Crocs with socks. Oversized t-shirts over teeny tiny shorts. Stanleys and Lululemon. There’s no doubt that Gen Z and Gen Alpha styles can be a bit of a head-scratcher. To make things even more confusing, known fashion trends from back in the day are now something else altogether. Take Izod polos and boat shoes: Better not call them “preppy” unless you enjoy having your tween or tween roll their eyes at you. In hopes of properly explaining Gen Alpha style for parents everywhere, we chatted with a Gen Z teen and got some explanations from mom and interior designer Kristina Kairis.

If you need more help decoding your kid, check out our guide to middle school slang and why kids are mewing in class.

@kriskamishka

Replying to @Kaitlyn I hope this clears some more things up! But if you need a little more clarification, I added the style guide to my bio! #genalpha#genx#fashion#coquette#coquettecore#preppy#preppyaesthetic#aesthetic#cottagecoreaesthetic#millenial#egirls#egirl#kawaii#kawaiiaesthetic#softgirilifestyle#baddie

♬ original sound – Christina | Designing Luxury

Coquette

This Gen Z and Gen Alpha style revolves around ultra-feminine things like pearls, bows, pink, pastels, and soft, lacy, girly-girl clothes. Kairis explains it as “Marie Antoinette in modern times,” and our Gen Z teen confirms this is on point. The teen expert said coquette is also used to describe a current mood, as in “I’m feeling very coquette today.”

Preppy

This Gen Z and Gen Alpha style is probably the most confusing to understand—at least for Gen X and Millenials. What we consider “preppy” a.k.a. polo shirts, khaki shorts, deck shoes, over-the-shoulder sweaters, and plaid, is NOT preppy for Gen Z and Gen Alpha kiddos. For them, preppy means bold and bright colors, Lululemon, Stanley cups, smiley faces, and for some reason, our teen expert says neon Nirvana hoodies are also preppy (our former grunge selves are SO perplexed).

Kairis mentions that the preppy look feels like upgraded VSCO girls, and the Gen Z teen agrees. There is also a good and bad way to use the word “preppy;” it all depends on how you say it, as Kairis mentions in her TikTok.

Aesthetic-Aesthetic (a.k.a. Vanilla Girl)

We all know that the term “aesthetic” is a favorite for Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids. But what you might not know is that it’s also a style. This style is all about the beige, the neutrals, the cozy, the soft, and the mellow—hence, Vanilla Girl.

Cottage Core

According to our Gen Z teenager, cottage core is a style that looks like you want to live off the grid, raise chickens, and make bread from scratch. So, all those homesteading IG accounts you follow? They’re living the cottage core life. Kairis explains it as the English countryside, going on a picnic, living a simplified life in an oversimplified way. Kairis also included long fancy nails in her cottage core style board, but our teen expert said acrylic nails are in no way part of the cottage core aesthetic.

E-Girl

This Gen Z and Gen Alpha style features a lot of black, overdone makeup, and mesh, so your brain might automatically think Emo, but E-Girl is a shortened version of “electronic girl,” and it is a blend of emo, goth, and Japanese and Korean street style. According to Wikipedia, the style gained popularity with the worldwide release of TikTok, a stark contrast to the filtered world of Instagram, which was the preferred platform of preppy girls.

E-girls wear baggy thrift-store finds, crop tops, platform shoes, plaid miniskirts, pigtails, and anime-inspired makeup. Our teen expert said that most e-girls are known to be streamers (they use Twitch) and wear headphones. Kairis says that the E-girl style is like “coquette meets goth” and that it almost feels like a “gothy, toned-down Harajuku girl,” which is pretty accurate.

Kawaii

The Kawaii aesthetic, which is also a Japanese street style look, is similar to coquette in that there are lots of pastel colors and lace. The clothes are almost doll-like in design and include fluffy skirts, scalloped shirts, patterned overalls, and anything that feels “cute.” There are also a lot of animal logos, Hello Kitty, jewelry, and keychains.

Soft Girl

This Gen Alpha micro-trend is a blend of coquette and Kawaii, with a bit of edge for good measure. Think eyelet fabric, pastels, gingham, and floral prints paired with platform shoes, bucket hats, and colorful hair clips. Cardigans and cropped jackets are also a big part of this look.

Kairis posted another video to get more details on what kids today call what we consider to be preppy style.

@kriskamishka

Replying to @Andrea MacDonald Mil She’s answering all our burning questions! #genalpha #genx #fashion #preppy #preppyaesthetic #aesthetic #millenial #genz #style

♬ original sound – Christina | Designing Luxury

Our resident Gen Z expert said she hadn’t heard the term “Old Money” and figures it’s a Gen Alpha phrase. This aesthetic is what millennials and Gen X would consider “preppy” fashion. It’s definitely in line with the silent luxury fashion trend that gained popularity thanks to Succession. Think simple lines, neutral colors, loafers, sweaters worn over the shoulders, leather tote bags, blazers, etc. There aren’t too many kids wearing this style, however.

If you’re wondering why you aren’t hearing too much about the style of Gen Z and Gen Alpha boys, it’s because while there are some e-boys and preppy guys out there, a majority of tween and teen boys tend to dress as if they’ve just rolled out of bed. They almost always wear Crocs with socks, t-shirts, and athletic shorts, something that hasn’t changed much since we were young—minus the Crocs, of course.

If you want more help decoding today’s fashion trends and micro-styles your tween or teen might be coveting, Kairis created a free Gen Alpha style guide you can download here.

My daughter was five. We were vacationing with my brother’s family. She and her cousin fell asleep in the same bed and looked adorable—that vulnerable, heart-melting little-kid sleep that sprawls out, sweaty-haired and heavy. I snapped a photo, sent it to my immediate family, and thought no more of it. Well, that’s not quite true; in the furthest reaches of my brain was the worry that maybe my daughter would be a little embarrassed about me sharing the photo. Still, the lure of “sharenting” was too hard to resist. I wanted my mother to see how cute her grandkids were; I wanted my other sisters to be jealous of the fun my brother and I were having. I hit “send.”

A couple of weeks later my daughter was doing something on my phone and saw the photo. She was furious. Seriously angry. It was a shock. My kid had been mad at me before, but for child-parent reasons: a too-early lights out, an argument about vegetables. I had been in the right on those other occasions and held my ground at the 7 p.m. bedtime and two more bites of broccoli. This time she was mad at me for what was, in fact, a legitimate reason: I had breached her privacy.

If she was mad that I took a photo, she was furious when she realized that I had sent it to my family. There was yelling; there were tears. She was embarrassed that I had shared a photo of her sleeping, and she was angry I hadn’t told her about it.

I was bewildered by the whole thing. As a Gen X kid, my childhood had not been overly documented. That was partly because taking a photo was complicated: involving cameras, film, and getting those images developed at a kiosk. But the other, possibly more relevant, reason was that my parents were, frankly, not that interested in me. I was one of many kids milling about, getting sunburnt, performing in school plays, wearing corduroy hand-me-downs, and latch-key-ing myself into my house when my parents were working. Documenting my adorability was low on my parents’ priorities, and even if they had snapped a million photos, what were they going to do? Host a slideshow and invite the neighbors?

My daughter, even at a very young age, was growing up in a world of camera phones and Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok immediacy. I have no idea where she gets such a strong sense of privacy, but I can’t deny that it is real. The Sleep Photo Incident was my first inkling that I needed to adjust my approach. My kid was seriously angry with me for sharing that photo. What’s more, and what was worse, she felt she could no longer trust me. We were both upset about it, and there was nothing I could do to make it better. I couldn’t unsend the image, and she was horrified by my proposal to text my family asking them to delete the image I’d already sent. That somehow made it even WORSE.

Related: France Introduces a Bill to Stop Parents from Oversharing

After thinking about it for a little while, I asked her, “Do you know what revenge is?” When she said no, I explained. “It’s when someone does something bad to you and you hurt them back to get even.” Now, to be clear, I would normally not advocate revenge as a solution, but I honestly couldn’t figure out a way to make my kid feel better and to make up for my mistake.

And so, we set up her revenge. She would take a photo of me asleep and send it to my entire family. We staged the shot, me on the bed, head on the pillow, eyes closed. I did not like how my chin looked in the photo. I didn’t like how red my nose was. I looked vulnerable and weird, but that was too bad. No reshoots were allowed. I started to write a little explanatory text to tell my mother and siblings what was going on. No. That was also not acceptable. I had to just send them the photo—an inexplicable shot of me, red-nosed and chinless, apparently asleep—without a word of explanation. I didn’t like doing it. I felt embarrassed, vulnerable, and annoyed. I did it.

My daughter was happy with her revenge, and it taught me a valuable lesson: respecting boundaries—even for little kids—matters. We all deserve privacy. We all deserve dignity. None of us likes how we look when we’re asleep.

Amy Tector is an archivist and novelist in Ottawa Canada. Her latest book in the Dominion Archives Series, Speak for the Dead, is out now.

These new Netflix kids’ shows and movies coming in October are perfect for when the kids need downtime

Fall is officially here, which means chillier days and many excuses to relax on the sofa. Netflix’s October lineup is jam-packed with new releases and family favorites. No matter what you like to watch, there are plenty of new Netflix kids’ shows and movies this month. Family favorite Kung Fu Panda is back and there are a few new additions for Halloween, too. All that’s left is to decide what they want to watch first.

New Netflix Kids’ Shows and Movies Coming in October

Oct. 1

The Adventures of Tintin

This animated film is based on the comics of the same name. When young journalist TinTin buys a miniature version of a legendary pirate ship, he is unknowingly thrust into an adventure that involves traveling the world, looking for sunken treasure, and avoiding some nasty pirates. And he does it all with the help of his trusty sidekick Snowy.

The Amazing Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 

While the Andrew Garfield version of New York’s favorite superhero might not be the favorite of the comic book film adaptations, these movies are still action-packed fun for the whole family.

Casper 

This modern take on a classic cartoon character spins the story of an afterlife therapist and his daughter becoming friends with a friendly spirit after they move into a crumbling mansion.

Drake & Josh: Season 1-3 

In this classic Nickelodeon series, two stepbrothers learn to live together and navigate high school even though they’re very different people.

Kung Fu Panda 

Go back to where it all began for Po and his ninja master friends. Enjoy the discovery of the dragon warrior all over again with this animated classic.

The Little Rascals 

Based on the classic “Our Gang” movie shorts from the ’20s and ’30s, Little Rascals follows the adventures of Alfalfa, Darla, Stymie, Spanky, Waldo, and more.

Megamind

This hilarious animated film about an overly smart reformed super-villain alien is back on Netflix. Starring the voice talents of Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Tina Fey, Brad Pitt, and many more, this is a perfect choice for family movie night.

Oct. 2

Strawberry Shortcake and the Beast of Berry Bog

In an all-new special, the Berry Scary Fright Night Carnival has arrived in Big Apple City and Strawberry Shortcake must solve the mystery of who is trying to spoil the fun.

Oct. 10

Blippi’s Big Dino Adventure

If you didn’t catch Blippi’s feature film debut this summer, here’s your chance. In this 60-minute length film, Blippi and Meekah set out on their biggest and best dinosaur adventure yet. They’ll meet up with friends like Park Ranger Asher and help to find some missing dino eggs before they hatch.

Oct. 12

LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising: Season 1: Part 2

The key to stopping the MergeQuakes from reaching their tipping point lies in the Dragon Cores. Can the Ninja find all three before it’s too late?

Oct. 13

Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, Spy Kids 3: Game Over

Now that you’ve seen the remake, how about going back to the beginning with the original trilogy? Follow Juni and Carmen as they follow in their super spy parents’ footsteps and help save the world with the help of some super cool spy gear.

Oct. 16

Oggy Oggy: Season 3 

Kind and curious kitty Oggy Oggy wants to spread joy to all his friends and neighbors. But sometimes, he gets into playful mischief instead. Miaow!

Oct. 17

I Woke Up A Vampire 

On her 13th birthday, Carmie discovers that she’s half vampire—and she must learn to navigate middle school while learning to control mythical powers like strength, super speed, and power blast. A fun new TV show for tweens.

Oct. 23

Princess Power: Season 2 

When there’s trouble in the Fruitdoms, these princess pals join forces to help each other—because sometimes problems are too big for just one princess!

Oct. 24

Minions

Gru’s sidekicks get their own feature-length film with this spin-off of the Despicable Me franchise. Find out where the minions came from and why they are obsessed with bananas.

Oct. 25

Life on Our Planet

Life as we know it has fought an epic battle to conquer and survive on Planet Earth. There are 20 million species on our planet in 2023, but that number is just a snapshot in time—99% of Earth’s inhabitants are lost to our deep past. The story of what happened to these dynasties—their rise and their fall–is truly remarkable.

Related: New, Original Family Movies You’ll Only Find on Netflix, Disney+ & Apple TV in 2023

Kids’ Titles Leaving Netflix in October

A League of Their Own

Jumanji

Nanny McPhee

Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie

 

 

Saturday morning cartoons that Gen X-ers and millennials watched as children have been replaced with endless TikToks, memes, and FaceTime for kids today. Even more, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teens of all ages have significantly increased their screen time, and it has never been more important to check in with your teens about their internet activities.

Today’s teens have grown up with a digital life, but that doesn’t mean they inherently know the risks of sharing the ins and outs of their day. As schooling tools shift online and students are accessing the internet more often than ever before, parents need to take steps to keep their teens safe online.

Since 45% of teens have stated, they’re online “almost constantly,” USDISH encourages you to check out the tips below to learn how to help your teens with online safety.

1. Talk about Digital Footprints

Digital footprint” is a term used to describe every action someone takes online. Your kids might assume that having a private social media profile keeps their posts, well, private, but that’s not always the case. It’s important for your teens to know that their private posts can still be screenshot and shared, and their digital footprint is never as confidential as they think it is. There are no do-overs after something has been posted!

2. Educate about Phishing Tactics

Phishing is a type of cyber scam in which a criminal convinces someone to give up private information by appearing to be a trustworthy source. For teens, this often looks like fake scholarship messages, DMs from someone posing as an influencer, or fraudulent employment offers. Remind your kids that if they receive messages about anything involving money or personal information, they should always verify the source.

3. Explain the Information That Should Stay Private

Posting a picture of your dog or birthday may seem innocuous, but cybercriminals can use this information to answer security questions and hack into accounts. Make sure your kids know the following information should stay out of posts, comments, and DMs:

  • Pet names

  • Parent maiden names

  • Full birthdate

  • Last names

  • Phone numbers

  • Email addresses

 

4. Teach That Word Choice Matters

59% of teens in America have experienced cyberbullying, and your teen should know how to identify and report bullying in the digital space. Additionally, teens need to be aware that words matter, and how they choose to treat other people online can follow them into adulthood.

While it’s unfortunate that so many teens have experienced bullying online, the good news is that the majority of teens find parents to be highly effective at addressing online harassment.

Check out USDish.com’s Essential Teen Internet Safety Guide for more tips and tricks on how to keep your teens safe—from social media to social studies. The internet might feel like the Wild West, but with a few extra precautions, your family can stay safe and happy online.

 

USDISH.com is one of the nation’s premier online DISH retailers. Our goals are to give you great deals on DISH satellite and internet services. 

When I think about how I want my kids to see the world, I am usually intimidated at such a heavy and daunting parenting responsibility. But what I do know is that I want to primarily emphasize what we all have in common, and not what makes us different. In a world where everyone needs to be labeled, categorized, and take the “Which Disney character are you” quiz on IG, I want my kids to recognize that, while they are unique in some ways, they might have more in common with a kid half-way across the world than they think.

We live in a country divided, so as a mom, I know it starts with me to set the example, which is not always so simple. It’s easy to fall back on labels and even use them as excuses. I am old, so I can’t use my phone. I am an introvert, so I can’t go to your party. I understand why we all want to classify ourselves as Millennials, Gen Z, etc., but let’s all take a step back and look at each other without that filter. Sure it makes things a little harder and you might have to dig a little deeper, but I think it’s worth it.

There was a year when I lived in Los Angeles while my husband and five-year-old lived in Boston, and I remember searching for ways to soothe my soul while I was away. I would tell myself, and sometimes my son, when we talked on the phone at night, “We are both looking at the same moon every night and when I look up there I think of you and know we are still connected.” Not sure if I blew his mind with my deep thoughts but it did somehow help with the distance and pain of being away from my family. A little cheesy, sure, but I feel like when we fall back on what we have on common, everyone wins.

Just like everyone else, I also see differences on some of my tougher days—I notice how much older I am than most people in the room, how quiet I am, how I always seem to be one step behind everyone else, how little I know about what is cool, or not cool, and how much more I enjoy potato chips than most. But digging in and revealing some of my quirks and personality traits, both good and bad, can be interesting and rewarding.

As I peel away my introvert, Gen X, mom-of-two-boys label and take a little break from rolling my eyes at any sort of emotional expression, I might expose any of the following characteristics to someone, the sum of which does not fit into a tidy label. As mentioned before but worth mentioning again—I love all kinds of potato chips, but hate it when people eat them around me. I will always love a good latte, going to the library on Saturdays and the fact that the librarians know my name (rock star nerd). I don’t understand or pretend to think face tattoos are cool. I daydream about volunteering for Search and Rescue and hate getting up early. When I was younger I never really wanted to be married, or a mother. My favorite time is Sunday mornings when I make endless pancakes for the kids (I have a 15-year-old). I have an amazing older sister (who everyone thinks is younger) who has seen me through my darkest days as well as her own. I am so tired of the word “self-care.” I am very nostalgic about 80’s movies and old horror movies. I fall down…a lot. Snowboarding has brought me my husband, a broken arm and boundless joy. I love a good cheese plate. I let both kids watch Dunkirk, and still question my judgment when my nine-year-old mentions it in conversations. My happiest places are the mountains, and also in bed, in my pajamas, with a great book. I really don’t like most viral videos and museums. I have a fear of small spaces and drowning. I am terrible at geography. Some days I think I could be best friends with Jamie Lee Curtis—we could chat about horror movies and embracing grey hair and wrinkles—and am only slightly obsessed with meeting Trevor Noah—we would talk about his mother, of course. I have a photographic memory. I think anyone who says they love kale is lying. I can be super awkward and somedays just want people to hear what is going on in my head so I don’t have to speak. My nine-year-old is on his iPad so much that I am scared but yet can’t seem to enforce a limit with any consistency. I don’t care what people think of me the majority of the time, and then there are days where I just want everyone to like me.

Go ahead and try it. The minute you step out of that box, you open yourself up to endless possibilities and connections. I am pretty sure all the things I mentioned above are not unique to me. Okay maybe the Jamie Lee Curtis/Trevor Noah thing is a little out there, but relying on stereotypes and labels really won’t get us anywhere. I’ll try to continue finding commonalities to show to my kids, and some days it will be easier than others, but it can simplify things in a way that opens up the world to them. And maybe if that new kid they just met looks different, talks different, or eats different food, they will see past that, and realize we are all just humans. 

I am a mom, a film/tv editor, potato chip lover, and former New England girl turned Southern California resident. Interests include trail running, hiking, snowboarding, and photography. I have two boys who keep me young, and motivated to do well in this world.

Photo: Pexels

In a world filled with computer distractions, it’s easy to rely on technology to babysit children, but is it healthy? Staring at a digital screen for long periods could cause all sorts of problems: eye damage, obesity, impeded brain development, sleep deprivation, aggressive behavior, MWR absorption. Knowing this, it’s easy to question: is all this ubiquitous exposure harmful?

Gen-X parents are the last folks to have lived the majority of their youth sans internet, providing a unique perspective. In truth, life before the internet wasn’t that bad. Sure, card catalogs were a nightmare. And you couldn’t notify your friends or family so conveniently as to your whereabouts, twenty-four-seven. However, this lack of convenience, in hindsight, had its benefits. Being unavailable, certainly made it easier to disconnect. You could focus better and be present, without the blips and bleeps of cell alerts demanding immediate attention. Though answers weren’t always at your fingertips, there was a certain magic in mystery. You didn’t know for certain who you would see when going to the arcade, mall, or neighborhood square; instead, you could anticipate, hope, plan, and be surprised.

Not that I would forgo technology, but let’s face it, we could survive without it for a time; enjoy a healthy break. Too often, it gets used by parents to replace quality time parents could be spending with their children. For parents who might want to connect with their kids more, while disconnecting, here are five tips:

1. Cook Together. Cooking with your children is a great way to connect, and it doesn’t have to involve the internet. You can refer to a cookbook, or if you must search a recipe online, do so then jot it down and turn those phones off! Cooking is a great way to teach kids how to fend for themselves (they have to eat somehow). Cooking is an essential life experience, and a fun one to share. Not to mention, you avoid the costs of eating out and the germs. Cooking together should increase the appreciation kids will have for eating, once the food is all done. Get extra good parenting points for using cooking as a teaching moment, to discuss where the food comes from. If you don’t know the source, make a point to research it later. Cooking is a great way to do something practical, fun, and tasty, as long as you don’t get too distracted searching through cooking videos or browsing the world wide web for recipes.

2. Sing Together. Singing together is fun and healthy. It’s easy, too, depending on your voice and volume. If singing is absolutely not your thing, however, you can play music together instead. You don’t even need instruments or skills. Tap away on your body, small inanimate objects (avoid glass), even your stomach, or clap your hands together (pots and pans will do too), until you rock out. The point is to make music; however, you can. It helps to release tension, makes you feel good, provides a great form of exercise while serving as an opportunity to bond.

3. Take a Hike. It’s fun and can allow you time to talk and to think, without phones or computers. Your eyes can relax, free of screen time, on whatever you see. If you’re in the park, you can watch the trees, point out the various types, check out the cloud formations, and the neighbor’s landscape (if it’s Christmas or Halloween, point out the decorations). Walking is not only good exercise — it’s a good technology-free way to spend quality time.

Listen to each other. One person talks, vents their feelings, anything that comes to mind, the good, the bad, the ugly, while the other person listens. This practice is about being present, not about offering solutions or turning it into a therapy session. Give your full attention to the other person, no matter what they are saying. At a loss for what to talk about? Feeling shy? Try describing what happened to you that day, or the day before, or the day before that. Write it down in letter form and read it instead. These listening exercises can help you to align yourself with your children’s hopes and dreams while discovering new ways to support them. But try not to judge or criticize, simply listen. Take a moment to thank them for sharing their thoughts and feelings, no matter what’s said.

Read a book. Reading aloud to children stimulates creativity, imagination, and understanding. It helps kids comprehend language and the written word. It teaches them ways to organize and to express their ideas. It develops important listening skills, which your children will use throughout their lifetime. Most importantly, it develops a child’s sense of empathy, as they try to put themselves in the shoes of the protagonists, imagining what it’s like to be them, cheering for them along the way. There are many ways to enjoy bonding with your children without relying on computers, the cell phone, or video games; reading is certainly a good one.

The point is to encourage your children to use their imagination to entertain themselves in healthy ways that do not always involve the latest, greatest, digital distraction. Though these are by far not the only solutions, they’re a great way to get started. If you’ve got other ideas, we’d love to hear from you.

Nicholas Tana is a writer, director, actor, and musician. His most recent children's picture books, Monsters are Afraid of Babies, The Kitten, The Cat & The Apple and Kingdom of Glee are now available. To learn more, visit newclassicsbooks.com.

Hark! Feeling like the tweens and teens around you are speaking another language? Here at Bark, it’s our job to learn and understand the popular lingo with kids. We’ve translated a few of the most common slang expressions today into fun, Ye Olde English-st‌yle phrases. And because the parents at Bark are all Gen Xers and “vintage” Millennials, we’ve got that translation for you, too.

“It’s lit, fam.”

Ye Olde Teenspeake: ‘Tis lit, kin!

Gen X Translation: Kids use “lit” to describe something as awesome or exciting. Fam? That’s a close friend, fam.

“DTF”

Ye Olde Teenspeake: DTF (delighted to fornicate)

Gen X Translation: Teens send messages saying DTF to indicate they’re willing to engage in casual sex.

“U up?”

Ye Olde Teenspeake: “Art thou awake and ready for tomfoolery? Prithee come over, if so.”

Gen X Translation: Teens send this after-hours message to people they’re attracted to, usually with the hope of sexting, or, in some cases, meeting up.

“Bae”

Ye Olde Teenspeake: “Yon oft-smooched true love for whom one cares immensely”

Gen X Translation: It’s a girlfriend or boyfriend or romantic partner—”before anyone else.” Or something you really really like. Example: “Tacos are bae.”

“Bye, Felicia!”

Ye Olde Teenspeake: Good morrow, Francesca!

Gen X Translation: You say “Bye, Felicia” when you want someone to get out of your face. It’s generally intended as a dismissive kiss-off. More often, it’s said jokingly as a goodbye with no real bad feelings.

“YOLO”

Ye Olde Teenspeake: YOBLO (ye only but liveth once)

Gen X Translation: “You only live once.” A sentiment similar to the Latin “carpe diem” (“seize the day”), YOLO is often used to a justification for irrational or risky behavior.

“Netflix and chill”

Ye Olde Teenspeake: Fireplace and Bare Thine Ankles

Gen X Translation: While this expression literally means to go over to someone’s house to watch TV, it’s most commonly used as a metaphor to head to someone’s house to hook up.

GOAT

Ye Olde Teenspeake: This one doesn’t translate well, unfortunately. It’s actually just the family goat, Phillip Kids are weird in every time period.

Gen X Translation: “The Greatest of All Time.” Folks use GOAT usually when referring to a well-regarded sports icon, e.g., Lebron James is the GOAT.
The way kids talk will forever change and evolve with the times—and parents will forever be trying to catch up!

Titania Jordan is the Chief Parent Officer of Bark.us, an internet safety solution that helps parents and schools keep children safer across social media, text messaging and email. She is also the mother of a nine-year-old son and is a master at LEGO.  

You’ve heard of helicopter parenting. But what about “jet fighter” parenting? Between helicopters, snow plows and lawnmowers, tiger moms, free-rangers and all the other “types” of parents, it might seem like there isn’t possibly room for one more. But then again, the term get fighter does sound pretty rad. So what is it, exactly?

While jet fighter parenting isn’t exactly a new term and it hasn’t enjoyed the media popularity of helicopter parents, jet fighter parents started making their mark years ago. Before Millennials grew up enough to start really adulting, Gen X parents actually started the jet fighter trend.

Photo: Doug Kelley via Unsplash

Let’s start with a bit of a parenting history lesson. Once upon a time there were just parents. No tiger moms, no helicopters, just plain ol’ parents who let their kids be kids. But then the world got scary. Or rather, the media brought the scariness of the world into American homes with the ubiquity of the television. As parents started witnessing the big bads of the world on the nightly news, they started to hover—and thus, the helicopter parent was born.

As those hovered-over kids grew into Gen X adults with their own kids, they developed their own parenting style. Instead of the constant hovering of a helicopter, the jet fighter parent waits in the wings and swoops in when needed. Think of the jet fighter as “partial-helicopter” or “helicopter-light.”

So now you’re probably wondering, “Hey, am I a jet fighter parent?” Chances are you are—but maybe only at certain times. It’s totally understandable. Who wouldn’t want to swoop in, save the day and get out immediately after?

—Erica Loop

 

RELATED STORIES:

Are You a Helicopter Parent? Here’s How to Come in for a Landing

Forget the Helicopter: Are You a Snow Plow or Lawn Mower Parent?

This School Program Hopes to Free Kids from Helicopter & Lawnmower Parenting

Children love repetition but when it comes to music, that’s one area that today’s parents need not suffer the same song again and again. Thanks to the many streaming platforms, you can tune into a kid-friendly station that will make your next family trip a song and a dance. Scroll down to learn about six stations so cool you just might find yourself listening even when the kids aren’t around.

photo: Ben Francis via flickr

Rock the Cradle

Minneapolis based indie radio The Current (89.3) has a hidden gem for parents all around the world: their kiddie station Rock the Cradle plays music on par with many adult stations, minus the explicit lyrics. If you want to expose your kids to some seriously awesome music, most likely from your own teenage years (Gen-X we mean you!) then tune in. Because no self-respecting 7-year-old should live in a world without knowing who the Pixies are.

Learn more here.

Raffi Channel on Pandora

Hear us out! This channel is not just Raffi songs on repeat. It’s actually a well-curated mix of kid-friendly musicians and totally hipster rock which means you get everything from Twenty One Pilots to Paul Simon. There’s literally something for everyone in the family and we’re pretty sure you’ll find yourself saying, “Oh, I love this song!” more than once.

Click here to discover more.

Tip: Did you know that Pandora has an option to skip music with explicit lyrics? This makes it possible for you to stream any channel you like without having to stress to hit the skip button.

Rockabye Baby

Because it is 2017, we parents have options, options, options. And arguably one of the most awesome options is Rockabye Baby, lullaby renditions of Guns ‘N Roses songs. Yep, you read that right, sweet child of mine. Diehard fans in the know already have the actual album but you can stream the mix through Pandora. (And yes, this same label also has lullaby renditions of Metallica songs that streams right off Amazon with a Prime subscription. You’re welcome.

Get some here.

Kids Club Radio

Music for kids and kids at heart,” the lineup on this iHeart Radio station is so cool (think more top charts and pop than indie or classic rock) you will actually forget this is a kid’s station. So you can rock, pop and sway through chores, morning routines and just general chill time. “Music for kids and kids at heart” is their motto.

Click here to get your groove on.

Classical for Kids

Save the bombastic numbers for tantrum time, and put this channel on as a perfect intro to classical “hits” that will hook them. Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons, the Brandenburg Concertos and Beethoven’s Symphonies top the list. See if you can guess what’s coming next! It’s one of the best ones we’ve found on iHeart.

Give it a listen here.

Dinner Music: Italian

Get a little Louis Prima with a side of Pavarotti with this Pandora channel that rotates through the kind of music you might hear while dining in Little Italy. Though it’s not technically a kid’s station it’s full of family-style music perfect for dinner or just an afternoon sipping juice boxes.

Tune in here.

What’s your favorite station to listen to with the kiddos? Share it with us in the comments below. 

—Amber Guetebier