EMO stands for emotional and that’s what kids who call themselves EMO, are. Adults who hear their teens calling themselves emo may not fully understand the ramifications of what it means to be ’emo’. Even though Emo kids’ fashion looks like it’s a cross between Gothic and Punk, they are different in certain ways.
Emo kids will tell you what they are feeling, they are mostly sensitive, shy, broken-hearted, glum, introverted, quiet and easily upset. They write about these feelings in dark, depressing and often times long-winded poems.
Emo kids are very likely to harm themselves or inflict self injuries. Most of the time they do what is referred to as ‘Cutting’. They will often times burn themselves with cigarettes and hide the injuries from their parents but share what they have done with other emo kids that are doing the same thing.
Their fashion will sometimes include tight T-shirts which often have the names of rock bands on them, tight jeans with studded belts and belt buckles, black shoes, black wire rimmed glasses, long bangs which are brushed to one side of the face and/or dyed black hair. Emo kids don’t care what people think but they want other people’s sympathy, therefore they will tell their friends how upset they are and show their friends how they have been mutilating themselves. They crave attention and cry at the drop of the hat. They are often times sullen or in bad moods and try to make authority figures mad. They may dress in a way that gets them the attention they want and need and they may write poetry that has dark, suicidal undertones. Emo kids may hang out at coffee houses, music stores and artistic venues. Most emo kids see the world as being a beautiful place but having inhabitants (meaning other humans) that are lost, depressing and hateful.
Some kids however, try to be emo because they thinks it’s cool and want to be with the ‘in’ crowd. These kids are called “Posers” and emo kids know who they are and don’t like them. These posers may go so far as to draw fake “scars” on their wrists to fit in with the emo kids and try to act depressed and suicidal. Fake emo kids will likely buy dark clothing from expensive stores and try to make it look like it was bought in the thrift stores.
Emo kids don’t always listen to punk rock, they don’t care what others think and they will listen to anything they like, anything they deem as being artistic. Relationships mean alot to the emo kid and they will tell you that. Whether it be relationships with family, friends or girlfriends/boyfriends, they take them very seriously. Which is why when they are dumped or hurt by someone they are so emotional and write about it in their poetry.
There is something called the Emo-Scale that tell these kids just how Emo they are. This site: http://www.angelfire.com/punk2/rawk4/emoquiz.html
The more points you have the more emo you are the site says. The first question is, “Do you cry?” Because crying is a big part of being emo or emotional.
These kids see nothing wrong with the cutting, or other self injuries. They say it’s a way to make themselves feel better in a world where “Life is Pain” and “Pain leads to Happiness”. Parents need to take a look at their teens behavior and act accordingly. If your teen is acting emo, maybe you should delve a little deeper into their lives and make sure their behavior isn’t dangerous to themselves or to others.
