Maybe it was all those Nancy Drew books I read as a kid, but I've always thought secret codes and languages were kind of cool and fun. So those typically acronym-filled Mommy Message Boards never bothered me, but apparently they're seriously frustrating/obnoxious to some people, particularly non-moms whose everyday vocabulary isn't peppered with terms like attachment parenting and chorionic villus sampling.
I get it, especially considering that so much of the abbreviated lexicon requires a double translation for the uninitiated:
First, the actual words corresponding to each letter in the acronym; second, a sort of layman's version of the definition.
In an attempt to open the lines of cross-demographic acronym understanding, we've made the following list ...
7 Mommy Message Board Terms, Translated
1. WAHM
Actual meaning: Work-at-home mom
Non-mom translation: Tears her hair out all day trying to not get fired and keep children alive/fed/entertained at the same time mom
2. WOHM
Actual meaning: Work-out-of-home mom
Non-mom translation: Tears her hair out all day trying to not get fired and make sure children are being kept alive/fed/entertained at the same time mom
3. WM
Actual meaning: Working mom
Non-mom translation: EVERY MOM IS A WORKING MOM!
4. LAM
Actual meaning: Lactational amennorhea method; referring to natural infertility while breastfeeding
Non-mom translation: Form of "birth control" that really works -- unless you really need it to work
5. NAK
Actual meaning: Nursing at keyboard
Non-mom translation: The only way a nursing mom can ever spend a few minutes on the computer
6. BD
Actual meaning: Baby dancing (sex for conception)
Non-mom translation: Sex as a chore
7. DH
Actual meaning: Darling husband
Non-mom translation: That amazing man who fathered your child; alternate meaning: That amazingly dense man who fathered your child but snores right through the child's crying jag at 2 a.m.
What are some of your favorite Mommy Message Board acronyms? What do they REALLY mean to you?
Image via Ernst Vikne/Flickr
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Comments 24
You know how long it took me to catch on what DD, DS, DH and all that crap was? I sort of enjoy typing in English. It baffles me why others don't!
And is it too hard to ask for a definition if you don't get it?
Are you ignorant? You do understand Non-Mothers still have Husbands? What makes you think they wouldn't?
I am new to this message board/ community thing, and I really don't get the whole abbreviating thing let alone understand what some of them are. I attempted to use it in a post and it felt odd. I want people to understand what I am saying without having to try and solve an acronym puzzle.
I constantly tell my kids to use full words in thier texts to me and to not text talk so finding it (text talk) here dissapointed me a little. I want to talk to people using real words.
When you are NAK (nursing at the keyboard) those acronyms are wonderful! :) I don't use them very often, unless I am in a big hurry.
What is SMH??
Anyway I agree with Ashjo85..
Smh ~ Shake my head
Smdh ~ shake my damn head ( use only when really really confused) ha ha
Yeah I use NONE of these acronyms and I'm a mother who uses message boards.....I had no clue what about 99% of those meant at first glance. weird.