Think about the last time you were in a meeting. You knew your boss was annoyed not because of what they said, but because they crossed their arms and sighed. In the digital world, our kids don't have arms to cross or sighs to hear. Instead, they have "Digital Body Language."

Digital body language is the aggregate of all the non-verbal cues we send through screens. It’s the difference between "Okay," "ok," and "K." It’s the decision to leave someone on "Read" for three hours versus replying instantly. It’s using a specific emoji to signal irony rather than sincerity.

For us, a period at the end of a sentence is just good grammar. For a kid on Discord or Snapchat, a period at the end of a one-word text is the digital equivalent of a door slam. If your kid says someone is being "salty" or "mid" or "so Ohio" (which basically means weird or cringey, don't ask why, it just is), they are often reacting to these subtle shifts in digital tone.

We’ve all seen the "Group Chat Meltdown." It usually starts with a misunderstanding. Someone posts a joke, someone else takes it seriously, a third person uses the wrong emoji, and suddenly three kids are crying and someone’s been kicked out of the group.

Kids are digital natives, but they aren't born with the emotional intelligence to navigate a medium that strips away 90% of human communication (facial expressions, tone of voice, posture). Teaching them digital body language isn't just about "being nice"—it’s about preventing unnecessary social anxiety and helping them build resilient friendships.

If you want to help your kid, you have to understand the rules of the road. Here is the current "vibe check" on digital tone:

In a professional email, a period is a period. In a text to a friend, a period is an "attitude."

Emojis don't always mean what they look like.

On apps like WhatsApp or iMessage, kids can see when a message is "Delivered" versus "Read." Leaving someone on "Read" is a power move. It tells the other person, "I saw your message, and you aren't a priority." Teaching your kid to manage these expectations—or even better, to turn off Read Receipts—is a major digital wellness win.

Learn more about the psychology of "Read Receipts"

Sometimes the best way to talk about digital drama is to watch or read about someone else's. Here are a few picks that model (or hilariously fail at) digital communication:

Ages 7+ This movie is a masterpiece of modern family dynamics. It perfectly captures the "digital divide" between parents and kids. Use it to talk about how the daughter, Katie, uses her devices to express herself and why her dad finds it so hard to connect with that.

Ages 14+ (Parents should watch first) This is the "raw" version of digital body language. It shows the crushing weight of trying to look "cool" on Instagram while feeling like a mess in real life. It’s a great conversation starter for older teens about the performative nature of digital life.

Ages 8-12 Greg Heffley is the king of misinterpreting social cues. Whether it's through his journals or his interactions, it’s a low-stakes way to discuss how "what we say" isn't always "what people hear."

Ages 6+ A literal deep dive into the internet. It covers everything from viral fame to the toxicity of "the comments section." It’s a great way to show younger kids how words on a screen can have real-world impact.

At this age, kids are usually just starting on Roblox or Minecraft.

This is the "Danger Zone" for digital drama. Snapchat streaks and group chats are life.

Teens are navigating dating and complex social hierarchies.

Let’s be real: your kid is going to mess this up. They are going to send a snarky text they regret. They are going to get their feelings hurt by a "seen" message that was actually just a friend being busy.

The biggest mistake we make as parents is dismissing their digital stress. If your kid is upset because a friend didn't put a "heart" emoji on their photo, don't say "That's stupid, it's just an app." To them, that heart is a social "nod" in the hallway. When you dismiss the medium, you dismiss the emotion.

Instead, validate the feeling: "It sucks when you feel ignored. Do you think they're actually mad, or could they just be at soccer practice?"

Check out our guide on how to talk to your kids about "cancel culture" in school

Try these conversation starters next time you're in the car:

Digital body language is a skill, not an instinct. We spent years teaching our kids to say "please" and "thank you" and to look people in the eye. Now, we have to teach them how to be kind in a world of 280 characters and disappearing photos.

The goal isn't to make them perfect digital communicators—it's to make them intentional ones. If they can learn to stop and think, "How is the person on the other side of this screen going to feel when they read this?", they’re already ahead of most adults.

Ask our chatbot for a script to help your kid exit a toxic group chat