Some of you are parents, some of you are not, but I’m pretty certain you have all been children at some point. Were you raised by someone with a potty mouth or did you grow up in a curse-free home?
I watched a expletive-laden webisode by Evenflo called, “How to Recover from a Potty Mouth Moment.” The webisode humorously deals with cursing in front of a child.
I do my best not to curse in front of my daughter because I don’t really want to hear those words coming out of her mouth any time soon. My husband has been known to curse in front of her and he gets irritated when I tell him not to. Here’s a sample conversation.
Unknown Papi (after stubbing his toe): Sh*t!
Unknown Mami: Don’t curse in front of Put Pie.
Unknown Papi: But I just stubbed my toe!
Unknown Mami: Then say, “ouch” or “shoot”.
Unknown Papi just rolls his eyes.
The thing is that I was raised by a mother with a potty mouth. She still has a potty mouth. I don’t actually have a problem with cursing. I myself enjoy dropping a few f-bombs here and there, but I think there is a time and a place. It might sound weird, but even though my mom was a potty mouth I knew it was not appropriate for me to curse as a child. I also understood that my mother did not curse in all situations. She wasn’t about to walk into a church or hospital and start cursing up a storm. Still, I find myself not wanting to curse around my daughter because I have other words to express how I feel and I’d rather teach her those.
So what about you? Were you raised by a potty mouth? How did it affect you? How do you feel about cursing in front of children?
ALSO READ: That Time My Daughter Told Everyone Her Mother Has a Penis
If we used a bad word, we got soap in the mouth while I was growing up. Seriously. We had to SUCK on a bar of soap. It didn't work for me though! I still cursed… just in sign language when nobody in my family knew what the signs meant. Until I was in high school… the deaf department invited parents over one night so they could teach all the parents all the bad signs. Then I was doomed. 😉
I was not reased by a potty mouth but had an older brother.Need i say more??I often use wordydurds and I hate it!! I am so trying to not so my twins don't say them.I only do it when I am stressed or mad and that is like everyday lately!LOL
I have been missing you and just realised I am not getting your updates anymore.I will fix that!!:)
My mom is a saint. My dad and maternal grandma had potty mouths while I was growing up. My mom says that's where I get it. I'm getting a lot better and watching what I say around my nephew. 🙂 LoL
I never heard my mother curse, my father did occassionally. I never cursed around my children when they were small. My husband did. He still does. I have seen some of my kids facebook posts and am shocked that my 18 year old daughter has a mouth like a truck driver, the boys, not so much.
I believe in eloquence. There are so many words in the world, why limit oneself to just a few shockers? N'est ce pas?
I like the occasional “fuck.”
Wait, that's not what I meant.
I try not to curse around my kids because it's trashy and I don't want them to get in trouble.
My dad grew up in a verbally abusive home, where his parents cursed a lot (often at him), so he determined that he would never curse in front of me or allow me to curse. I think the strongest word I ever heard come from his mouth was “hell.” My mom occasionally cursed, and I remember my dad asking her not to do it in front of me. I'm with you – I have other words to express how I feel, and I'd rather have my kids use those instead of foul language. I guess I think that most of the time when folks cuss (and when I used to cuss up a storm in high school and college) it was out of anger; not sure I think modeling an angry personality to kids is okay.
I'm a pro at “$hit and a$$hole” that's about it. I never use the F-bomb or the C-bomb. Just not part of my vocabulary. My parents were the same way. The foo foo and coo coo didn't exist. I try not to do the “G D it!s” but sometimes they just slip.
Every other word out of my dad's mouth seemed to be a swear word… the worst my mom would say was to call someone a 'turkey.' I have a potty mouth, my husband rarely swears. Now my 17yo son doesn't even try to not swear in front of me. I don't remember the last time my daughter did. Karma…
Hey didn't you just write a post about a bilingual home environment? So what about swearing in Spanish?
Maybe I've listened to too many George Carlin acts. Like most I don't like hearing kids swear. But really the it's the anger, disrespect and/or ignorance that bothers me the most. The actual words typically don't make any sense.
I think people should start cursing in Latin because the words wouldn't bother people that much.
I posted that idea sometime ago – http://afcsoac.blogspot.com/2010/03/non-sequitu…
I need to string some Latin together and start using it. I could curse like an educated sailor. Really it's not the word but the way it is used.
I was very observant as a child & could tell when it was & wasn't appropriate. I think the F bomb is completely necessary sometimes, but not in front of children… and I couldn't imagine yelling “shoot” when I stubbed my toe, but I probably would if a kid were in the room – lol.
Hubby and I cleaned up our mouths when first son was born. Then hubby decided he HAD to take our three and a half yr old to see “Days of Thunder” (really dating myself here!) To our utter shock the next day, we find him crashing his cars together yelling SOB. I asked where he heard it. the man in the movie said it! ARGH! My parents did their fair share of cursing while I was growing up but we were not even allowed to say darn, stupid, or fool!
No curse words were spoken when I was growing up. I think plenty of those nasty words now, but I do try to keep it out of my spoken language, but if a small child is near me I can almost guarantee that I let something slip. I don't know why that happens! It's almost like I can see my arms trying to gather back up the word that I just said. ugh.
I grew up around parents who dont curse. But I cursed as a child/teen/you know what I mean…just not in front of them. Now, though I dont curse. I'll say crap or dang it or something along those lines. My husband and I had a long conversation about this the other day too. He feels words like freaking or dang it are curse words and has asked me not to say them in front of Monkey Man. I think its silly…but I get what he means. 🙂
I heard all kinds of swear words growing up…………All of the really, really bad ones. But my kids……they haven't really heard any….head over to my blog to read about what happened today though….
I heard all kinds of swear words growing up…………All of the really, really bad ones. But my kids……they haven't really heard any….head over to my blog to read about what happened today though….
I don't like to curse in front of the kids, but I have.
I was raised by pottymouths and I am one.
I wish I wasn't, cuz it can be offensive to so many people. But I'm not offended by it at all. Weird?
I'm not offended by it either, but I realize some people are.
I think that's what happens to my husband. He never used to curse before we had our daughter, he used to ask me to stop cursing so much and now all of a sudden he slips up way more often than I do.
My Dad cursed, but only when he was mad. He didn't swear the way some people do today where they drop the F-bomb in the middle of pretty mundane sentences. As for my Mom, I still remember the one and ONLY time I ever heard her swear. I remember everything about that moment, what I was wearing, where we were, why she said it, the street we were on, the car we were in. It was what they call a lightbulb moment – something that you will always remember in vivid detail (like where I was when I heard that Princess Diana died). – G
I believe that, for us, we should not curse in front of the kids. However, lately, I have been saying the F word more and more often. I think my online persona is seeping into my real-life persona…
My mom wasn't a total potty mouth, but definitely colorful. My older brother even more so. Husband #2 was the worst. It took me a long time to break my cursing habit. I was curse-free for many years until I ended up working next to a girl who dropped f bombs all day long. SO NOW, I have to watch my mouth again. But thankfully back at a quieter less explicit work environment. Phew!
I don't curse; and the few times I had my husband was spooked!!! He, on the the other hand — let's just say my son learned just about every word in the book from him. He sometimes reminds me of the father in A Christmas Story 😀
Luckily my son has not practiced what he has learned or I would freak out.
My parents didn't use foul language in front of me and I don't use it either. I personally believe it's wrong to do so.
I swear like a sailor when I get mad. My son so far has not picked it up. I think because he associates certain words with anger. That's good, in a way. Fortunately, I've worked on this and have losing my temper down to once a month maybe even every other month. Going for a year.
On the growing up side, I think my mom swore lightly here and there when she was really upset. I mean maybe once or twice in my life. My dad would swear at basketball and baseball games. Then when I would repeat said words tell me not to swear. When I pointed out, that I thought it was dumb to swear because you were upset that your team wasn't winning or playing well, he would come back with, that's different. Really? So one of maybe two faults my dad has, and am trying my best not to copy.
Wow, now I want you to write a post about the time your mother cursed.
My parents said the occasional “shit” or “hell” but it was QUITE clear that was never allowed out of our mouths and to this day I still feel funny swearing in front of my mom. I chose not to hide my swearing from the kids and that's not to say I drop the F bomb exclusively. I use all sorts of expressions to vent my pain, frustration and amusement, and just the bad words. Like many things we teach our children, there are things it's okay for adults to do that are not okay for kids. I hold no illusions that they are angels when I'm not around, but they've also learned when and where it's really not okay to let the bad words slip. I have two kids that made it to adulthood without major potty mouths, but they also don't hide it from me now that they're old enough to legally buy beer. Their little brother has also managed to keep it clean, although I've heard him say “crap” once or twice.
edit: “and NOT just the bad words” geez
My mom was definitely not a potty mouth. I wasn't allowed to say “butt'! Therefore, I came to enjoy cursing at certain times. I have, however, really tried not to curse in front of my children. My husband has messed up a few times and for a short time my daughter was saying something that sounded like “s@*t”. Luckily that has passed. 🙂
I try to not cuss infront of my girls, it happens though. MY hubby on the other hand not so much. My daughter knows it is not ok. She even started pointing it out… the other day hubby said something about someone being a F-ing idiot (In his defense he didn't know she was standing behind him). Our daughter then says, you know daddy you shouldn't say those words. He appologized & then she says again… you shouldn't say those words. He says I know I know… they she pull out the big guns… Daddy you know Jesus can hear you! Ha ha ha!
My mom didn't really swear much when I was growing up. I however, have a potty mouth. My husband gets on me about it pretty often actually. I try to keep it to a minimum in front of the children, but sometimes I curse in front of them. They are like you though, even now they know those are grown up words, and only grown ups may use them.
I curse at home if hit myself but can control it outside.
In front of any kids I don't.
It's good to have a secret language though. Sometimes I might shout too loud 'paska' (shit) in Finnish but they don't understand it here! 🙂
Greetings from Casa…
Yes my mother threw them out there and so did my older brother. I used them all the time till I started dating my husband and he said man you curse a lot, of course I stopped cause I was really into him:) Once I had kids, curse words were permanently band from my home. Now my kids are all in school and they have friends that curse, they know the words and probably through them out there when I'm out of ear shot. I just hope as they get older they will choose to be more like there parents and not use them:)
I'm so glad to be back I always love your posts!!!! xoxox
Cursing when children are around is something I 'd never do..
I love my dad but he had a potty mouth while I was growing up.
But he is my dad. And I adore him!
Have a great day!
B xx
The thing about saying curse words in front of your kid is when the kid says the words you say, then you don't have a leg to stand on when you tell the kid not to use those words, that those words are bad words, what does that say to your kid about what kind of person you are. Mixed signals in my book.
I have a question: how did you manage to get Blogger followers here? Did you start from the scratch – 0? That's what the situation is on my new blog now.
When my daughter was 18 month old, we were driving home. I honked at a car that was trying to share my lane with me and this little voice from the back seat started chanting “Dip Shit! Dip Shit!” Of course my laughter didn't discourage her, but the curse wasn't learned from me. Mrs. MM came clean once I got home and told her the story. My little girl is 17 now and I still love telling that story….and she loves hearing it.
I was raised by the antithesis of a potty mouth. Sorta made my sis and I wanna curse it up. HA!
I was able to transfer the Google Friend Connect Widget using these instructions:
http://parenttrend.com/2009/11/how-to-transfer-…
But even though I supposedly have 455 followers only about 60 are actually getting my updated feed. I haven't been able to get it to update for everyone and I finally just gave up and hope that people will resubscribe. I think this is a fairly common issue for people when they switch. If you ever figure out how to do it perfectly let me know. Don't spend too much time worrying about it though. I did and it was pointless. The people that like you will find you and so will new people. Good luck on the move.
That's a great story.
I've only heard my mother curse one time… and she did it wrong.
I grew up watching the movie “Scarface” so I'm bad with cursing in front of my kids. These past world cup I was on curse mode and got a few chancletas thrown at me by the wife. So far the kids haven't picked up on it, crossing my fingers my 10 year old is not holding back.
My parents were June ,and Ward Cleaver. 50's ,and 60's parents.
Now you know why I love cussing up a storm.
I learned the F' word when I was 8 from my friends.
Okay I so didn't know you moved….I figured you were just on Vacay!
I will resubscribe to get the updates!
Speaking of vacay…I'll be in your neck of the woods a week from today…I'm so stupid with excitement!! I can't even wait!
As for cursing….my mom NEVER cursed. And if she said Sh*t or damn…you KNEW she was mad. I try my hardest NOT to curse around the boys….and if anything less…we do not drop the f-bomb…like you said we have other words to express ourselves, I want them to learn that!
I'm sorry, the feed thing has been a pain in the butt.
No biggie, I unsubscribed, and subscribed and now I'm all set up again! =)
I was raised in the “No Cursing Zone” and my folk's house is still that way. I bite my tongue all the time when I'm back home.
I don't have kids but I spend enough time on a middle school campus to know that young teens today curse like drunken sailors… to the point that they even shock me.
Times have changed.
xo jj
I am a terrible potty mouth. My parents cursed in front of us, my dad more so than my mom. I curse in front of my kids and they don't curse back. They know better!
(I'm not saying this is a good thing. I'm just telling the truth!)
We stopped with Sam's birth and now I actually feel a bit silly when I do it. Like I'm in 7th grade and trying to be cool.
My husband and I are similar to you and your hubby in this aspect. I grew up with a mother who never cursed unless she was angry and a father who was pretty much the same way. My husband grew up with parents who held NOTHING back.
My dad had the potty mouth, but just some of the time. My mom wouldn't say “s**t if she had a mouthful!” When I started working in an office, I worked next to a potty mouth, and then I became one. I realized very soon that it was not something a “nice” girl did, so I stopped. Since we have had kids, I try my best to find alternatives, but I sometime slip when I'm very emotional. My H just potties and potties, and I give him dirty looks, ask him to use other words, to no avail. That's how he grew up. I think you are doing the perfect thing by letting Put Pie see how you don't like it. If my children used potty words, I used soap, time out, and if it was really bad…Tobasco Sauce!
I have TOTAL POTTY MOUTH. But I think you already knew that. I grew up in a super duper curse free home. None of my siblings swear like I do. hmmm…
I'm trying to clean up my act (mouth) at home. Mia's on curse word patrol and busts me every time one slips out.
She's been very busy
My parents never cursed in front of us. They were very Catholic. Even though we are not Catholic, we choose to not curse in front of the kids. No cursing ever is actually our goal but, hey, we're just people so that doesn't always work out so well.
Anyway, the first time I heard one of my kids repeat something colorful I had said, I knew I never wanted to hear that again from them.