What Is the ‘Yes You Can’ Trend?

“This ‘yes you can trend’ isn’t just cringe, it’s dangerous,” TikToker Jill (@gracefullgrit) shared this week. Teens and tweens, she revealed, are posting videos on TikTok saying things like, “Can you sneak out at 2 a.m. to meet a guy twice your age? Yes, yes you can.” Or, “Can you get in his car though your gut says no? Yes, yes you can.”

“This isn’t empowerment. This is not cute,” Jill says in the video. “This is straight up predator bait.”

Apparently, these videos have millions of views with comments “full of girls cheering each other on, romanticizing risky behavior and literally encouraging one another to ignore every red flag,” she continues.

In the caption, Jill adds, “This isn’t a warning. It’s a wake-up call.”

Search “Yes You Can” on TikTok and you’ll find several videos from young girls promoting problematic behavior. Like “I can’t fw a 2013,” which either refers to someone born in 2013 (which would make them about 12-years-old now) or refers to a 13-year-old dating a 20-year-old (20/13).

How Parents Feel About This Trend

This trend is extremely worrying. Encouraging others to engage in dangerous behavior against their own gut instincts is not OK, and the fact that the videos are drawing supportive and positive comments from other teen and tween girls proves how much the trend is resonating with these girls. Parents are rightly alarmed about this.

“This is why I don’t let my kids have any type of social media,” one concerned mom wrote. Another commented, “Can you get grounded for your whole life? Yes! Yes you can!”

Still, others pointed out in the comments that these type of videos are “rage bait” or “satire.” Videos like these are intended to draw comments, even if they are criticisms, to increase views. This, in turn, can make the creators more money if their TikToks are monetized. Still, not every teen or tween is going to realize that this is intended to make people mad online and might take it as encouragement for doing these risky behaviors.

Many Teens Don’t Like It Either

Some teens are calling out this behavior. Like one girl who wrote, “as a 2007 being 17, and also being a 14-15 yr old making thirst traps, we should not be enabling this trend I feel like its calling to creeps and allowing the younger generations to overly sexualize themselves.”

Another girl posted that the trend “needs to stop.” They continued, “Like dawg im 13 and all I see are pick me ahh people doing it I agree that it’s weird and their literally promoting pedo but we’re NOT ALL LIKE THAT.”

Girls Are at Risk

Teen girls are already vulnerable to dangerous behavior. A CDC report found that nearly 3 in 5 US teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, with nearly 1 in 3 seriously considering attempting suicide; 1 in 5 reported experiencing sexual violence in the past year; and more than 1 in 10 reported being forced to have sex in the past. All of these numbers are up compared to prior years.

According to RAINN, 1 in 9 girls (and 1 in 20 boys) under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault, with 82% of all victims under 18 female. Additionally, females ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.

The last thing teen girls need is a trend that encourages them to fall for dangerous and abusive behavior, whether it’s intended to be a joke or not.  

Before you go, see what these celebs have said about the teachers who inspired them.

What Is a Holy Airball?

One mom on TikTok @_bekahshopp20_ asked, “what tf does #holyfknairball mean? Like I feel extremely confused.” In the comments, people came through for her, explaining that an airball is a term used in basketball.

“An airball is when you shoot a basketball but it doesn’t go in/ it isn’t close to the net at all,” one person explained. “So the trend is about someone shooting their shot and being rejected (not making the shot). I hope that makes sense lol”

Another person explained, “in TikTok just like in basketball it means a misinterpretation or like a completely different thing from what ur talking about (basically a miss ).”

Know Your Meme explained that the term derived from expressions of shock like “holy cow,” using it to mean a huge misunderstanding of something another person told them. So in the trend, teens are sharing stories of how they are talking about something, and someone else completely misinterprets what they meant. It’s usually joking or exaggerated stories, accompanied by Jeezy’s “Soul Survivor” on TikTok and usually accompanied by pictures or videos of the receipts to make it even funnier.

Holy Airball Examples

Like this TikToker, who wrote, “told her I love cheating.” Then, “She said, ‘me too I cheated on my ex.’”

Then he shared a picture of his phone with test answers on it, showing that he was talking about cheating at school and not in relationships, adding “#holyfknairball”

Another girl wrote, “Told him I was going on a run. He said, ‘oh I love girls who do cardio.’”

She added, “Holy air ball … I’m going on a run for Taco Bell,” with a picture of her holding a bag of tacos.

Even celebrities have gotten in on the trend, like Julianne Hough. The Dancing with the Stars pro wrote, “Told him I like to dance. He said ‘oh cute, as a kid?’”

“#HOLYAIRBALL” she added, with a video montage of her professionally dancing now.

Other Teen Slang

Teen slang is confusing for those of us born in the 1900s, so we’ve compiled a handy guide of all things we’ve heard Gen Z saying online and IRL. Check out the list HERE for more head-scratching terms and their meanings (… as best as we can figure out!).

Before you go, check out how these celebrity parents’ tales about teaching their teens how to drive.

Harvard has more than 100 self-paced, online courses that teens can enroll in this summer for free. (Did we mention it’s free? Summer camp could never.) The topics vary widely, from the generic to the incredibly specific. For example, they could sign up for the 11-week intro to computer science course, which covers broad computer science concepts, lessons on thinking algorithmically, and more. Or the Omens, Oracles & Prophecies class, which looks at different divination systems, from ancient Chinese bone burning to modern astrology.

There are also classes on persuasive writing and public speaking, Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, building resilience by learning to manage anxiety,  18^th century opera, and managing happiness. The options vary as much as your teen’s interests do.

These self-paced classes take a few hours per week and are taught by real Harvard professors. They don’t count toward real college credit, but you can get a Harvard certificate for completed courses for an extra fee. If this is just something to help your teen pursue new passions, they can definitely just sign up for the free version, though.  (By the way, Harvard also offers online courses for anyone for a small fee, like intro to Tai Chi, which is $30.)

With high prices for summer camp and teens stressed about upcoming college applications, these free Harvard classes might be an interesting alternative solution that can help. At the very least, they allow you to explore a new topic risk-free.

Before you go, check out where your favorite celeb parents are sending their kids to college.

Middle school teacher Mr. Lindsay (aka, our favorite “student translator”) attempted to explain Grug on TikTok. When kids talk about Grug, they are referring to one of the main characters from the movie The Croods, voiced by Nicholas Cage.

“In the movie, the character Grug states that there’s a bunch of things that ‘rhymes with Grug,’” Mr. Lindsay says. (The exact line is, “I call it a rug, rhymes with Grug. And this one, I call it a ride, rhymes with Grug.”)

“Now, obviously ride doesn’t actually rhyme with Grug, and that’s kind of the whole point of the meme,” Mr. Lindsay explains.

It’s literally as simple as that. For some reason, that line from this 2013 movie went viral in recent weeks, and teens and tweens started saying, “I call it a [blank]. It rhymes with Grug.” The more ridiculous, risqué, and silly, the better.

According to KnowYourMeme.com, “The trend seemingly started with a video from TikToker @bryan..200, shared on May 3rd. The video showed him dancing to a Jersey Club remix of The Croods main theme, with a text caption reading, ‘How I feel after using my own method to solve the maths problem (it rhymes with grug).’ The video gained over 67,200 likes in three days.” Thus, it kicked off a mega-viral TikTok moment that has spread into tween and teen vernacular.

“There’s some innocent ones out there,” Mr. Lindsay says, “But most of them teeter on the edgy-slash-inappropriate category. For example, ‘I call it a gambling addiction. It rhymes with Grug.” If this is shared with a meme, then a picture of the animated character Grug would be photoshopped over a casino background.

For more examples, check out this thread on the Teenagers But Better subreddit, where someone asked what “rhymes with Grug” means.

One person summed it up, “Grug at one point in the movie, while trying to prove himself a good father, tries ‘inventing’ things, and gives them various names, claiming that their names rhyme with his (which is why he calls them such). The joke is that none of them rhyme with his name until the end which is when he invents ‘hug.’”

Someone else wrote, “I call it inside joke. It rhyme with grug.”

Teen slang is confusing (and more often than not, kinda dumb), but at least this one has innocent origins. Don’t worry, once parents start using it — “I call it doing the dishes. Rhymes with Grug,” — then the trend will likely end pretty soon anyway.

Before you go, check out these hilarous stories about celebs being embarrassed by their kids.

What Are the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer?

AAA calls the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day (the unofficial start and end of the summer) the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” due to the big increase in deadly crashes by teen drivers.

The National Road Safety Foundation says that teens are 20% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash during the 100 Deadliest Days than they are during the rest of the year. The organization recommends talking to your teens about distracted driving (which they say accounts for up to 60% of teen crashes) and modeling good behavior yourself.

“Summer is a more dangerous time for teen drivers because of multiple factors,” Dr. Mandy Neeble Diamond, Ph.D., clinical forensic psychologist, senior clinical advisor at SOBRsafe, and mom of two, tells SheKnows. “These include increased driving time because teens aren’t in school during the day. This also means more social gatherings, more passengers since teens are usually with their friends and with more passengers comes more distractions.”

She adds that increased traffic also plays a factor in more accidents. “Parents need to prepare their teen for the responsibility of driving and create as many safeguards as they can,” Dr. Diamond continues.

Stats on Teen Driving

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens ages 16-19 than any other age group. (Yes, this includes forgetful grandparents with bad eyesight.) Seriously, though, car crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens — with approximately 3,048 teens ages 13-19 killed in the U.S. in car crashes in 2023 alone, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  

Newly licensed teens, males, and teens driving with other teens or young adult passengers are at even higher risk for a motor vehicle accident, according to the CDC. This is usually due to inexperience, not wearing a seat belt, speeding, driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and driving while distracted.

Zutobi, a driver’s education app, released a Teen Driver’s Report last year that found 3,082 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers (ages 15-20) in 2022 (the most recent year data is available). It’s heartbreaking.

“When school’s out, teens are on the road more often,” Lucas Waldenbäck, co-founder of Zutobi, tells SheKnows. “They’re driving to part-time jobs, social events, road trips — usually with friends in the car and often late at night. Without the structure of a school year, they also drive more freely and sometimes less cautiously. And because they’re still gaining experience, all that added time behind the wheel comes with more risk.”

Different Factors Influence Teen Driving Safety

A recent study by iSharing looked at teen driver fatalities, fatal crashes involving young drivers ages 15-20, and road quality across U.S. states. They found that New Hampshire ranks first for teen driver safety, with the lowest fatality rate per 10k licensed young drivers and minimal fatal crashes. Rhode Island and West Virginia (ranked #3 and #4, respectively) had varying road quality that impacted teen driver safety, despite their overall safety rating. And New Jersey, ranked #2 for safety, still had over 120 teen driver fatalities annually.

“States that prioritize teen driver safety typically share a focus on both education and road infrastructure,” a spokesperson from iSharing said in a statement. “It’s clear that a well-rounded approach, which includes effective driver education, better road conditions, and policies to reduce impaired driving, is essential to minimizing teen accidents. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, addressing these key areas consistently can help create safer driving environments for young people.”

Distracted Driving

USAA conducted data from their SafePilot telematics app, which tracks everything from harsh braking to phone distractions, and found these states to have the highest distraction rates for teen drivers, per a May 2025 press release:

On the other hand, these states had the lowest distraction rates for teen drivers:

According to a survey conducted by USAA in 2024, the company’s SafePilot app has effectively reduced poor driving habits in teens through real-time feedback and increased awareness. According to the survey, 87% of parents felt their child’s driving improved since using the app, as teens were more observant of speed limits, less distracted by their phones, and had more awareness of other drivers.

More Practice

Inexperienced drivers are more dangerous on the road. A new study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) published in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that there is “statistically significant evidence” that increased driving practice for teen drivers can reduce the number of crashes and close calls. The study was done by analyzing in-car monitors over 22 months between 2011-2014 and found that those who practiced had 30% fewer accidents.

“Teens that practice driving, especially in a variety of environments, throughout their learner’s permit stage help reduce their crash risk and improve safety outcomes once they are out driving on their own,” Charlie Klauer, research scientist at VTTI and lead author of the study, said in a statement.

Additionally findings showed that teens who shared a family car had fewer risky driving behaviors than those with their own vehicles; teens who had more supervised driving in diverse conditions experienced fewer crashes when they began driving independently; and in Virginia, many of the teens didn’t meet the required 45 hours of driving time during their permit phase.

How to Talk to Your Teens About Safe Driving

“Open communication is key,” Dr. Diamond says. “Teens don’t want to feel that they are being preached to and many times disregard what their parents say when they feel it’s just more rules, or their parents are just trying to scare them.”

She recommends having “short, to the point, direct conversations.” This might look like showing them news articles of teens who have been in accidents to express your concerns, giving them clear expectations of how you expect them to drive, and relaying the consequences that you’ll implement if they aren’t safe.

“Tell your teen that they have to not just drive for themselves but for everyone else on the road as well,” Dr. Diamond explains. Emphasize the importance of remaining alert and avoiding distractions. “This includes looking at their phone, changing their music, and/or reaching for something out of their bag,” she continues. “Remind them to always wear their seatbelt, don’t follow other cars too closely, don’t speed, and always be aware of their surroundings.”

Remind your teen that there are legal consequences to reckless driving as well. “Also, I think it’s so important to tell your kids that no matter what, they are to never drink and drive,” she adds. “Not even one sip. And if they do, to know they can always call you, and you will go get them no questions asked.”

Tech to Help

Utilize technology to help keep your teens safe this summer. Waldenbäck suggests using the Zutobi app that turns learning how to drive into a game.

“If your teen is more visual or tech-minded, tools like consequence simulations in the Zutobi app can really help,” he says. “They show what happens when drivers make poor choices; a great way to teach without lecturing.”

Dr. Diamond recommends using the Life360 app with your kids, which tracks their location at all times. “It shows exactly where your teen is, how fast they drive, any reckless braking, accelerated starts, and what time they leave and arrive at locations. I use it with my twins, and it’s amazing.”

She also suggests getting the SOBRsure bracelet, which gives parents 100% certainty that their teen has had nothing to drink before they drive. “Most teens experiment with drinking and during the summer there are more social gatherings, more parties, and more alcohol use,” she says, adding that the bracelet “provides a peace of mind and security that all teens and their parents need.”

“I believe it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Dr. Diamond adds. And when it comes to teen driving during the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, you can never be too safe!

Before you go, check out how these celebrity parents’ tales about teaching their teens how to drive.

Best Acne Products for Teens at a Glance

Best Overall: Ever Eden Clear Skin Trio, $41 (originally $51)
Best Azelaic Acid Product: REN Radiance Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, $40
Best Benzoyl Peroxide Product for Acne: PanOxyl Maximum Strength Antimicrobial Acne Foaming Wash, $10
Best Salicylic Acid Acne Product: The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Cleanser, $13
Best Viral Acne Product: Bubble Skincare Super Clear Acne Serum, $16
Best Overnight Acne Product: Mighty Patch, $8
Best Set: The Ordinary – The Acne Set, $16
Best Face-Cleansing Product for Acne: Dermalogica Acne Clearing Skin Wash, $45
Best Exfoliating Acne Product: Tula Detox in a Jar, $48
Best Moisturizer for Acne: Avéne Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream, $42
Best Sunscreen for Acne: Elta MD UV Clear Face Sunscreen, $41
Best Extra-Strength Acne Treatment: Murad Deep Relief Acne Treatment, $45
Best Acne Product for Girls: Period Faace Face Mask, $35

Luckily for today’s teens, gone are the days of certain peach-based scrubs and celeb-backed acne treatments. There’s far more information out there today, and far gentler, more effective solutions to teenage acne.

How We Picked The Best Acne Products for Teens

To learn more about skincare products for acne, I spoke with Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital and medical advisor of Jori Skincare. According to Dr. Zeichner, consensus guidelines for treating acne recommend using multiple topical agents to target different aspects of acne.

When acne erupts, four main issues are at play, according to the American Skin Association: follicles are the face are blocked by skin cell debris, the skin around the follicles becomes inflamed, sebaceous glands are spurred to produce more oil and bacteria develops within the follicles. Topical treatments are considered pretty effective for mild to moderate acne on their own — or in conjunction with doctor-prescribed treatments like antibiotics. Dr. Zeichner chose products that contain some of the most active ingredients on the market for tackling the culprits causing your kid’s face to break out — stuff like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and zinc, plus oil-free moisturizing agents to soothe and prevent irritation.

Read on for Dr. Zeichner’s favorite products for fighting acne in teens.

Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. REN Skincare is a SheKnows sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

The “Senior Assassin” game works like this: High school seniors will go around neighborhoods, parking lots of other stores, and public parks with water guns. I’ve even seen teens walking around a local outdoor mall playing amid the strollers and families shopping. The teens will try to shoot other high school students to eliminate them from the game. They keep track of each other’s locations via the Splashin App. It’s become so popular in recent weeks that even kids in other grades have started playing; SheKnows’ Parenting Editor Rita Templeton says that even her 7th grader and his friends are participating in the trend.

It seems innocent enough (albeit annoying, if you get caught in the crosshairs), but elements of it can be dangerous too. One 17-year-old student named Isaac Leal, a senior at South Grand Prairie High School in Dallas-Fort Worth, was hospitalized after playing the game with his friends on April 20, per NBCDFW.

Police told the outlet that Leal climbed in the back of another student’s Jeep Wrangler while the driver drove. As the Jeep drove, the car hit a dip and Leal fell off, where he was taken to the hospital. Police and the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office found no evidence of criminal offense, driving recklessly, or intentionally trying to harm Leal.

Leal is reportedly on life support after suffering a head injury after the fall, according to KTVT, per USA Today. Isaac Leal’s father, Jose Leal, told the local outlet that he believes what happened “was not an accident” and is calling for further investigation. “I have not been able to go home because I can’t imagine going home without him,” he said.

The game has caused other incidents across the country. Last week, a medical building in Guilford, Connecticut, went into lockdown mode after police received a call that a man was running around with a gun, per Patch. It ended up being a student playing “Senior Assassin” with a water gun that was designed to look like a real Glock.

Guilford Deputy Police Chief Martina Jakober warns teens to play the game outside of school hours, not on school grounds or private property, and with an obvious water gun that is brightly colored, so it won’t be confused with a real gun.

“It is imperative that parents and guardians speak with their seniors about the potential outcomes of their actions when playing this game,” the police said in a statement. “Students should also be mindful that they could face arrest if the level of their actions rises to a crime.”

The Splashin App was designed to create more safety and structure around this game. “Senior Assassin, a long-standing high school tradition since the 1980s, has often lacked structure,” the app states on its website. “Each year players had to reinvent the rules, safety, and gameplay management. Splashin changes this by empowering schools, administrators, and players with tools and sensible, baseline rules to help organize safe and responsible gameplay.”

They added, “With Splashin, schools have the ability to create games, manage players, and enforce rules and safety standards. These tools have allowed schools and parents to engage with their students – enabling them to play safely and responsibly.”

Of course, getting teens to listen to these rules is another battle. But spreading awareness about this game and how teens can play more safely, like with colorful water guns and in public places, can help lower the risk of accidents.

Before you go, check out how these celebrity parents’ tales about teaching their teens how to drive.

In a time of memes, TikToks, and constantly-evolving internet culture, teen slang moves at breakneck speed. So to understand “gurting,” you first have to look back at a (practically-ancient!) meme from all the way back in 2012. This is a joke with someone saying “yogurt,” and a character named Gurt responds, “Yo” as a pun on the word. This meme went viral in 2025, per Know Your Meme, thanks to videos by Juggtok — and from there, evolved even further.

The outlet pointed to an April 2025 TikTok, explaining “new underground slang word” referring to gurting. This user defined it as: “When you do something that’s very smart but also very dangerous.” People used this phrase/definition in videos of animals doing smart, yet dangerous things (risking it for the biscuit, if you will). Now, teens will say they are “gurting” when they do something smart and dangerous.

Now, back to the original “Gurt: Yo” definition of the word. Teens will now make videos or memes, where instead of the character “Gurt” responding “Yo,” he has other responses, like SYBAU, which stands for “shut your b—h a—up” or “What’s up twin?” It’s all very convoluted and confusing.

Educators, like TikTok’s Mr. Lindsay, hears his students saying “gurt” or “gurting” too, but he also has no idea what it really means. It’s so perplexing that even other teens seem confused by this one.

As a millennial who used to participate in the “planking” trend (where you laid flat across various, random surfaces and filmed yourself), I have no room to talk. By the time you wrap your head around gurt, they’ll have moved on to something new anyway!

These celebrity parents are sharing the struggle — and sweetness — of raising teenagers.

One of the latest phrases used by teens — like “Italian brainrot” and “aura farming” — is “six seven” or, as it’s sometimes written, “6-7.” And no, that’s not a math problem that tweens are referencing when they chant the numbers on repeat.

The “six seven” trend has everything to do with the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla. The rap has become a popular audio in TikTok videos and Instagram Reels because of the lyric “6-7,” which could be referencing 67th Street in Chicago and Skrilla’s background.

Saying “six seven” became especially trendy after videos of NBA player LaMelo Ball with “Doot Doot” playing over it started going viral. Why Ball, you ask? Because the Charlotte Hornets player is (you guessed it!) 6′ 7.” Videos with people saying “six seven” (intentionally or otherwise) also get hit with an edit, and other basketball players are even getting in on the joke.

Between the catchy song, the sporty connection, and the funny edits, it’s no wonder the meme has exploded the way it has. The phrase has been spreading like wildfire over social media and among t(w)eens. If their phone is at 67 percent, you know what they are thinking, and if they get a 67 on a test, at least they have an excuse to say “six seven!”

Speaking of tests, the phrase has even infiltrated classrooms. One middle school teacher hilariously explained on TikTok how his students find ways to say it constantly. Another teacher joked that she would be “taking a vow of silence” after she mistakenly got involved.

“My 7th graders just asked me to add 43 + 24,” she wrote over a video where she looked beyond annoyed. “I fell for it.”

Because as soon as that teacher said 67, she must have been met with a chorus of “six seven!”

And to the people on TikTok who are wondering, “Am I officially old if I don’t understand it?” No, you’re only officially old once you turn (say it with me!) 67.

Before you go, check out these celebrity kiddos who love sports.

So what might you be missing, and how does it all go down? For a recall to happen, the brand has to agree that the product is a danger to consumers. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) can issue product warnings at any time, but manufacturing won’t stop until the company in question agrees to a recall. It’s important to remember that just because a company recalled a certain product, that doesn’t mean the entire brand is full of unsafe products, or even that every version of said product is faulty.

A recall could just be of a very specific batch of said product (maybe those produced from May to June or a certain color). And, thankfully, it doesn’t necessarily mean the product caused an injury. Recalls are often a cautionary step that tends to come from consumers reporting issues.

You can always report your own problems at saferproducts.gov and/or read reviews from other customers who may have filed an incident report for a product that hasn’t been recalled. (Yet?)

Below, we have compiled a list of recent recalls that could impact your teen, but you can also check cpsc.gov/recalls to find the most up-to-date list of recalled products for people of all ages.