The Day I Learned "Beef" Isn't Just For Dinner: A Parent's Guide

byMonse

949 followers

2 months ago

Hello Wealthy Affiliate Community!

Remember when I wrote about understanding different generations' language? Well, I just got a masterclass in why that matters—courtesy of my teenager and a very confusing conversation about beef.

The Beef Incident

Picture this: My daughter comes home from school and casually drops this bomb:

Her: "And then mom, I thought she had beef with me."

Me: "What? You had beef at school?"

Her: "I don't know why she has beef with me in math class."

Me: "You're eating beef in class?! Not at lunch?"

Cue: My daughter's confused stare, followed by uncontrollable laughter, followed by her calling me "old."

Plot twist: "Beef" apparently means "having a problem with someone."

Who knew?

The Reality Check

Here I am, writing about generational language differences like I'm some kind of expert, and I'm over here thinking my kid's classmate is running an underground cafeteria in math class.

This is exactly why keeping up with language evolution isn't just for content creators—it's survival for parents, managers, and anyone who needs to communicate with humans under 30.

Lost in Translation: A Daily Occurrence

This isn't my first rodeo with Gen Z vocabulary confusion. My greatest hits include:

"No cap"

• What I thought: Something about hats?
• What it means: "No lie" / "For real"
• How I embarrassed myself: Told my kid to wear a cap outside

"Slay"

• What I thought: Something violent
• What it means: Doing something exceptionally well
• How I embarrassed myself: Asked if everything was okay when she said she "slayed her presentation"

"It's giving..."

• What I thought: Incomplete sentence
• What it means: "It has the vibe of..." or "It reminds me of..."
• How I embarrassed myself: Kept waiting for her to finish the sentence

"Bussin'"

• What I thought: Transportation related?
• What it means: Really good (usually food)
• How I embarrassed myself: Asked if she needed a ride

The Generational Language Gap Is REAL

What kills me is how CONFIDENT I was that we were talking about actual beef. Like, in my world, beef is:

1. A type of meat
2. Something you eat
3. Occasionally what's for dinner

In her world, beef is:

1. Conflict
2. Drama
3. A reason someone's giving you side-eye in math class

Zero overlap. None. Zilch.

Why This Matters for Content Creators

If I can completely misunderstand my own teenager using one simple word, imagine what's happening with your content when you're trying to reach Gen Z and GenZ alpha.

You might think you're saying: "This product is amazing!"

They might be hearing: "This old person is trying too hard and doesn't understand me."

The gap is THAT real.

My New Survival Strategy

I've started keeping a running list on my phone titled "Words That Don't Mean What I Think They Mean."

Current entries:

• Beef = problem/conflict ✓
• Slaps = really good (usually music)
• Hits different = uniquely impactful
• Rent-free = constantly thinking about something
• Main character energy = confident, protagonist vibes
• Understood the assignment = nailed it perfectly

I'm basically creating my own Gen Z dictionary, one humiliating conversation at a time.

The Silver Lining

My daughter now finds it hilarious to teach me new slang, which means:

1. We're actually talking more
2. I'm getting insider Gen Z intelligence
3. She thinks I'm trying (even if I'm failing)

Plus, it's given me endless material for understanding why generational content targeting matters so much.

What I've Learned

Lesson 1: Never assume you know what younger generations mean—even with simple words.

Lesson 2: The language gap isn't about being "old"—it's about different communication ecosystems.

Lesson 3: If you're creating content for Gen Z and you're not Gen Z, you NEED a translator. (I volunteer my teenager as tribute.)

Lesson 4: Humility is your friend. Ask questions. Look foolish. Learn.

Lesson 5: When in doubt, just ask: "Wait, are we talking about actual beef or metaphorical beef?"

The Content Creator Takeaway

If I can't understand my own kid without a translator, what makes us think we can create compelling content for Gen Z without doing serious homework?

This is why I always say: Don't guess at language—test it, verify it, and when possible, get someone from that generation to review it.

Because nothing kills credibility faster than using "beef" wrong in your content and having your entire Gen Z audience screenshot it for the group chat.

Your Turn

Parent confession time: What's the most confusing slang your kid/young employee has used? Drop it in the comments and let's build a community translation guide together.

Bonus points if you also thought they were talking about food.

P.S. My daughter says this post "slaps" and that I "understood the assignment." I'm taking that as a win, even though I had to confirm what both phrases meant before I could feel good about it.

P.P.S. She also said I "ate" with this post. I... I still don't fully understand that one. But apparently it's good?

Send help. And a Gen Z dictionary.

Next time: I'll share the complete list of Gen Z phrases that sound like one thing but mean something completely different. Because apparently, we need a whole series on this.

See you in the comments—where I'll probably learn 10 more words I've been using wrong!