In your quest to understand your kid’s lingo, you may have come across them using the term ‘Menty B’ and wondered what it refers to. ‘Menty B’ is a slang term that has been getting popular among the younger generation. This short term is in fact, slang for ‘Mental Breakdown’.
Unravelling The Mystery: What is Menty B?
'Menty B' is a product of the Gen Z (Generation Z) humor trend where they use humor to lighten the gravity of mental health struggles. Instead of directly expressing their emotional turmoil, they use slightly opaque slang terms like 'Menty B' to reference these difficult phases. For instance, a Gen Z kid might say, “I’m going through a breakup and I’m failing chemistry — don’t mind me just having a little menty b.”The lightheartedness of the phrase downplays the seriousness of what the person might be going through at the moment.
Why Talk About Slang?
How To Initiate a Conversation About Slang
- “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?”
This approach not only helps you understand what certain phrases mean, but also encourages your child to share their experiences, fostering an open and engaging conversation. So next time you hear a new slang from your child, rather than dismissing it, delve deeper, it’s a valuable insight into your child’s world!