It's everywhere. My kids started to have to deal with it in about first grade when ANOTHER first grader on the bus used the Queen Mother of All Swear Words. How does a 6 year old pick up that word unless it's liberally used at home? And why would a parent use that word at all, let alone in front of their kids. I was walking through Target one day and a man was on his cell phone dropping the "S" word over and over and over while his 9 month old (looked about that old) daughter sat in the cart. I thought, "Wow, I bet that will be her first word!"
My boys are FANTASTIC Swear Busters! We are so proud of them. How many adults would be this bold? My husband is and I guess that while that 6 year old was learning the F (dash, dash, dash) word at HIS house, my boys were learning to "stand for truth and righteousness" at ours.
So, a few weeks ago, some new boys moved into the neighborhood. They have the "skateborder dude" look - long hair, baggy pants, stocking cap, etc. They decided to impress all the other "kids in the 'hood" with their exceptional knowledge of a variety of profane words.
About 15 minutes after meeting them, my boys came in the house. I asked them what they were doing and they said, "We met some new kids and thought they were REALLY nice, but all they do is swear so we told them we didn't want to play with them and came in." So, we had a little talk about what they COULD do instead of just running in the house. I suggested that they go back out and tell them that they needed to stop swearing if they wanted to play. So, guess what they did? They went back out and did just that.
The new boys, while not totally "angelic" in their behavior since then, have pretty much cleaned up their "potty mouths" for the most part. And, when they DO slip, they apologize to my boys.
Everyone in our neighborhood knows that the rule at our house is that if you swear, you go home. I usually warn them once but the second time, they're out the door. I know it annoys some mothers. But, then, they don't stop their kids from coming back the next day.
It's amazing how mindlessly people spew profanity most of the time. But, it's also amazing at how they at least attempt to clean up their act when asked to please not do it in your presence.
Try it sometime. It works!
My boys are FANTASTIC Swear Busters! We are so proud of them. How many adults would be this bold? My husband is and I guess that while that 6 year old was learning the F (dash, dash, dash) word at HIS house, my boys were learning to "stand for truth and righteousness" at ours.
So, a few weeks ago, some new boys moved into the neighborhood. They have the "skateborder dude" look - long hair, baggy pants, stocking cap, etc. They decided to impress all the other "kids in the 'hood" with their exceptional knowledge of a variety of profane words.
About 15 minutes after meeting them, my boys came in the house. I asked them what they were doing and they said, "We met some new kids and thought they were REALLY nice, but all they do is swear so we told them we didn't want to play with them and came in." So, we had a little talk about what they COULD do instead of just running in the house. I suggested that they go back out and tell them that they needed to stop swearing if they wanted to play. So, guess what they did? They went back out and did just that.
The new boys, while not totally "angelic" in their behavior since then, have pretty much cleaned up their "potty mouths" for the most part. And, when they DO slip, they apologize to my boys.
Everyone in our neighborhood knows that the rule at our house is that if you swear, you go home. I usually warn them once but the second time, they're out the door. I know it annoys some mothers. But, then, they don't stop their kids from coming back the next day.
It's amazing how mindlessly people spew profanity most of the time. But, it's also amazing at how they at least attempt to clean up their act when asked to please not do it in your presence.
Try it sometime. It works!
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1 comment:
I've actually had to do that recently to "young adult" age kids. Thankgoodness they have been respectful and apologized.
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