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Playing With Words
The Unsavory Art of Swearing
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
"Even using a silly word like 'dagnabit' will help," O'Connor says. "It will sound silly to you and everyone around you but it actually calms you down, you actually maintain control. It will also lighten up the mood of the entire situation. If you get mad and say the 'F' word, people around you are a little uncomfortable and don't want to deal with you, they avoid you. But if you say 'dagnabit,' people laugh and say, 'What's the problem?' When kids come up with crazy words, and use them in substitution of cuss words, it's fine. Using crazy words that no one has ever heard of, as well as common words used out of their normal context, such as 'holy mackerel,' takes the emphasis off the negativity of a situation and puts it more on the expression of what they are feeling."
Young kids are taught to cry when sad and laugh when happy. Teaching children alternatives to "bad" words will offer a child the ability to express the anger and frustration that they feel as well.
"Swearing is not a prerequisite for getting angry or showing emotion," O'Connor says. "You can express anger without using swear words. There's always an option. There's always an alternative."