Hot Topic (3/29): Is it OK to curse in front of children?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

 This is from CafeMom's Daily Buzz:

 

Mom Confessions: I Swear in Front of My Child

 

This Week's Confession:

"I curse in front of -- but not at -- my kids. I don't mean to, but it happens. For the most part I make up silly words. But as an adult, I am allowed to cuss; they are not. My kids know there are words they shouldn't say as children." -- anonymous

 

 

Should kids be taught that there are adult-only words that they are not allowed to say?

Do children need to learn that some privileges are granted only in adulthood?

Do you think bad language has any impact at all on a child's future?

 

[.Tiggeroo87.]

I voted for the watered down versions 'cause it's really hard to break a habit for some people, but I do slip up and say "fuck" and "shit" but never once has my son mimicked what I said...yet. LOL.  

[fullofhope325]

I don't think it is ok to say any of the words in front of children. But I am one of those guilty people that have by mistake(thanks to my husband making me so mad).  

[honeysuckle171]

Thats what's wrong with the children who wasn't taught respect that's why the parents got cursed out and beat up,you don't do shit like this cursing in front of a child/children an if you do and think that it's ok then you have a problem.

[hsteele]

We try not to swear in front of our daughter just because we don't want her to sound ignorant as an adult. My husband and I do curse occasionally at home, but very rarely out in public. I honestly don't care about it at home. I just want my daughter to know its unacceptable in public. She also knows she is not allowed to repeat swear words and even corrects me sometimes. She does test us every once in a while and shyly says something, usually Ass. My favorite word to use. lol Or damn. I might get some criticism for this but she is aloud to sing along with Meredith Brooks "Bitch" on the rare occasion that we play it. She gets a pretty big kick out of it but knows thats the only time she is allowed to, and we don't do it in public. There is "country" song my husband loves by the Zac Brown band called Toes with the line "I got my toes in the water, Ass in the sand" and she gets to sing along to that too. But that is our preference. I think children who are allowed to disrespect their parents no matter what kind of language they use is unacceptable.

[hsteele]

I just started singing the line to that Zac Brown song I mentioned and got yelled at. I was told by my 3 year old that I could only sing that line when the song was on. lol She said "Don't sing that, only when the Toes in the water song is on."

Quoting hsteele:

We try not to swear in front of our daughter just because we don't want her to sound ignorant as an adult. My husband and I do curse occasionally at home, but very rarely out in public. I honestly don't care about it at home. I just want my daughter to know its unacceptable in public. She also knows she is not allowed to repeat swear words and even corrects me sometimes. She does test us every once in a while and shyly says something, usually Ass. My favorite word to use. lol Or damn. I might get some criticism for this but she is aloud to sing along with Meredith Brooks "Bitch" on the rare occasion that we play it. She gets a pretty big kick out of it but knows thats the only time she is allowed to, and we don't do it in public. There is "country" song my husband loves by the Zac Brown band called Toes with the line "I got my toes in the water, Ass in the sand" and she gets to sing along to that too. But that is our preference. I think children who are allowed to disrespect their parents no matter what kind of language they use is unacceptable.

[forsythia_18]

I didn't vote because there's no "hierarchy" of "bad words".  lol.  They're all just words.  I'm not going to purposefully cuss in front of my son but I'm never going to put up a shield to block him from knowing them.  If you're having to fight to keep your children from knowing certain words it means you don't have the confidence in them to believe they won't use them in a disrespectful way towards other people.  It's another lesson to be taught to them, that's all.

[SuperMom2MandM]

Agreed, I believe that they are all just words, that people make worse than they should be. However, I do not want my children repeating them. I do cuss, a lot, and I try very very hard not to because I do not feel I can get on to my child for something she learns from me. She looks up to me as a parent and she follows my lead, that includes since she is learning to talk that she does repeat things I say. She has not repeated a cuss word YET, but if and when she does, if she heard it from me I can't get on to her because I am the one who taught it to her. So I am trying to stop cussing because I really do not think it is cute for a child to walk around cussing, it's just hard to break the habit!

Quoting forsythia_18:

I didn't vote because there's no "hierarchy" of "bad words".  lol.  They're all just words.  I'm not going to purposefully cuss in front of my son but I'm never going to put up a shield to block him from knowing them.  If you're having to fight to keep your children from knowing certain words it means you don't have the confidence in them to believe they won't use them in a disrespectful way towards other people.  It's another lesson to be taught to them, that's all.

[luckcharm]

I didn't vote either.   I don't keep "bad" words away from my kids.  They live in the real world and are going to hear them.

My kids are aware that their are certain words that are not appropriate for them to use because of their age.   And that certain words are inappropriate to use in certain places .

[cdgoldilocks]

I curse occasionally. Sometimes those words just slip out. I am human, as they are. If they hear me curse, I just tell them that those words are considered improper and disrespectful and we should TRY not to say them. I am my children's teacher. I think it is important for them to see me make mistakes and to watch as I correct myself.

Edit. I wanted to add that I will not allow vulgar terms to be substituted for anatomically correct terms. Penis and vagina are what they are. Calling someone a c**t won't fly in my home. I am a lady and as such I refuse to allow those terms in my presence in any circumstance.

[Mommy_of_Riley]

There are certain curse words that I don't like said around me... but with that being said I'm married to a Marine.   Ha Ha Ha  It's work trying to make him and his buddies watch their mouths when they come over.  

We try not to cuss but we slip all the time... growing up military (both of us) and now being military... yeah it's hard.