I taught my daughter early that there were words grown-ups can say and word kids can say; words you can say in the house, and words you can't say at school, playground, etc. I mean some people's rules are a bit crazy so I thought it best that she realize that the rules change and you have to pay attention to where you are. Kids can pick that up pretty young.
One of my pet peeves on this topic (which seems to be shared by you but I'm not sure) is that folks focus on the words instead of the sentiment. To swear when you drop something heavy on your foot (or pour dirty aquarium water on it) is different from swearing AT someone. when you focus on the words, kids just make up new words. But if they are name-calling and trying to humiliate other kids, I don't really care whether they say fuckhead or doodleydoo, the sentiment is wrong.
You made a good call. Your little boys (like lots of little boys I've met, and I'm as uncomfortable with that gender-typing as anyone) seem fascinated by the potty words. But the fact that it makes you upset just makes it go on. If it isn't a big deal, they'll grow out of it.
Man, that made me laugh out loud - Rocketboy is my hero.
Jove, yep, I agree, the sentiment is of more concern than the vocab. We have a long way to go on namecalling, too, unfortunately. "Poop" morphs so easily into "poophead," you know.
Robin, I'll pass that along!
I sent this to the mother of my nieces. She's always all up in my shit on accounta my sailor mouth. And I believe they own a copy of Sneetches.
I am 47 years old and I can still give myself a fit of hysterics by uttering the word "butt."
I had a babysitter when I was 4 who wouldn't let us say 'silly' - a favorite word around our house. This left such an impression with me that I still remember it.
When I was nearly 30, I was giving a talk in a seismology class. Like Twisty, I just stared laughing when I got to talking about the 'Weiner filter.' Oy.
My great-aunt L, mentioned below, once told me about the time she and a friend disrupted a ladies' garden club meeting. The topic was flower arranging; when the speaker started on pussy willows, L and her friend lost it. Just telling me about it cracked her up.
Commenting by HaloScan
