Do you worry about your kids swearing?

Cleaver - posted on 02/25/2013

I dont want to be a Hypocrite, I dont want my kids to say a word I dont use it in front of them until they are old enough to know when to say it. Kids are more likely to smoke then not if parents are smokers, my parents are both smokers all my sibblings and i smoked my sister and i both quit but not my brother. i wanted what was best for my boys so i quit well that and i didnt feel like smoking so i just stopped.
oh and i grew up with my mom saying do as i say not as i do and let me tell you its confusing for your chil/dren to know whats allowed and not.

Cecilia - posted on 02/24/2013

I cuss like a sailor. But my children are not allowed to cuss at or around me. To me its a respect thing. Do as I say, not as I do. This rule goes for many things. Smoking for example, i smoke and i'm not going to allow them to. I do not worry about it though with my teenagers. I have a 2 year old who will sometimes repeat after me and I tell her that is not a word for a little princess to say.

Cleaver - posted on 02/23/2013

i dont swear ever especially around my kids i dont even say the names of drugs infront of him (really i dont want my 2 yr walking around talking about joints and pills) words that i dont want my 2yr saying i dont say infront of him

Lisa - posted on 04/22/2012

I don't ban words around my kids, and they are allowed to say what they want. HOWEVER ;)!!!!! They also have been told they are judged by how they speak, and that saying things around mom might be okay, but around a family friend might not be as well received.

Elise - posted on 04/16/2012

I'm responding because it sounds like I'm in the minority here. I think dh and I are relatively relaxed when it comes to light swearing. Like the last poster, we limit it to general cursing and shun any personal cursing. Our oldest is 6, and he understands that certain words and phrases are inappropriate for children to use. He asks if he isn't sure and we are open with him. I come from a home where I NEVER heard swear words used, and my feelings are that it caused me to have an unhealthy relationship with them. I didn't learn when they were appropriately applied. Thus I had a sailor's mouth in college and I use cursing as a defense mechanism (like when dh & I argue). So after much discussion on the topic, dh & I decided to take a carefully relaxed stance. We allow ds to say the curse word in a song if he's singing it, but we have explained to him about respect and how cursing is reserved for certain situations around certain people and only for adults (like many other things).

Heather - posted on 04/15/2012

My family hasn't used a lot of swear words around my son, he's 5. We just never have really used words like that because there are other words that can be used to express ourselves. I've actually had a problem lately with those words, but I've just hit my 16 week pregnant mark and have been blaming hormones for words falling out of my mouth. A lot of what he hears is on movies that my husband and I watch, I'm not so much worried about it because he knows pretty much what words are appropriate and which words aren't. If he has a question about a word he asks and we explain to him if it's ok to use. My thing lately is that my son is in kindergarten and I don't like him coming home and telling me that just because his best buddy and his sister fight and hit each other that is what he expects to come home and do to his new baby brother or sister. He doesn't see things like that happening at home and that's not how I've raised him to be. We are a fairly peaceful and drama free family and that's how I'd like for my children to be too.

Wendi - posted on 04/14/2012

wow! it is interesting what people say. i am strict when it comes to cursing, i wouldnt even want my 20 mth old daughter saying "stupid. omg just the tht of her cursing makes me freak. esp. the "f" word. shes so innocent. how could i ever want anything negative coming out of her mouth. My husband curses but i rarely do.. My husband has gotten alot bettr about not cursing in front of our daughter the past 5 mths since she is so smart and repeats whatrvr we say. my daughter was 1 letter away from saying her first curse word.. she was trying to say shite. we were at the tattoo place cuz my father n law was getting a tattoo. the guy that was doing his tattoo said it and my daughter daid it in the exact tone as he said it.

Sandy - posted on 04/13/2012

I cuss a lot, but have curbed it around my daughter, because she repeats everything I say. My husband doesn't cuss as much as I do. When my daughter does repeat a cuss word, I tell her that it's not a nice word for her to say. She is pretty good about saying a cuss word only once or twice only.

Erica - posted on 04/13/2012

A swear word comes out of my mouth often I know it but for the most part I try to "mute" my self and just leave the word out and put a pause in. LOL I hate hearing any word come out of a childs mouth that that is considered a curse word. (the majors and words like crap, stupid, dumb, or any racial or any other slur)

If I want my child to talk to me and other adults with respect it has to start at home. As they age of course I will lighten up on crap and "dumb" and "stupid" will depend on the contex, major swear words 16 or 17 I will probably be more laxed but the slurs will be a no no for a life time. IMO.

S. - posted on 04/13/2012

I swear but I dont have my children swearing, I also don't swear in front of my mam and dad either I just don't think it's very respectful. I do try to use replacement words or what I consider "mild" swear words round the kids like bloody or frigging.
When I hear older children with vile mouths in the street it makes me cringe, my oldest daughter nearly 13 and I'm not stupid I'm sure she says some words swears with her friends but I don't expect to hear her.

Katherine - posted on 04/13/2012

I'm the total opposite. I get upset when my kids use stupid and dumb. Although it was funny when my 2 year old said "fuck" when she fell. I don't think they should be swearing. There is no reason for it. So no, I'm not relaxed about it. Even at 10,12 whatever. I wouldn't be as harsh about hell, stupid and dumb by then, but if I caught them saying fuck, there would be hell to pay.

Kay - posted on 04/12/2012

We are pretty careful around our DSs. However, DF is a former infantryman and we moved in together after he had spent two years living in the barracks in Germany. When DS(then 4) asked my grandmother to "please hand him the fucking remote", we figured it was time to be even MORE careful.

Since then, we have worked pretty hard, and no more incidents, lol.

Denikka - posted on 04/12/2012

I think I'm fairly relaxed. My son (3) has copied a few things he's heard, but it's more like just repeating the phrase that was just used, then he goes off to other things. It hasn't been a reoccurring thing.

I watch my mouth most of the time and usually use swearing (or a *child friendly* alternative) to emphasize what I'm saying. (-15 is COLD. -40 is fricken/fucking cold!!!)



I have no problem when a word is used in context and not used against a person. Saying *shit* when you drop something, okay. Saying someone is a pile of shit is absolutely NOT okay. Commenting on all the dog shit in the yard would also be an okay thing.

For little kids, I'm less okay with hearing them swear, but once they're in double digits, 10 and up, I figure it's generally okay. I don't like hearing it every other word though.