Recession-core is a 2023 aesthetic about embracing economic downturn vibes: practical clothing, frugal cooking, no-frills entertainment. Not concerning, sometimes thoughtful financial commentary. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in. Most slang of this kind moves through TikTok and group chats, so seeing it in your child's vocabulary just means they are plugged into normal teen internet culture.