I think you're underestimating teenagers if you think they wouldn't be able to understand more... "officially" language. To the contrary, I think that when you put it the way you put it, just because of their rebellious nature, they're going to just write you off as wrong. If you can give them a real explaination... they're probably still going to dismiss you as wrong because "omg i noes what i feel, stoopid grown up" but at least something's more likely to sink in.

Same thing with younger kids. Just give 'em some sort of legit explaination, and even if they don't really understand it they're likely to respond well.