Confused at some new lingo or reference from your student? Let the Culture Translator help you out! With trends shifting on a weekly basis, it is impossibly to keep up on your own!

This week: Timothée Chalamet Hates Opera, Harry Styles' New Album, and Donna Kelce's Remodel

Parents are often asking for genuine advice on what to do for their teen that is struggling or going through a difficult season. If you’re a parent of a teen, it’s only a matter of time before your son or daughter experiences disappointment, loss, or gets hurt. Whether it’s not making the team they worked so hard for, breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or not getting the exact outcome they had hoped for, as parents, our hearts hurt with them, and we want to make that hurt stop as soon as possible! But please consider these three immediate steps when your teen is hurting.

It’s the dawn of a new year—but also, a new technological era. In 2025, AI crossed a critical threshold, moving beyond novelty and becoming nearly inescapable. This past year, adults began to see what many young people have understood their whole lives: these technologies will likely be the defining issue of our time.

The year 2025 shed light on how streaming, music, and social media trends will be shaped by generative AI. The influencer economy weakened. The cost of living went up, while it became harder to get an entry-level job. Sports betting skyrocketed. Mental health diagnoses rose. TikTok was banned—and then it wasn’t. The Dodgers, powered by a player who can pitch as well as he hits, took a second World Series. Oh, and people still talked about Taylor Swift and Sydney Sweeney—a lot.

Parents, here are some after school conversation starters you can use to engage with your kids!