In today’s digital world, young people often use acronyms and abbreviations to communicate quickly and informally. One such oft-used term is “KMS”. But, what does KMS mean? And as parents, how should we approach this subject?
KMS Explained
KMS, an acronym standing for "kill myself", or its related term "KYS" which means "kill yourself", is frequently mentioned in online conversations. This may sound deeply troubling, but it's essential to understand that it's not always used in a literal sense. Younger generations, such as Gen Z, are known to casually use such expressions to talk about inconvenient or awkward situations. A typical example might sound like, "I accidentally liked one of my ex’s old insta posts, kms."
Context is Key
Engaging Your Kids on Their Terms
- “What’s a new word you and your friends are into right now?”
- “When I was your age, people would say something was ‘all that and a bag of chips’ if it was awesome. What’s your favorite word to describe something as cool?”
- “I know emojis can mean something different to kids than they do to parents. Are there any emojis I use that you think I should stop using?”
- “If you could describe yourself using just one emoji, which one would you pick?”
The idea is to open lines of communication, understand how they communicate, and make them aware of the potential impact their words may have on others.