728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Discipline › Playing With Words

Playing With Words

The Unsavory Art of Swearing

By Carma Haley Shoemaker

Pages:  1  2  3  4  5  

"I think the real problem with kids swearing, if they are hearing it from their parents in particular, it's that they are not just picking up the word, they are picking up the tone and that attitude," says Jim O'Connor, author of Cuss Control. "We tell kids they can show other emotions as parents do, but we do no allow them to show anger as parents do. It may get very confusing for a child. One reason why we swear so much these days is that everything is so informal. In most high schools, children think there are standard ways to express certain emotions that include swearing words. They feel this way because they have been hearing their parents express themselves this way since they were small children. Even role models have begun to use swear words. These children hear these words from all the adults they look up to and wonder why they can't (swear too)."

Whether due to informality or habit, there are times when parents are able to offer an explanation to their children as to why they use swear words.

"Yes, we curse," says Wendy Baker, a mom from Florida., "So we have a rule in our house: You are not old enough to curse until you have a full-time job and pay rent. Even the little ones understand that they are not allowed to say bad words unless they are like their older siblings who work outside the home and pay om and Dad rent every week."


Pages:  1  2  3  4  5  


Want to see more?