Children are like sponges – they soak up everything. Even the words that parents do not like to hear! Parents need to decide on what words are acceptable and what words are not. Parents must keep in mind that some words that may be acceptable in the home are not acceptable in a school setting.
Swearing is using words that tend to be rude or offensive. We must understand that it is unrealistic to expect our children to never swear. Many children will experiment with the words as they hear others using them. Swearing is likely to continue if children receive a reaction from the words. This could be in the form of laughter or long winded discussions on why not to swear.
As parents or caregivers, we need to set a good example for our children. We cannot expect our children to not swear when we ourselves use swear words on a regular basis. Instead of using swear words, use words that are acceptable to express frustration or anger such as “Ahh Butter Knuckles! My toast burnt!”
If you catch your child swearing, try to use planned ignoring. Do not look at or talk to them about that word that came out. If swearing does not get a reaction, it may stop all on its own.
If swearing continues to occur and is becoming a problem try the following suggestion.
· Plan Ahead
· Discuss this with your child
· Talk about consequences
· Praise your child for using good language.
