion sense

Emo – emotional person

Era – phase someone’s in

Extra – unnecessarily dramatic

Fam – group of close friends

Fire – hot, trendy, or amazing

Flex/Flexing – to show off/brag

FOMO – fear of missing out

FYP – For Your Page (TikTok)

Ghost – when someone suddenly cuts off all communication

GOAT – greatest of all time

GTG – got to go

Gucci – something good or cool

GYAT (pronounced ge-yaht) – refers to a voluptuous bottom

Hangry – a combination of hungry and angry

ICYMI – In case you missed it

IKR – I know, right?

I’m dead – laughing so hard you’re dying of laughter

iPad Kid – someone who overuses technology, hence has a short/distracted attention span

IRL – In real life

It’s Lit – cool/ awesome

IYKYK – If you know, you know

Jelly – Jealous

L – loss or lose (or a loser act – often directed at something you have done!)

Left on read – when you can tell a message has been seen but not responded to

Lit – something that’s amazing, cool, or exciting

LMAO – Laughing my arse off

Mewing – the act of making the jawline look good, usually boys

NGL – not gonna lie

No Cap – totally true, no lie, for real

Noob/Newb – Newbie, a person who is new at something or doesn’t know what they’re doing, often used in gaming

NP – No problem

Ok, Boomer – disparaging response; you are saying something outdated

On Fleek – someone who is fashionable, on point

OMG – oh my gosh/god

Periot/Periodt – ending a sentence with emphasis

Phubbing – ignoring someone by paying attention to your phone instead

Pick me girl – a girl who goes out of her way to impress boys by claiming/acting she’s not like other girls, seeks sympathy or attention

Preppy – usually an aesthetic that involves girly, bright colors and popular brands (think Pink Stanley Cup)

Ragequit – so angry at a game they immediately switch off

Rizz – an ability to charm effortlessly (having charisma)

Roasted – making fun of or insulting someone, usually in an insulting way

RN – Right now

Salty – being bitter, someone who is upset, mad or agitated

Savage – another way of saying cool, but clearly cooler

Sic – something that’s cool

Sigma – someone who’s independent, self-reliant, stands out from the crowd in their own way (as supposed to the Alpha male)

Shook – to be shaken up by something

Simp – a guy being too attentive or submissive to a girl

Skibidi – nonsense word, often paired with Skibidi Toilet, Skibidi Ohio (originated from a popular YouTube video, though the terminology has evolved; could mean anything from cool to bad to an acknowledgement, or just to annoy you on repeat)

Slay – when someone has done something particularly well

Smacks – something is good

Snatched – looking fabulous or fashionable (similar to on fleek)

Squad – close group of friends

Swole – someone who is physically fit, muscular or works out

Sup – short for What’s Up

Sus – someone who is shady or suspicious, not to be trusted

Talking smack – belittling someone

Tea – gossip or hot story, also sipping tea (to gossip)

TBF – to be fair

TBH – to be honest

Thirsty – someone who is eager or desperate for approval/attention (usually romantic)

Throw shade – give someone a dirty look or talk poorly about someone, also ‘shading’

Tight – when two people are in a close relationship

Tool – a person who is stupid, obnoxious or an ass

Touching Grass – usually an insult to someone who never goes outside

W – Win (when someone has done something good/achieved well)

Woke – someone who is up with the latest news and social issues

YAAS/Yaaasss/Yeet – an empathic Yes

Yeet – can also mean to throw something with excessive force

YOLO – you only live once

9 or CD9 – a parent is watching/listening

We hope you’ve found this guide to tween terminology helpful. Got any others you can think of? Drop them in the comments below, and we’ll get them added!

• Learn more about tweenparent.com
• Online health resources for your tweens

The post Tween Terminology: A-Z Glossary For Tween Parents in 2026 appeared first on Tween Parent | Family Lifestyle Blog.

Tween is short for “Tweenager” – a made-up word really for that “in-between” stage from early childhood to hitting puberty and becoming a teenager. The moniker “tween” is believed to date back to the 1980s.

There is no strict definition of age, but generally, it’s accepted to mean kids that fall in the 9 to 12-year-old age group (though there are plenty of definitions that describe it as 10 to 14 years of age, others say it starts as young as eight).

Whilst the teenage years are most commonly associated with growth spurts, mood swings, attitude changes, and of course puberty, tweens have their fair share of physical and more importantly emotional development needs that need to be met too.

Pre-teens, pre-adolescents, call them as you will; some kids will glide slowly and gracefully through this childhood phase with few changes in their demeanor, while others will confront the tween years front on and with full abandon.

Tween Developments and Changes

It can certainly catch us parents off guard when habits and moods in our little child suddenly start to change. Some of the changes that may occur during early adolescence include:

Mentally – During the tween years, our children’s brains are going through a period of fairly rapid growth and development. Far more capable than their younger peers in reasoning, problem-solving, and anticipating consequences, but often still in a self-centered way.

Socially – Where parents/caregivers and siblings are very much the center of their world in the early years up to about 7 or 8 years old, tweens will start to gravitate more towards their peers. The need to ‘fit in’ will become far more prevalent and friendship dynamics can change.

Physically – Toward the later part of the tween years, don’t be surprised by sudden growth spurts, endless eating, increased sleep, weight gain, and changes in physical appearance. Not to mention hair growing in funny places, growing genitals, and the onset of menstruation in girls.

Independence – Once they would immediately turn to a parent or adult for help, there is a far greater desire to ‘work it out’ for themselves, even embarrassment if you try to interject – or stand close to them in public.

Responsibility – Along with this independence is the granting of responsibility; perhaps to look out for their siblings for short periods, to run an errand for you, or to clean their own room. It will vary vastly by the child, but most will have the CAPABILITY, if not the desire, to be seen as responsible.

Top Tips For Parenting Tweens

Whilst most of us probably read endless books and articles on the early childhood years, once our kids are happily off to elementary school, we tend to put down the parenting manuals and rely much more on our parenting intuition.

It’s fair to say you may require a small (or big!) change in your approach or parenting style once you hit the tweenage years. There’s a delicate balancing act between keeping your kids close whilst giving them the independence and responsibility they need to prepare them for adolescence thoroughly.

Here are just a few pointers for parenting tweens to consider:

• Pushing the boundaries – Be ready to set limits and stick with them, but include your tween in the reasoning process, or it will just feel like rules for rule’s sake. Explain why a certain rule needs to be implemented and let them contribute to where a boundary should be set.

• A united front – This is also the age where children realize that they can quite consciously pick one parent over the other to raise their issues or get things their way. Whether parents are living together or not, it helps to decide important matters together.

• Pick your battles – Oh, how many times have you heard this? Just when you thought it was over letting your toddler wear his Batman costume for three days straight, you need to take the same approach with your tween too. Set the rules firmly and fairly, but decide which ones matter when they’re broken.

• Perplexing personalities – Budding football star one day, fashionista the next. They are truly working out their place in the world, and what was ‘cool’ one day will make them a laughing stock the next. Be prepared for these rapid changes in interests, be supportive, and go with the flow.

• Give them room to expand new hobbies- Be it sports or a new computer game they want to try – but connect with them about it too. Offer to come and watch their games, ask how they felt they played that day, or what did they enjoy today about that online game (I have a far more intimate knowledge of Minecaft than one ever would have thought necessary for a grown adult that’s never played the game!)

• Don’t dish out on their modern role models – Sure, we’ve got no idea who that YouTube star is or can’t stand that song they keep on playing, but it’s THEIR interests forming part of their personality. Be involved, question, guide on what’s appropriate, but don’t pay out or be overly judgmental when it isn’t needed.

• Affection deflection – Cuddles and kisses may not come so quickly and easily once they hit the tween years. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you just the same or get some pure joy still out of those deep warm mama hugs; it just means there’s a time and a place for it.

• Personal space – On the same lines, there will be an increased need for their own time and space and some privacy. Make sure family timetables aren’t so packed they don’t get any of that ‘me time’ they might crave, and they have somewhere at home to call their own.

• Increased workload – Expectations don’t just change at home when it comes to chores and pulling their weight, but at school, too; subjects become more challenging, and homework expectations change. This can add to their overall mental load, and they may need help organizing competing demands from home, school, and friends.

• Be puberty prepared – Although we may think of puberty being a teen parent issue, tween girls especially can hit puberty early. Don’t assume they will learn everything they need to from school, or heaven forbid TikTok; guide them to accurate and reliable resources if they are too embarrassed to ask their questions directly (We have a good guide to online parental and tween health resources here).

• Role model good behavior – Basically, practice what you preach; if it’s healthy to get exercise and fresh air every day and not be stuck on a screen, all of you should do it! And life doesn’t have to always be serious, show them you can still muck around and goof off in fun and respectable ways – growing up doesn’t need to be boring!

Whilst the tween years may not seem like the most stressful compared to all the other ages and stages a child goes through, they’re certainly the most formative of their childhood. It’s where personalities develop, where habits become set, and views on the world around them are formed.

It can be a roller coaster but a fun and amazing one if you’re prepared to jump aboard and enjoy all those ups and downs!

More Tween Parenting Reads

If you’re entering the murky water of tween parenting and seeking out a little more guidance, you’ve come to the right place. Up next, you may want to jump into one of our most-read tween parenting blog topics, including:

• How to deal with your tween’s excess phone usage – rules for your whole family to live by
• Has your young lady’s mood and demeanor changed? How to cope if you think your tween girl is now the mean girl
• Let’s face it; a time will come when you need to start having some awkward conversations with your son – here’s how we’d tackle those touchy subjects.
• Is your daughter reaching puberty early? Here’s how to discuss first bras and prepare her for menstruation
• Why it’s important to also talk to our sons about girls’ periods
• Positive ways to discipline tweens without the domestic battlelines being drawn

So Tell Me More About Tween Parent

In our little corner here of the internet, tweenparent.com hopes to arm parents with the confidence they need to get them through the tween years. From helpful resources to gift shopping guides, a little spot on the internet dedicated to the pre-teen years and preparing you for the teen years ahead.

Pleased to have you on board!

• If you’d like to see our latest tween parent guides as they’re published just pop your email at the bottom of this page.

The post What is a “Tween”? Tween Meaning Explained appeared first on Tween Parent | Family Lifestyle Blog.

It can be a challenging and confusing time for any child. So where do you find the best sources of information to direct your tween to (other than some pretty far out there and erroneous info they pick up on TikTok?)

Best Tween Health Websites

Whilst nothing can replace on-to-one honest conversation with your tween, we know there are plenty of topics that tweens might find difficult to approach.

Here are some safe and kid-friendly websites that may help them with some independent answers:

Health for Kids and Health for Tweens

www.healthforkids.co.uk and healthforteens.co.uk

Both run by the NHS in the UK, these are excellent and reliable sources of health information for your tweens, set out in plain language with accurate and reliable information.

The major focus on both sites at present is naturally Coronavirus, dealing with germs- in a fun and cute way on the kids’ site and in more of a news site manner for the teens. The teens’ site also quite prominently tackles the subjects of anxiety, puberty, alcohol, tobacco, and sexual health in a matter-of-fact way.

Kids can also find fun games on the Health for Kids site, even exercise videos.

Kids Health

www.kidshealth.org/en/kids and www.kidshealth.org/en/teens

Run by the non-profit Nemours Foundation, it’s certainly packed full of useful information thought the design is somewhat uninspiring and unlikely to engage tweens for long, it does have a load of useful information.

One function we love about this site is that it has a Spanish translate button and a listen-to function so those less confident in reading English can listen in.

Young Men’s Health

www.youngmenshealthsite.org

Ideal for your older male tweens, this highly targeted website is run by the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. It goes deep on male teen issues covering general health, sexual health, diet and nutrition, and emotional well-being.

There’s a great back catalog of articles covering any male health issue and concerns you can think of, plus an opportunity for boys to ask questions anonymously – use the search function as there’s a lot in there; your tween’s question has no doubt been asked before!

There is a specific parents section to help you as parents, too, with some super detailed guides for tackling difficult topics with your tween and teen boys.

Centre for Young Women’s Health

www.youngwomenshealth.org

The sister site to Young Men’s Health is an excellent and reliable resource for your tween and teen girls. Covering general health, sexual health, gynecology, nutrition, and emotional health, it’s a treasure trove of information for your older tween girls hitting puberty in English and Spanish.

There’s also a chat function where you can ask all those embarrassing questions. A more grown-up site but easy to navigate and sure to help your tween through those difficult questions in a no-nonsense manner.

Parents will find a great range of health guides here, too, to help their tween and teen girls navigate the journey into womanhood.

The Trevor Project

www.thetrevorproject.org

Tweens with curiosity and concerns about sexuality may feel comfortable exploring The Trevor Project in their own time. Although it may seem quite a grown-up concept for your tweens, the site is designed to help LGBTQ+ youth and their families with sexual identity acknowledgement and sexual health questions.

The site touches on sensitive topics with practical information and the ability to connect with counsellors via phone chat or text.

Final thoughts on tween health websites

The important part of letting your tween research their own health concerns and questions online is there as part of the process. Don’t simply accept that they’ll learn everything they need online and be done with it.

Direct them to these websites as part of building their own understanding of themselves and the world around them, but be part of the process. Gentle probing on what they have learned, the opportunity to ask any follow-up questions for topics they didn’t quite understand – it’s not a term test paper, just being there as a sounding board.

We hope you’ve found this tween resource useful. Let us know in the comments if you’ve found any other handy resources.

The post Best Tween Websites For Health Information appeared first on Tween Parent | Family Lifestyle Blog.

Middle school is that awkward school age where kids want items that are both cute and trendy but not too young. You also don’t want to go for high school trends because they may be a little more out of range for their liking. It can be hard to find a mix that your middle schooler will love.

No matter what style your child like, we have gathered items that should be on the best middle school supplies list so that you can easily shop for the things they need.

Simple Back to School Backpack

A backpack is a must for school. It carries everything they need to get them to and from school as well as their classes.

This school backpack is more for boys or girls who want a backpack that’s stylish but more sporty.

Find it on Amazon

Student Planner

A student planner will help them stay organized throughout the year. They’re great for keeping track of assignments and schedules.

Even if they have an electronic schedule, good old-fashioned paper planners never go out of style.

Find it on Amazon

No. 2 Pencils

No matter what age, no. 2 pencils are an item on every school list.

Grab them in bulk, and you’ll be sure they never run out of pencils.

Find it on Amazon

Highlighters

Middle school students are crammed with information, and highlighters are a great way for students to highlight and remember the important stuff. Make sure you have a selection of colors.

Find it on Amazon

Pencil Case

With all the pencils, pens, and other writing utensils, a pencil case is a must in order to stay organized.

Find it on Amazon

TI Calculator

In middle school, students will start to learn more advanced math, and with that comes the need for a standard scientific calculator.

Find it on Amazon

Mechanical Pencils

For some reason, mechanical pencils become the coolest thing in the world in middle school, so you have to have a few stylish and colorful pencils on hand. Don’t forget lead refills for their pencil case.

Find it on Amazon

Index Cards

These will come in handy for taking notes and studying. Many middle school supply lists have at least one pack of index cards on them.

Find it on Amazon

Girls Backpack

We featured a heavy-duty backpack that could fit every student, but we also wanted to feature one that was a little more geared towards girls.

Feminine but practical, this is the ideal size for a middle schooler.

Find it on Amazon

Single Notebooks

Notes, notes, and more notes. Each class your middle school child will be taking will likely have them taking notes.

Find it on Amazon

Sticky Notes

Sticky notes can help you remember important things that need to be done; they can use sticky notes for that reason.

They use them in their lockers, on notebooks, or to remind themselves about something in their room.

Find it on Amazon

Gel Pens

We know they’re supposed to be focused on school work during the year, but colorful gel pens are just so much fun.

They can use them to take notes, doodle, or draw. Just make sure they’ve got some practical blue and black pens for any work that needs to be submitted!

Find it on Amazon

Heavy Duty Scissors

Scissors are often on top of the school supply list. In middle school, they’ve moved up from the kid-friendly scissors to the more adult scissors.

Now, it’s time for some heavy-duty scissors they can use throughout the year that can actually cut through tougher card and paper for all their crafty project needs.

Find it on Amazon

Binders

A binder for every class will help your middle school student keep all of their school work in one place.

Find it on Amazon

Locker Accessories

One of the best things about being in middle school is getting your own locker.

Locker accessories can help them organize and decorate their locker for the school year.

Find it on Amazon

Rulers

Middle school students will use rulers multiple times throughout the year from math to art. Why not make them stylish?

Find it on Amazon

USB Flash Drive

USB drives allow your students to work on their projects no matter where they go. They can easily transport their work from home to school.

Find it on Amazon

Folders

Colorful and fun pocket folders will help your child stay organized. They can place the folders in their binders or carry them as is.

Find it on Amazon

Sanitizer

We hope this supplies list prepares your middle schooler for the year ahead.

Don’t forget to check on their school supplies at regular intervals throughout the year – they may not be responsible enough still actually to tell you when they’ve run out of essentials!!

And a reminder your tween girls may also need a discreet period supply kit that can fit neatly in their backpacks.

The post Middle School Supplies List – Everything Your Tween Needs For Back to School appeared first on Tween Parent | Family Lifestyle Blog.