From Marcy Zitz,

Your Guide to Family Internet.

about.com

Acronyms are an abbreviation that is formed with the first letter of each word in a phrase. They have made their way into the English language as common language that becomes a new word. For instance the word "laser" is commonly used to describe an intense beam of light but it is actually an acronym that stands for lightwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Acronyms are used extensively in online chat conversations and Instant Messaging (IM) as a short cut to typing an entire expression. Not only is this done to save time, children use them to "secretly" communicate even when a parent is standing in the room (for instance POS (Parent Over Shoulder) is typed by a teen to let their chat partner know that their parent just walked in the room).

Bully Proof Your Kids

Bullies. Every school has them. They taunt, tease, shove, and beat up other kids. Indirect bullying -- where kids are ignored or excluded -- can be just as devastating as a physical assault, say experts.

To Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Center, bullying is "one of the most underrated but enduring problems in schools today." In the U.S., surveys show that as many as one in four kids say they've been bullied recently in school. Kids may be afraid or ashamed to tell adults about a bully. Some parents don't intervene because they think kids should work it out on their own. What can you do to help your kids protect themselves from a bully? * Encourage your kids to tell you, a teacher, or another adult when they're having a problem. It's important for them to let someone know early, before the situation escalates.