"Oh my gosh, there is Matthew!"
I pulled into the parking space and my son was out of his seatbelt immediately. He was standing up in the minivan and couldn't wait to get inside. I was making sure I had my phone in my purse and was about to open the door when I heard...
"Oh my gosh, my whole team is here....HOLY $HIT!"
I must admit, the first thing that went through my head was...
"Holy $hit...where did he learn that word?"
While suppressing my desire to smile and laugh, I asked the mandatory question...
"What did you just say?"
My son knew he had said a bad word. Although he doesn't know what it means, he knows it is definitely a word that is not to be spoken by his four-year-old mouth. My son also knew the best way to answer me was to DENY, DENY, DENY....
"Mom, I said Holy Moley."
I then let my son know that it is one thing to say those words in our home, but if he speaks them in school or around other people...I would not be happy.
I am not going to lie....my kids hear inappropriate language in our home. I don't use profanity all of the time, but if I stub my toe, or burn myself while cooking...I sure as F*cking H*ll will let out an expletive. My husband has been known to throw out the odd F-bomb...but I am definitely the one to accept the blame when it comes to the naughty words my kids say.
Maybe some of you are nodding your heads, and understand that children hear most foul language in their own home before they hear it elsewhere. Maybe some of you are appalled by the fact I am not too concerned about my children saying such words that I irresponsibly speak in front of their young ears. To those of you who never swear...or who swear their children would never say such words...please hear me out.
To me, it is not the word, it is how it is used.
If my son or daughter uses a swear word toward someone...
If they swear in school, church, or a public space...
If they use it inappropriately...
I WILL NOT BACK THEM AND THEY WILL BE PUNISHED! My job as a parent is to teach my children how to moderate the language that they will hear from friends, in movies, and on the street. I would never want my son to think it is acceptable to swear while working in an office...
I am a believer that there are definitely some people who are more likely to use curse words...and there are those who never have the desire or need to use certain language...even if a gosh darn brick falls on their toe. My daughter is one of those people. I don't think she has ever used a swear word...and to this day thinks the "s" word is "stupid". But my son...he takes after his mom! That boy can work a "naughty" word into any conversation. I often say my son uses only four-basic-word-groups....
Fart, poop, stinky, and butt.
If I had a dollar for every time my son said one of those words in the course of an hour, I would be a very wealthy woman!
I assume swear words are similar to drugs. You start out small....with recreation words like "poop" and "fart". It all seems innocent enough, then the next thing you know you are shooting up words like $HIT and F*CK! I think my son is headed down that road...and it is not going to be pretty.
My husband has often said the language in a hockey locker room is not something he would want his mother to hear. I guess I should be proud knowing I too am playing an important part in his hockey development.....locker room preparation!
So why am I blogging about swearing?
Have you heard about Modern Family's episode last night? Lily dropped the F-word! Of course one of her fathers thought it funny (me) while the other father was concerned about his daughter's use of the word (my husband). If you have a moment, here is a great synopsis of the television episode, and the fall-out that has come from it!
So what is your take on swearing? Has your child ever used an expletive, and if so...what did you do about it? Leave me a comment and tell me your experience.
