26 January, 2010

swearing and children

I know for a fact I'm not the only one who thinks its funny when kids swear...especially when they let out "fuck" or "douchebag". I happen to think it is hilarious. When Bradford and I got married, Reilly became his daughter. He's been in her life since she was a year and a half, and barely putting words together. So in the last couple years (minus the 7 months he was deployed), we've both gotten to listen to her expand her language skills.

Now, I'll be the first to admit -- I have the mouth of a sailor. Sure, I tone it down for my parents and my in-laws, but other than that, I really don't care who hears me, or what situation I'm in, or where I'm at. I'm not sure why, but frankly, I think they are just words. Now, there are words that I use VERY rarely, or never, but those are typical for being a white woman. Cunt is one of those words that I very rarely say -- just because I think it is ridiculously trashy. Only a few people in my life have ever had the privilege to be called that by me...and they probably don't even know it. But, I use every other word in the dictionary, and then some I'm sure. And, of course, since I have this horrible mouth, my daughter gets the brunt of my language for the most part. When the dog pisses me off, and she asks me whats wrong, I tell her that the dog is pissing me off. When some guy is being a fucking asshole on the road, and she asks me whats wrong, I tell her that some guy is being a fucking asshole and needs to learn how to drive.

Now -- lets side step real quick because I feel I need to make this clear. My daughter is one fucking smart cookie. She has a brain the size of a watermelon. She's a smart fucking kid for almost 4, and she's been like that as long as I can remember. She knows whats up, she knows what she wants...hell, she knows words that I didn't even think she could know how to say (or even know what they mean) but she does.

As her parents, Bradford and I have decided that we don't really give a rats ass if she swears.

BUT there are rules. Of course. She doesn't swear out of the house, and if she does, its not in public (ie. its in the car, not in the middle of Target or the mall). She doesn't swear in front of my (or anyone elses) parents (even though she does sometimes :/ ). She uses them in the right context instead of just running around saying them (don't worry, I'll give examples of where this has happened..because she does it). She doesn't swear AT me..or her daddy in an angry manner (no calling me a bitch, or a cunt, or her daddy an asshole...around is okay, even in anger, but never AT). She doesn't say "fuck".

Okay, that last one is a little hypocritical because I drop the f-bomb like the world is ending tomorrow, and I might be able to save the ENTIRE WORLD by how much I say the word fuck. But I digress.

So the other day, my mom was over, playing a memory card game with Reilly. It was Reilly's turn to try to get a match. Well, she didn't get one. I was sitting over at the dining room table, looking over my email, and I hear my precious, adorable, sweet three year old daughter go "aw damnit" Well played Reilly. Well played.

A couple weeks ago, Reilly and I were driving to the store. I made a "ugh" noise because I was getting frustrated. So Reilly asked me if the guy in front of us was being a douchebag. Of course I said yes, because he was (or she, I don't discriminate).

So that's my two cents about children and swearing. I don't want my kid (or kids) to be teaching their friends what a dirty sanchez is (okay, I don't even want my kids KNOWING what that one is), I don't want them running around yelling "fuck the police" until they are older...but I don't want to stop them from expressing themselves...I don't wanna have to watch my mouth around them either. I don't need to censor myself for my kids sake...they're gonna learn it eventually...and I would rather it be learned from me than the kids on the school yard. I would rather she know when and how to use swear words, and what is acceptable.

But that's just me.

<3

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