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When my mom used to tell me not to use the word “butt,†I thought she was hopelessly old-fashioned. I didn’t realize how completely horrible it is to hear a word I screamed in a drunken stupor (“I like big butts, and I cannot lie!) in college emanating from the mouth of an adorable three-year-old. I won’t let her say “butt†now. Maybe I’ll be less dorky when she’s twelve.
As much as we’d like to believe Eminem is to blame for our children’s potty mouths, it’s us. We say stupid things all the time, especially in traffic, and you know it as well as I do. And if it’s not us, then it’s our spouses/friends/family/in-laws. I had a friend in high school whose parents would tell him things like “artichoke†were bad words. I’m not sure that’s the best route, but it certainly wins bonus points for originality.
Courtney at Silicon Valley Mom’s Blog wrote after her sweet daughter dropped a few choice phrases:
Okay, now it sounds like we must be blaspheming and dropping f-bombs all over the place in my house. But, we really do try to keep adult talk to adult-only audiences. I guess it’s a lesson to us that she’s paying attention to more than we think – and, that we have to be more mindful of what we’re muttering under our breaths.
Even if our own kids aren’t swearing, hearing other kids swear can have an adverse effect, too. Or, it can have a good effect, if you classify “good†as “wake-up call to potty-mouthed self,†according to Sherry at iVillage.
You know, hearing that ugly word come out of that little angelic face was truly a much-needed lesson for me as a parent. Because I have been slipping a lot lately in the swearing department and I can only blame NYC traffic for so much.
But in the midst of all this twittering over wee cussing, experts seem to think a little sailor-talk won’t really hurt anyone.
Whether it's a small child calling someone a "pooh-bum" or an older child using more offensive profanities, most experts regard swearing as a developmental stage kids go through.
That doesn't mean parents should tolerate swearing or not take appropriate action – but it does mean their children won't necessarily turn into juvenile delinquents!
So you know, don’t sweat it too much, but if you can, watch your &#$@ing language, eh? At least in front of the kids.
