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You've long since navigated baby babble and preschooler potty talk, so teen lingo should be a breeze, right? TWYT, newb. (That's shorthand for "That's what you think, newbie.")

Language is one way teenagers have always set themselves apart from adults (remember those coded diary entries from junior high?). With instant- and text-messaging acronyms and shorthand in constant, daily use, it's easier than ever for teens to communicate and harder for parents to understand them, as any parent knows who's been stumped by her child frantically IM'ing "PITR" -- "parent in the room."

So what's a befuddled parent to do, short of forcing Esperanto on her teen?...

You've long since navigated baby babble and preschooler potty talk, so teen lingo should be a breeze, right? TWYT, newb. (That's shorthand for "That's what you think, newbie.")

Language is one way teenagers have always set themselves apart from adults (remember those coded diary entries from junior high?). With instant- and text-messaging acronyms and shorthand in constant, daily use, it's easier than ever for teens to communicate and harder for parents to understand them, as any parent knows who's been stumped by her child frantically IM'ing "PITR" -- "parent in the room."

So what's a befuddled parent to do, short of forcing Esperanto on her teen? Here are a few more translations you might find particularly interesting:

• CD9: Code 9, parents are around
• PAW: Parents are watching
• MOS: Mom over shoulder
• POS: Parent over shoulder
• P911: Parent emergency

Keep in mind that as new words and phrases move into the mainstream, teens abandon them for newer, cooler, more unknown "words." Teen lingo, it turns out, is as changeable, complicated, and dynamic as your teen himself. KWIM?*

* "Know what I mean?"

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Reply to Kathy

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