They're being groomed. Not in the traditional sense, but digitally by algorithms designed to manipulate their identity. TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Discord these platforms aren't just "where they hang out." They're the loudest voices in your child's life right now. And those voices? They're smart. Slick.

Often disguised as "funny," "motivational," or "alpha male truth bombs." But what they're really doing is hijacking your child's need for identity, certainty, and connection and selling them a worldview that's cold, cruel, and addictive.

It starts with jokes. Then it becomes identity. Then it becomes worldview. Teens start echoing words like "red pill," "sigma," or "high value woman" because it feels powerful. But behind the meme is a message:

"Emotions make you weak." "Women are objects." "Compassion is for losers." "Real men dominate or get dominated."

Sound dramatic? It's not. This content is engineered to be addictive, empowering, and radicalising one post at a time.

Your teen is out in a wild sea of opinions, performance pressure, and nonstop digital chaos. The influencers yelling at them to "be a Chad" or "reject the woke mob" are offering certainty and teens crave certainty. So when you speak, you need to be the one voice that says:

"You don't need to prove yourself to earn love." "You don't have to act tough to be worthy." "You're not weak for feeling things. You're human."

The Long Game Wins

Sometimes you won't get the perfect response. Sometimes you'll feel like nothing landed.

But every time you stay grounded… Every time you choose understanding over control… You're building the trust they'll need later when the real questions come.

The goal is to raise a human who knows the difference between borrowed power… …and real integrity.

Teen Slang - From Harmless to Harmful

Common & Harmless (Usually)

Rizz Charisma or flirt game. "He's got rizz" means he's smooth or charming.
Thirst Trap A sexy or flirty photo posted to attract attention online. Used both playfully and critically.
Delulu Short for "delusional," often self-deprecating. "I'm delulu thinking he'll text back." Used as a way to laugh off disappointment.
Main Character Energy A person acting like they're the star of the show. Confident, dramatic, or attention-grabbing.
Glow-Up A positive transformation, usually in looks or confidence. "He had a massive glow-up after Year 10."
Dry Texter Someone who texts with no enthusiasm or effort. "He just said 'k'—such a dry texter."

Concerning or Influencer-Driven (Alarm Bells)

Sigma Male A twisted evolution of "alpha male." Sigmas are supposedly lone wolves who reject societal rules and dominate on their own terms. Huge red flag. Promoted heavily by toxic masculinity influencers. Often used to excuse emotional coldness, antisocial behaviour, or lack of empathy.
High Body Count Used to judge or shame women based on the number of people they've slept with. Deeply misogynistic. Reinforces double standards and purity culture.
For the Streets A derogatory phrase suggesting a woman is promiscuous or unworthy of respect. Sexist and dehumanising. Common in Andrew Tate and Sneako's communities.
Red Pill Originally from The Matrix, but now used to describe "waking up" to a reality where women are manipulative, society is unfair to men, and masculinity is under attack. Code for entering the misogynist pipeline. If a teen says they've "taken the red pill," serious intervention is needed.
Chad The "ideal man" according to toxic internet culture. Good-looking, dominant, gets all the girls. Used to mock or idolise others. Can lead to unhealthy comparisons or envy.
Femcel / Stacy / Trad Wife Slang from incel communities to categorise women as undesirable (femcel), overly desirable and shallow (Stacy), or submissive and obedient (trad wife). These are not neutral terms. They come from toxic online subcultures and should be challenged immediately.
Beta / Cuck Insults aimed at men seen as weak, respectful to women, or not traditionally masculine. Designed to shame empathy and emotional intelligence.
Alpha Grindset / Hustle Culture Obsession with power, dominance, and making money, often tied to crypto, AI scams, or pyramid schemes. Can lead to teens being exploited or scammed.
Woke Mob / NPCs / Sheeple Used to dismiss anyone who holds progressive views or questions problematic behaviour. Often used to shut down conversations or excuse hate speech.
GYATT Exaggerated slang for someone's curves or butt—usually yelled in reaction videos or comments. Often sexualises young girls. Red flag if used in school settings or toward peers.
Skibidi Rizzler / Skibidi Sigma Silly-sounding, meme-fueled combos that make dangerous ideas sound like a joke. Used to mask toxic beliefs under layers of irony.

Red Flag Phrases to Watch Like a Hawk

Phrase	Translation	What It Really Means
"Red Pill"	"Woke up to the truth"	Misogynist pipeline initiation
"For the streets"	"She's trash"	Sexist slut-shaming
"Sigma Male"	"Lone wolf alpha"	Emotionless domination fantasy
"High Value Woman"	"Deserves me"	Control masked as preference
"Beta/Cuck"	"Weak man"	Used to shame kindness/empathy
"Trad Wife"	"Obedient girl"	Anti-woman propaganda
"NPC / Sheeple"	"Follower"	Used to silence empathy or truth

Understanding these phrases is crucial for parents to identify when their teens might be exposed to harmful content online.

These terms aren't just slang - they're entry points to potentially dangerous ideologies that can shape how young people view relationships, gender roles, and their own identity.

When you hear these phrases, it's important to approach the conversation with curiosity rather than judgment. Ask where they heard it, what they think it means, and use it as an opportunity to discuss the underlying messages these terms carry.

Remember that many teens repeat these phrases without fully understanding their origins or implications. Your goal isn't to shame them but to help them develop critical thinking skills about the content they consume online.

What’s Actually Going On

Your teen’s not turning into a jerk, they’re shape-shifting. Right now, they’re under pressure to be someone. And fast.

Online, there’s no room for uncertainty. No space to figure it out slowly. So they start trying on identities like outfits, seeing what gets a reaction, what makes them feel powerful, what helps them belong. That’s not evil. It’s survival.

They’re not aiming to hurt anyone. They’re just navigating a world where being bold, even if it’s toxic, feels safer than being unsure. If your son parrots something like:

"She's for the streets," or "I'm on my sigma grind," he's not trying to hurt anyone.

He's saying: "I'm trying to figure out who I am." "I want to sound strong." "I want to belong." And if you shut it down with shame or panic? He just learned:

"Okay, I can't be real with you." And next time, he'll hide it better.

What Your Teen Actually Needs

Not perfection. Not digital fluency. Just presence.
You don't need to "get" every meme or decode every trend. You just need to be:
The calm in the chaos.
The soft landing when the world gets hard.
The only voice in their life that won't make them feel stupid, gross, or beyond help.

Because here's the truth

When they drop those words, they're not testing your rules. They're testing your capacity to love them through the confusion.
Your job is to show them:
"Yes. I see you. And I'm strong enough to hold this with you." "I'm not afraid of what you're becoming. But I will fight to make sure it's really you not some algorithm's version of you."

How to Handle It When It Happens

Let's say your teen repeats something toxic. Here's a framework to guide you no panic, no lectures, just grounded parenting:

Pause and Breathe

Your first reaction is often emotional. That's okay. But don't lead with it. Responding with calm is how you keep the door open. "Okay. I'm hearing that word, and I want to understand where it's coming from."

Ask, Don't Accuse

Curiosity disarms. Judgement closes doors. "Where did you come across that?" "Do you know what that phrase actually means, or just repeating it from a video?" "What do you think about what that guy was saying?" You're not playing dumb you're creating space.

Offer Context Without Condemnation

Most teens don't know the origins. They just know it "sounds cool." "That term? It was actually made up by a group that treats women like property. That doesn't sound like you." "I get that it feels powerful. That's on purpose. These creators are trying to hook you and yeah, it's working on a lot of people." No blame. Just truth.

Stay With Them

This is the part many miss. Teens need to wrestle with this stuff and they need someone to do it with. "You're smart. You're strong. I trust that. I just want to make sure the voice you're following is actually yours." Let them know you're not going anywhere, even if they push back.

The MANipulation Pipeline (And How It Works).