What Teenagers Say Is Worrying Them The Most (And It’s Not Social Media)

Posted on 14/05/2026 by Boris Clair

I often think about how tough it must be to be a teenager right now. Between the pressures of school life and the inability to get away from it all thanks to the 24/7 nature of social media, it sounds pretty exhausting.

But what is it actually like? And what’s keeping the nation’s teenagers up at night? A 2025 survey by BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize shed some light.

The online poll of 2,000 kids aged 13-18 explored the issues shaping teenagers’ lives – from mental health and safety to the rise of AI.

What is the biggest worry for teens?

Getting kids to open up about what’s worrying them can be like drawing blood from a stone for plenty of parents. But the survey offered some insights into what teens worry about most.

Over two-thirds (69%) of all participants reported feeling anxious at least some of the time, with pressure around exams and grades being the biggest worry.

Its survey of 1,000 15- to 18-year-olds taking GCSE or A-Levels found 63% said it was hard to cope in the lead-up to, and during, these exams. Of these, 13% had suicidal thoughts and 13% self-harmed. More than half (56%) had trouble sleeping.

Among those struggling, 61% experienced anxiety and 40% worsening mental health, while 30% skipped meals and one in four (26%) had panic attacks.

The research also found exams were more than twice as likely to have a significant negative impact on mental health than social media.

May – which is when school exam season starts for most – is the peak season for children to call Childline about exam stress. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026; the free, confidential service for kids delivered 1,679 counselling sessions where exam or revision stress was mentioned.

The majority of concerns about exam stress were from children aged 12-18 years old, however younger students are also impacted, with 11% of contacts coming from children aged 11 and under.

One young person, aged 16, said: “If I’m not revising for exams, I feel this panic in my chest, but the panic also stops me focusing on the revision when I try and do it.”

Another 16-year-old girl said they have plans for their future, but have completely lost motivation to revise. “I have no idea why, my friends are trying to help get me back on track but I’m so overwhelmed,” they said.

What else did the BBC’s teen survey find?

It found 65% of teens feel overwhelmed at least some of the time and almost three-quarters (74%) of girls feel anxious at least some of the time.

Another eye-opening finding was just how much time teens are spending on their phones: more than a third (38%) spend five hours or more a day, while one in 20 spend eight hours or more.

When they are online, more than half reported having seen sexist and racist content. Two in five (44%) said they have seen extremely violent content.

In real life, 44% worry about knife crime in their local area and almost one third (30%) of teenage girls have experienced sexual harassment in school.

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly popular among the younger generation, with almost half (47%) using it to help with homework or coursework.

This is rising year-on-year – the figure was 36% in 2024 and 29% in 2023.

Despite the challenges teens face today, nearly eight in 10 (79%) are feeling positive about their future.

What Does Larp Mean? The Gen Z Gaming-Inspired Term Explained

Posted on 24/04/2026 by Boris Clair

If there’s not a day that goes by where you aren’t scratching your head over something your teen’s said, you’ve come to the right place.

Today we’re talking about the Gen Z term ‘larp’, which tweens and teens might call each other, or mention in comments online. The clue is absolutely not in the name. So, what on earth does it mean?

“People are calling each other larps which Google says is ‘live action role play’ but that sentence literally makes no sense, so what are they saying?” asked one Redditor who was equally baffled by it.

What is a larp or larper?

The Redditor is correct that larp comes from the gaming term ‘live action role-playing’, which is where people physically act out characters. For example, wearing costumes and acting out scenes from their favourite computer games.

But over time, the term has also evolved to mean someone pretending to be something they’re not. You can be a larper or larping, too.

One Redditor explained: “LARPing usually involves some form of acting.

“So if you’re calling someone a larper you’re saying they are acting a part, calling them fake basically, that they are pretending to be something they aren’t, and/or their behaviour is performative.”

In short, it’s become an insult and a way to call someone out. As another Redditor noted, larper has become “a common insult online used to imply the person is making shit up”.

What else are kids saying?

Call your Uber

Some teachers report kids are saying “call your Uber” or “call yo Uber” in class. Uber is a popular ride-hailing company so it’s kind of like saying, “call yourself a taxi”. In short: you need to leave.

Mid

When Gen Alpha uses it, “mid” means mediocre or of disappointing quality. If you’re described as “mid” by a teenager then they’re basically saying you are… average.

According to Merriam-Webster, “mid” serves to express that something falls short of expectations, or isn’t impressive.

The dictionary notes that this slang term is thought to have come from a shortening of the term mid-grade, “a designation in cannabis culture of medium quality”.

City boy

“City boy, city boy” is the call of Gen Alpha currently, with TikTok creator and teacher Philip Lindsay noting kids in his class have been saying it.

“It’s a meme from an old video clip that they’re just repeating,” explained the teacher, who is based in the US. The memes actually first did the rounds in 2022 and appear to be popular again.

From a Gen Alpha perspective, Mr Lindsay suggested the phrase doesn’t really mean anything and kids are just shouting it out at all opportunities – a bit like six-seven.

Unc

This is short for “uncle”. And, per Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, it’s “often used humorously to indicate old age” and may imply “someone is old, getting old, or acting older than their age”.

Unc status may also be awarded to someone who “exhibit[s] behaviours that are considered outdated or out of touch”.

Most Teens Aren’t Vaccinated Against ‘MenB’ – Charity Calls For Change

Posted on 17/03/2026 by Boris Clair

This article features advice from Dr Tom Nutt, of Meningitis Now, Professor Adam Finn of the University of Bristol, and Professor Emma Wall, clinical professor of infectious diseases at Queen Mary University of London.

The meningitis outbreak among students in Kent has included cases of B meningococcal disease, sometimes known as MenB,

On Tuesday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it was continuing to investigate the outbreak – with four laboratory cases confirmed and 11 under investigation. This includes two people who have died.

Group B meningococcal disease can cause serious illness, including severe inflammation of the brain membrane (meningitis) and blood poisoning (septicaemia), which can prove fatal.

Most teens and adults aren’t vaccinated against MenB

Meningitis most commonly occurs in babies, young children, teens and young adults.

There are three vaccines which protect against the main causes of meningitis.

The MenB vaccine is offered to infants at eight weeks, 16 weeks and one year of age, as part of routine NHS vaccinations – this came into play in 2015 so anyone under 10 has some protection.

Babies are also given the pneumococcal vaccine at 16 weeks and one year.

The MenACWY vaccine protects teenagers against four types of bacteria linked to meningitis and is usually given in school during Year 9 (when kids are aged 13-14).

But the latter vaccine doesn’t protect teens from MenB, experts have warned.

Most teenagers and adults aren’t protected against it unless they’ve paid privately for a vaccine on the high street.

Charity calls for MenB to be added to routine vaccinations for teens

Meningitis Now’s chief executive Dr Tom Nutt noted there are “gaps” in the NHS immunisation schedule, particularly around MenB.

“We are campaigning for the MenB vaccination to be made more widely available to those at risk, especially teenagers and young adults,” he told HuffPost UK.

He noted that vaccines “are the only way to prevent meningitis” – that said, he caveated that “vaccines do not protect against all causes of meningitis and no vaccine is 100% effective”.

Prof Adam Finn, Professor Emeritus of Paediatrics at University of Bristol, added that protection from the vaccine “lasts for some years, but not forever”.

The MenB vaccines also do not “reduce carriage and transmissions of the bacterium,” he noted, meaning you could have the vaccine and still carry or transmit the bacteria to others.

Ultimately, it’s important that people make themselves aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis, and to get immediate medical help if they suspect themselves or a loved one could have it.

Signs of meningitis

Symptoms of meningitis can come on very quickly and be easily mistaken for flu or a bad cold, or even the after-effects of a night out, Dr Nutt previously told us.

Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:

a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass
sudden onset of high fever
severe and worsening headache
stiff neck
vomiting and diarrhoea
joint and muscle pain
dislike of bright lights
very cold hands and feet
seizures
confusion/delirium
extreme sleepiness/difficulty waking

Anyone with these symptoms is urged to seek medical help immediately by contacting a GP, calling NHS 111 or dialling 999 in an emergency.

“Despite what has happened in Kent, we would like to reiterate that meningitis is a relatively rare disease,” said Dr Nutt.

“In the long-run, the good news is that the NHS vaccination programme has been very successful in bringing down the number of cases of meningitis in the UK.”

The charity’s “No Plan B for MenB” campaign calls for three changes to offer greater protection to the public.

These include: a MenB vaccination given to all those at most risk of disease; a MenB booster programme to protect adolescents by 2030; and availability of the MenB vaccination on the high street at a fair price.

What happens now?

Health officials are continuing to monitor the situation in Kent.

UKHSA confirmed a small targeted vaccination programme will begin among students resident at Canterbury Campus Halls of Residence at the University of Kent.

Professor Emma Wall, clinical professor of infectious diseases at Queen Mary University of London, explained that UKHSA might do this to “reduce the risk of a further outbreak, or shut down transmission (so-called ring vaccination)”.

The vaccination programme may be expanded further as UKHSA continues to asses ongoing risk.

As some of the cases visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5-7 March prior to becoming unwell, UKHSA is urging anyone who visited the club during this time to come forward for preventative antibiotic treatment as a precautionary measure.

HuffPost UK has contacted the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) about whether there are plans to add Men B to the routine teen vaccine.

Move Over ‘Six-Seven’. Kids Are Saying ‘Lowkenuinely’ Now

Posted on 14/02/2026 by Boris Clair

If there’s one thing we know about Gen Alpha, it’s that they low-key delight in coining a new word (or five) and the odd nonsensical phrase.

Take six-seven for example. It became a global phenomenon in 2025 thanks to social media, but it didn’t ever really mean anything. Or, at least, nobody could agree on a meaning.

Some said it meant “so-so” (as kids used it with an up-and-down hand motion), others thought it meant a tall person, or a basketball term.

In the end it just became a response that kids made at every opportunity – especially if someone (a teacher, parent, classmate) happened to mention those two numbers in a different context.

A teacher could say “turn to page 67 in your books”, for example, and the classroom would erupt into “six-sevennnnnn”.

This disruption ultimately led to the phrase being banned in some classrooms.

Thankfully the bizarre phrase seems to have fizzled out, but teachers and parents are noticing that “lowkenuinely” has entered the chat instead.

What does lowkenuinely mean?

Lowkenuinely is a combination of ‘lowkey’ and ‘genuinely’, which describes expressing something sincere in a casual, laid-back way, according to experts at language platform Preply.

Essentially, it is a TikTok-era way of saying something is real or heartfelt. So, an example might be: “I lowkenuinely love this song” or “I’m lowkenuinely not going to make it through this exam”.

Kids of the internet clearly love a portmanteau (that is, blending two words together to create a new one).

Choppelganger is another recent creation hot off their keyboards, combining ‘chopped’, typically used by teens to describe someone as ugly; and ‘doppelganger’, which is a person who resembles someone else.

A choppelganger, then, is an uglier version of a doppelganger. One parent noted their kids had referred to them as “Uncle Fester’s Choppelganger”. Harsh.

There’s also been chat, clock it and glazing, as well as aura farming and crash out. Honestly, they’ve been busy.

Parents And Experts Tackle The Tricky Topic Of Banning Under-16s From Using Social Media

Posted on 20/01/2026 by Boris Clair

After Australia made moves to ban under-16s from using social media, both the UK and France are considering a similar move.

The UK government has now launched a consultation on children’s use of technology, including social media, and said it’s seeking views from parents, young people and civil society – with a response expected this summer.

Over the weekend, more than 60 Labour MPs wrote to prime minister Keir Starmer urging him to back a ban, while members of the House of Lords are set to vote on a cross-party amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill this week to raise the age of social media access to 16.

Esther Ghey, the mum of Brianna Ghey who was murdered by two teenagers, has lent her support to the amendment, saying it is a “vital step in better protecting children online”.

What do parents and experts think of a social media ban for young people?

In December 2025, a YouGov poll of 5,000 people found 39% of respondents “strongly supported” and 35% “somewhat supported” a ban on under-16s having social media accounts. In contrast, just 15% “somewhat opposed” and 4% “strongly opposed” it.

A separate survey by The Good Growth Foundation found 66% of respondents backed a social media ban for young people, while a petition calling for a ban on social media access for under-16s has been circulating in parent Whatsapp groups – at the time of writing, it had 65,000 signatures.

Dr Tracy King, is a chartered clinical psychologist who has a 13-year-old autistic daughter. She told HuffPost UK that from a parental and professional perspective, she supports stronger regulation and safeguards, but she is cautious of an outright ban.

“Social media can expose teenagers to real risks, including comparison culture, grooming, algorithm-driven distress, and constant nervous system activation,” she said.

“I see this particularly affecting neurodivergent young people, who may be more vulnerable to social overwhelm, rejection sensitivity, and online manipulation.

“At the same time, for many autistic teenagers, social media can provide connection, identity exploration, and a sense of belonging that is harder to access offline.”

The psychologist suggested a blanket ban risks “removing one of the few spaces where some young people feel socially competent or understood, without addressing the underlying issues of platform design, moderation, and digital literacy”.

What she wants most is not just restriction, but protection paired with education and realistic, age-appropriate boundaries. “That education has to extend to parents, as I see many who have no idea of online risks happening behind the bedroom door,” she added.

Lucy Whitehouse, who has a three-year-old and is CEO of sex education charity Fumble, noted that pressure should be put on social media platforms to “clean up their act”, rather than banning young people.

“Social media has a lot of negative content, but it is also the place that young people go to in lieu of any inclusive and accessible sex education at school to find answers to the questions that they have and to connect and to learn,” she added.

One month after the ban in Australia took effect there was mixed reaction from teens, according to CNBC – while some expressed relief at being free of the distraction, others admitted to finding ways to circumvent the ban.

Lee Chambers, founder of Male Allies who has three children aged 13, 11 and two, believes this would happen in the UK too: “If you ban social media, young people will find another way in.”

He also noted that it’s hard to know where a line is drawn in terms of what constitutes ‘social media’.

“Roblox is a social platform where a lot of negative content is being shared. Will the government ban this, too? What about Whatspp? When does the banning stop?” he asked.

“What we need to do is to put real regulation and rules around these platforms that the social media giants must adhere to.”

He added that young people need help navigating the online world – “it’s not something that we can just switch off, it’s everywhere, and with AI things are only going to get worse”.

The government is said to also be looking at options including implementing phone curfews to avoid excessive use and restricting potentially addictive design features such as ‘streaks’ and ‘infinite scrolling’.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Through the Online Safety Act, this government has already taken clear, concrete steps to deliver a safer online world for our children and young people.

“These laws were never meant to be the end point, and we know parents still have serious concerns. That is why I am prepared to take further action.”

Since the Online Safety Act came into play, children encountering age checks online has risen from 30% to 47% – and 58% of parents believe the measures are already improving children’s safety online.

Nova Eden, who has three children aged 14, 11 and six, and is one of the leading voices in the Smartphone Free Childhood campaign, added: “The harm being caused to young children is a public health emergency.

“There is an urgent need for UK leaders to step up and implement meaningful, accelerated change for the next generation. It is time to prioritise children’s mental health and wellbeing over the profits of Big Tech.”

Kids And Teen Accounts On YouTube Are Changing – Here’s What Parents Should Know

Posted on 14/01/2026 by Boris Clair

YouTube has revealed it’s changing children’s accounts in the UK to help parents keep kids safer online.

The update comes as the UK government faces growing calls to follow in Australia’s footsteps and ban social media for under-16s.

A petition to ban it has garnered 25,000 signatures (at the time of writing) and prime minister Keir Starmer has now said he’s open to the idea of a similar ban here in the UK.

In a bid to improve the wellbeing of young users, YouTube has revealed parents will now be able to set time limits for scrolling Shorts, and will also enable caregivers to set bedtime and break reminders.

Parents will be able to set limits for scrolling Shorts

As part of the Online Safety Act, social media companies have a duty to protect children and stop them from accessing harmful or age-inappropriate content. Sites can face fines or be blocked in the UK if they don’t take protective steps.

The social media and online video sharing platform is also launching new ‘Quality Principles’ for content creators, developed alongside experts, to ensure videos created for teens are “age-appropriate” and “enriching”.

What are the quality principles?

Professor Peter Fonagy, head of the division of psychology and language sciences at UCL, which partnered with YouTube to provide evidence-based insights on adolescent development, said: “The mental health of children and young people is a global concern, and in the digital age the content teens encounter online can have both positive and negative impacts.”

He said the new quality principles will give creators a “practical, research-informed roadmap for making videos that are developmentally appropriate, emotionally safe, and genuinely supportive of young people”.

The principles include:

Joy, fun and entertainment: Show humour and warmth that lift teens’ moods like a day-in-the-life video or funny, self-accepting outtakes.
Curiosity and inspiration: Encourage exploration through creative tutorials, behind-the-scenes demos, or new hobbies that are easy to try.
Deepening interests and perspectives: Create deeper dives into subjects teens love, like music, gaming, or fashion, and show process, not just outcomes.
Building life skills and experiences: Offer relatable guidance for real-life moments, like teamwork or budgeting, to help them prepare for the future.
Credible information that supports well-being: Share accurate, age-appropriate information. Use trusted sources and avoid spreading misinformation.

Tell me more about the screentime limits…

YouTube said parents will be able to set time limits for scrolling Shorts – including having the option to set the timer to zero.

This gives parents flexibility to set the Shorts feed limit to zero when they want their teen to use YouTube to focus on homework, for example.

Or they could change it to 60 minutes during a long car trip to keep kids entertained.

Parents can also set custom Bedtime and Take a Break reminders.

There’s also a new account-making process

This has been designed to make it easier for parents to create a new kid account and switch between family accounts in the mobile app, depending on who’s watching, so they’re shown the most appropriate content for their age.

Dr Garth Graham, global head of YouTube Health, said: “We believe in protecting kids in the digital world, not from the digital world. That’s why providing effective, built-in tools is so essential, as parents play a critical role in setting the rules for their family’s online experiences.”

According to the social media giant, the updates will be rolling out from 14 January and will expand globally over the coming months.

Revealed: This Age Group Of Boys Is Most Vulnerable To Online Abuse

Posted on 11/10/2025 by Boris Clair

The online world is vast – and while it can both educate and entertain kids for hours on end, there are murkier areas where they need to tread much more carefully.

New research from safety experts at McAfee has uncovered the most common online threats facing British children, including: cyberbullying, inappropriate contact and scams.

The study of over 4,300 parents found one in six say their child has been targeted by an online threat in the UK.

The highest risk group is 12-year-old boys, with almost a third (32%) being targeted.

For girls, online dangers tend to emerge later, with reports steadily climbing through the teens and peaking at age 16, where more than one in five parents (22%) say their daughter has been targeted.

What are the most common online threats facing children?

According to the research, cyberbullying or harassment from peers (48%) is the number one threat. Nearly half of UK parents say their child has experienced cyberbullying, while one in three (35%) ranking it in their top three worries.

Cyberbullying can include mean comments, exclusion from online groups or spreading harmful rumours, often through social media platforms.

Scams are also a huge problem – particularly fake social media giveaways or contests (33%), which purport to be giving away gaming consoles, smartphones or designer products.

Children are lured into clicking fraudulent links or providing personal information, with boys aged 13-15 particularly vulnerable.

Similarly, online gaming can be a hotbed for scams. Over a quarter (27%) of parents report their child has been affected by gaming-related fraud, such as fake offers for in-game currency, exclusive items or upgrades.

Scammers often pose as fellow players, using familiarity and trust to get children to share passwords or personal info.

There are also concerns about unsafe or inappropriate contact. One in four UK parents say their child has received inappropriate contact online, with girls being more frequently targeted (29% versus 21% for boys). Unknowns might try to initiate conversations with children via direct messages, chat rooms or even multiplayer gaming platforms.

And lastly, scam messages or phishing texts (21%) – designed to trick recipients into divulging sensitive information, such as passwords, bank details or personal data – are a problem.

Girls are significantly more likely to experience this (29%) than boys (14%), the study found, with those aged 16-18 most at risk.

The rise of AI-generated scams

Worryingly, parents are also noticing a rise in the use of AI-generated deepfakes and nudify technology. Nearly one in six UK parents say their child has experienced deepfake image or nudify app misuse.

Girls are facing this threat the most – 21% of parents say their daughter has been impacted, compared to just 11% for sons.

Boys are more likely to be targeted by AI-generated voice cloning scams, instead – where fraudsters use AI to mimic the voice of loved ones through phone calls, voicemails or voice notes.

Recently, experts advised families to come up with a “safe phrase” so they can tell if a phone call or message is an AI-generated scam or not.

Understandably, when children are impacted by these online threats, the emotional and psychological effects are significant and can include anxiety, academic struggles and social withdrawal.

How to keep kids safe

It’s clear parents need to be having ongoing conversations with their kids about online safety. (Check out these helpful guides from Internet Matters and the NSPCC if you need somewhere to start.)

But what else can we be doing to keep kids safe? Here are McAfee’s top tips:

Pair tools with talks: Combine parental controls with regular, judgement-free conversations about harmful content, coercion or bullying so your children know they can come to you. Explain what cyberbullying and scams might look like, and that it’s okay to block or report people.
Teach “trust but verify”: Show balanced digital habits yourself as children copy what they see. Show them how to pause, check sources and ask for help when something feels off – especially with AI-altered media.
Talk about the risks of oversharing: Remind children never to share personal information such as their name, school, address or phone number. Encourage strong passwords and explain two-factor authentication.
Set and revisit a family tech contract: Create clear boundaries with kids about screen time, online behaviour, and device use – and update them as your child grows.
Keep devices secure: Ensure all devices are updated with the latest security settings and include AI-powered scam protection to help spot and flag suspicious links or manipulated content before it can do harm.

I’m A Child Psychiatrist – Don’t Make This 1 Mistake When Talking To Teens

Posted on 27/07/2025 by Boris Clair

Raising teens can be a bit of a minefield – where once your sweet, adoring child worshipped the ground you walked on, all of a sudden they simply don’t want to know.

You might be facing more arguments, major mood and sleep changes, as well as having to become a full-time translator while your kid keeps calling everyone “chat”.

But there is one innocent mistake parents might be making in the teenage years, according to a child psychiatrist – especially if you want them to be able to open up to you.

Child psychiatrist Dr Willough Jenkins said in a TikTok video that it “might sting a little” for parents to hear, but she wants everyone to know: “If you’re doing most of the talking, you’re probably not having a conversation with your teen… that’s called a lecture.

“You want them talking more than you. That’s how you learn what they’re really thinking, and how they learn that you’re really listening.”

Her advice to facilitate more conversations with teens is simple: “Start with a question. Then pause. And really listen.”

In a separate video, the psychiatrist said one of the things that makes a successful parent is “listening more than lecturing”.

She also suggested “staying calm when things go wrong”, “repairing after you mess up” and “setting boundaries with love, not fear” are “what real success looks like”.

Therapists previously told HuffPost UK that creating a space that feels emotionally safe and low-pressured is important to help teens open up – especially if you think they might be struggling mentally.

Make conversation by asking open-ended and emotionally neutral questions and statements. You could say something like: “How’s everything going lately?” or “How are things feeling for you at school/with friends/life right now?”.

And then really listen.

BACP-accredited therapist Lauren Young also suggested resisting the urge to fix everything for teens and instead, validating their feelings and thanking them for trusting you if they come to you with a problem.

All of this can help teenagers know that you’re there for them. As BACP-accredited member and psychotherapist Debbie Keenan told us: “Sometimes, the goal isn’t to get your teen to ‘open up’ immediately, but to remind them that they’re not alone, that emotions are valid, and that you’re a reliable presence in their life.

“Trust is built in the quiet, everyday moments, often more than in the big talks.”

Don’t PMO – How Much Gen Alpha Slang Do You Know?

Posted on 26/06/2025 by Boris Clair

Gone are the days of LMAO and CBA, nowadays kids are all about SYBAU, PMO and ATP.

Generations Z and Alpha are the creators of an entirely new language – from glazing and gurt, to tuff and six-seven.

But what on earth do the acronyms they share in social media comments and messages even mean? Here’s a quick breakdown…

SYBAU

In a video on the words kids are using this summer, teacher and content creator Mr Philip Lindsay said SYBAU – which kids are actually pronouncing as ‘SI-BOW or SI-BOO’ – is the number one word they’re using right now.

According to the teacher (and various explanations online), it’s an acronym that stands for “shut your b**** ass up”. Delightful. “They’re using it in a text form and out loud,” he added.

PMO

Nope, they’re not discussing a project management office. Generally this means “piss me off”. Although some people have noted it could also mean “put me on”.

TS

People are using TS as an abbreviation of “this shit” but some are simply using it as a replacement for “this”.

ATP

This one’s relatively simple. According to USA Today, ATP stands for “at this point”. The site adds: “Broadly, the slang term is associated with something that is happening currently or a recent development.”

But it can also stand for “answer the phone” (just to keep you on your toes).

UV

In his recent video, Mr Lindsay noted that loads of kids are talking about “checking the UV” right now – and yes, that’s exactly what you think it is, they’re discussing the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

But it’s not about keeping out of the sun, rather they’re discussing whether the UV rays are strong so they can go out and get a tan. Dermatologists are understandably worried about the health risks associated with this and advise against it.

The more you know (TMYK)….

So, ‘Gurt’ Is A Thing Kids Say Now (And It’s Tenuously Tied To Yoghurt)

Posted on 24/05/2025 by Boris Clair

These days, you need a translator to understand half of what kids are saying.

Thanks to the popularity of social media sites like TikTok, every week children and teens are finding new phrases and memes to share and say to each other – much to the befuddlement of their parents.

From the latest baffling trend of saying “and a Black Santa napkin!” to the rise of “six-seven” and the bizarre world of brainrot characters like Ballerina Cappuccina, it can be exhausting work for parents and teachers trying to keep up with what it all means.

One of the other expressions kids are coming out with currently is “gurt”.

But what does ‘gurt’ mean?

In some parts of England, gurt means very large or great. But this isn’t what kids mean when they’re saying it.

In his weekly videos on the words kids are using in class, school teacher and TikTok creator Philip Lindsay said the meaning of gurt is “confusing”, as people seem to use it in two different ways.

The first way refers to a joke where someone says “Yoghurt” and a character called Gurt replies: “Yo”.

According to Know Your Meme (KYM), this actually dates back to 2012, but only recently took off thanks to videos on TikTok.

Mr Lindsay explained in his TikTok explainer that “in this scenario, the proper response to someone saying ‘gurt’ is ‘yo’ and vice versa, if somebody says ‘yo’ you say ‘gurt’”.

So, kind of like a greeting. Makes sense.

But that’s not where this all ends. The teacher explained that the term seems to have evolved, however, and now has “more meaning to it”.

There’s a series of videos known as “What They’re Doing Is Very Smart But Also Very Dangerous” which show cute animals “doing something very smart but also very dangerous”, as per KYM.

For example, penguins jumping from high off a massive iceberg into the sea.

So now, according to Mr Lindsay, “the meaning of gurt or gurting is to do something smart yet dangerous”.

Ultimately though, there’s no agreed meaning.

The teacher continued: “There are a bunch of definitions flying around right now on the internet about what gurt actually means, so we’ll see how this unfolds in the coming months.”

Right, I need a sleep.

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