Website helps parents safely navigate kids social media sites

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Kids are constantly interacting on social media sites and some have even found ways to elude their parents with slang terms. However, now the parents are getting some help keeping up.

Kim Adam is the mother of a 7-and a 9-year-old, and her kids are allowed to use a family cellphone in certain situations.

“If they go to a friend’s house they can borrow that, but it’s not theirs, it is the family’s phone,” said Adam.

But Adam said it’s only a matter of time before they get their own.

“My husband and I have talked about it,” said Adam.

Keeping an eye on your kid is one thing but what is a parent to do when their kid purposely uses slang terms to deceive them?

So News 8 decided to put Adam to the test and showed her a series of acronyms kids are using, to see if she could decipher them.

Kim only saw a fraction of the acronyms kids use to talk to their friends but there is a website that can help and it’s called carefulparents.com.

“Our goal was to create a site that could truly be a social network for parents where they could not have to know what they are looking for but visit the site, search the different topics and share information they may already know,” said John Michels, founder of carefulparents.com.

The website has been around for six months and parents can find information about a wide range of topics. Plus, parents are able to add information.

“We want to encourage parents to interact with the site and make it more of a valuable resource by contributing what they already know themselves,” said Michels.

For Adam, she is still in the early stages of figuring out how to manage her kids’ social networking sites but she said it’s never too early to start taking action.

“I need to get informed when that period comes and if I see them I will be researching them. It’s good information,” said Adam.

The website is free to join; all you need is an email account. But the website should be used in conjunction with direct conversations with your kids.

Here are some of the acronyms kids are using:

IWSN- I want sex now

GNOC-Get naked on camera

NIFOC-Naked in front of computer

PIR-Parent in room

CU46-See you for sex

53X-Sex

9-Parent watching

99-Parent gone

1174′-Party meeting place

POS-Parent over shoulder

SUGARPIC-Suggestive or Erotic photo

IPN-I’m posting naked

WTTP-Want to trade pictures

8-Oral Sex

LH6-Let’s have sex