Teens aren’t exactly known for being forthcoming about their thoughts, but a new TikTok trend might be changing that. Adolescents are sharing a glimpse into what’s been on their mind lately with the new “my pet peeve” trend — and concerned parents should pay attention.

What Is the ‘My Pet Peeve’ Trend?

The trend started when an audio of a previous Natalie Portman interview went viral. In the sound, Portman says, “My pet peeve is people saying, ‘I know exactly how you feel.’ Nobody knows exactly how you feel.”

From there, people write text over the top to showcase what their biggest pet peeves are and how others don’t quite understand them.

This trend can be silly, like one person writing, “My pet peeve is people saying ‘I like ranch!’ because NOBODY likes ranch as much as I do!” over a video of them dipping everything in ranch dressing. But it can also be more serious.

Some young adults are getting deep as they share their pet peeves and contradict what people have said to them throughout their teen years. Like one user who said, “You were 12 not annoying. You were 13 not stupid. You were 14 not cringey. You were 15 not mean. You were 16 not a sl*t. You were 17 not unloveable. You were 18 not lost. You were 19 not worthless. You were 20 not ugly. You were 21 not useless.”

Another person posted the trending sound with the caption: “How it feels talking to someone about depression when they have only been sad about a boy.”

Feeling misunderstood is all part of growing up, but sometimes, teens have a point. Being undervalued, dismissed, or written off is incredibly hard, and I love how teens are taking back the narrative and emphasizing that their feelings are real and valid.

How Parents Can Support Their Teens

Whether your teens are going through struggles with their mental health, bullies, or another issue, parents can be there for them by providing a caring, non-judgmental space.

“Teens, developmentally speaking, have a high need for independence and a lack of judgment, especially from their parents,” clinical psychologist Hannah Yang, Psy.D., CEO and founder of Balanced Awakening, previously told SheKnows. Dr. Yang explained that teens need to figure things out for themselves and be allowed to make their own mistakes: “That’s a framework to keep in mind when thinking about how to support your teen and what you might say.”

When they are going through something, Dr. Yang suggested saying something like, “What do you need from me right now?” and “Would you like my help/thoughts/support right now?” She continued, “Asking questions like this is a way to let the teen know that you are there for them, but in a way that gives the power and autonomy to the teen to decide what and if they need their parents’ help.”

The “my pet peeve” trend is a good segue into seeing what is bothering your teens right now and allowing you to really lean in and listen to them. (It’s also a good reminder to not just tell your teen you know exactly how they feel!)

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