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Playing With Words
The Unsavory Art of Swearing
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
"Kids do pick up all kinds of words," he says. "Parents should let children know they shouldn't be using those words and that the parents shouldn't be, either. Once kids get to a certain age parents can explain why it's a bad word. Use simple explanations – don't make it too complicated. Explaining what they mean and offering alternatives should be included. I think too much, too often parents say 'those are bad words, don't use them' and the kids don't understand why.Even kids need some sort of an explanation other then 'I told you so' or 'Cause I say so.' They need more then those types of reasons."
How does a parent deal with a child who uses swear words? The old threat of "washing the mouth out with soap" doesn't hold as much power as it once did.
"I think punishment is not necessarily the right way to go," O'Connor says."It also kind of depends on when the words are used. If a child is angry and swearing, that's not the time to talk about swearing, it's the time to talk about the anger. Then later, you can say, 'By the way, now that we have resolved this problem, I really wish you wouldn't use that kind of language even when you're upset.' Children must understand that there are alternatives to using swear words to express anger."
There are very common expressions that can show emotion and feeling jut as strongly as those that contain swear words. Examples include: "For crying out loud," "For Pete's sake," "Gosh darn it" and "I don't believe this." Offering children an alternative to swear words can help them to learn to express their feelings and emotions in any given situation without using "bad" words. Parents who wish to curb or cease their own habit of using swear words can follow the same advice.