Role Model or Potty Mouth?
I am not and have never been one to swear. Swearing makes me uncomfortable (including made up “safe” swearing….it sounds just as bad to me). In this video, I related much more to the hesitant husband. And, yes, like the wife in this video, CandyMan is a little more on the loose-tongued side. His language has improved considerably since we’ve had kids, but he still enjoys making up “potty-talk” songs (lots of crap and diarrea and butts mentioned). I cringe when I hear the kids repeating the songs, and I am just waiting for the moment when a particular word will be used at a particularly inappropriate time.
When KitKat was a baby, at that stage when she was exploring language and trying to repeat everything she heard, we sat down to watch a movie. It was not a child-friendly movie, but we still thought of her as an oblivious baby. So you can imagine our horror when she repeated a very strong phrase from the movie. The TV was shut of promptly, and we quickly learned to watch movies after her bedtime.
When I was growing up, I remember being told about the time that I repeated a certain non-Church-friendly phrase in the middle of our Sunday meeting (during a quiet moment, so that everyone in the congregation could clearly hear me). My mom was mortified.
Let’s just say that I’ve had enough experiences that I’ve learned to watch what is said around kids. I would much rather have them repeating “I love you”s and compliments than some of the stronger things I hear other places.
What is your policy? Do you swear, and if so, do you swear around your kids?
Disclosure: Evenflo has just released the Momentum 65 DLX Convertible Car Seat, with features that help make safety, installation and use as easy as possible for parents. Evenflo and JuiceBoxJungle sponsored me to write this post.
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I can’t swear. I think I sound ridiculous! In my high school bad-girl phases I looked the part until I opened my mouth. For a girl who was raised to consider G-O-D a curse word, I have to settle for “shoot”.
.-= Birdie´s last blog ..Random Happenings =-.
I will swear occasionally, but never when there are children within earshot (my own or someone else’s). I think that kids will learn and repeat whatever language they hear. Strangers always marvel at Grace’s vocabulary, but I speak normally and intelligently around her. She knows “big” words because she hears them. I’ll take that over swearing any day. :)
.-= Tara @ Feels Like Home´s last blog ..Happy Birthday to You! =-.
I don’t like, but occasionally do it. To me, any word, depending on how it is spoken, can sound dirty/hurtful. It all boils down to intention for me. :)
SITS visiting. :)
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..It’s Green Find Saturday! DAGOBA Organic Chocolate =-.
I too don’t swear but I have been very quick to point out that the words Uncle R says while playing video games are not to be repeated. So far so good. Now we’ll soon be joined by a new man in our lives and his language isn’t bad but there are still things that I would not have the kids hear or repeat. It will be interesting to see what will happen. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
I understand feeling embarrassed and ashamed when your spouse gets mouth ;) Mine does some jaw flapping quite a bit and our little guy is just getting to the point where he is learning language and could be susceptible to some of his father’s more choice words – blech. I watch my language around the kids big time but try to monitor my behavior even more. I like what you said about having your kids hear you say “I love you” and compliments more than the gross language— that’s what I’m trying to do too. Thanks for the post!