Parents have had to deal with weird trends and pranks from their teenagers in the past, but it doesn't stop them from being confused when a new trend begins.
And the latest trend has left a lot of adults scratching their heads over what it might mean.
Gen Z kids everywhere seem to be hopping on this trend, including Tyson Fury's 14-year-old daughter Venezuela, who has seen covering her face in a family picture posted on mum Paris Fury's Instagram along with Paris' niece Valentino.
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This particular instance left parents confused by the move pulled by the girls, with them being curious if it's a secret sign or a 'traveller thing'.
However, mum Michelle Harris spoke to Fabulous about the trend, explaining:
"After several attempts to snatch the perfect Christmas family photo, I turned to my teen and finally asked him why.
“'Is everything okay, why won’t you show up in family photos for the handsome boy that you are anymore?'
"And then the big whopper…. 'Are you being bullied?'
"To my surprise he turned to me and laughed saying: 'No, but I will be if you post pictures of me online without my consent!'
Harris continued to say: "He went on to explain how the ‘nose cover’ is just a signal to their peers that they won’t be caught ‘slipping’ which we eventually translated to meaning ‘off guard.’
"So essentially the ‘nose cover’ for most is just a way to avoid being a target for ridicule in their digital spaces with friends."
Ultimately, it looks like it's a way to get out of being teased by your friends in a group chat, which is completely understandable, as parents tend to want to capture and post everything.
Parenting experts and founders of The Carol App, Holly Zoccolan and Amanda Jenner, also spoke to Fabulous to explain why it's popular among teenagers exactly and what parents can do to support them.
Amanda Jenner explained: "Using covers is the only way they can remove themselves without actually upsetting their parents by refusing to be in the photo.
"The online world is a very hard thing for teenagers to tackle as we all know. But to have pictures across social channels which parents have taken and maybe not perfected this can really affect teenagers.
Amanda also added: "It’s important to remember that this phase is a normal part of growing up, where seeking independence and establishing personal boundaries are key developmental milestones."
It looks like the trend is a way for teenagers to deal with certain insecurities they may have, or to protect themselves from being 'roasted' at school.
We've all been there...
Topics: Social Media, Weird
Joshua Nair