Where DO they get these words from?
By gemini_rose
@gemini_rose (16264)
July 20, 2008 4:57pm CST
I would like some suggestions please on a rather embarrassing thing that my daughter has suddenly learned how to say. Now bearing in mind that she has three older brothers and this is more than likely where it came from. I have had words with them but getting them to admit to anything is absolutely futile and so I have to resign myself to trying now to undo the damage and get her to forget what she has been taught. She is 2 years old.
OK, so today we went to the shops and we had to cross at a pelican crossing and she loves to press the button, well just as we were getting there a man also walked up to it. Now she shouted out that she wanted to press the button but he looked at her and pressed it anyway and I had to wonder if he did not do it on purpose and thought it not nice. But then to my horror I heard my daughter shout out to him "OH you poopy d!ck". I did not say a word, I was stunned into horrified silence and I kept it that way I never said a word. But since then she has said this a few times, to her brothers and too her dad as well, which stunned him into silence too and then we both had to run out the room to laugh without her seeing.
So, what is the most embarrassing thing your children have ever called someone else?
How do we deal with it, is it best to point it out to her as being wrong or ignore her saying it completely so as not to give her any attention about it?
10 people like this
30 responses
@littleone3 (2063)
•
20 Jul 08
I remember when my son was about 3 or 4.
We were walking along the street and he went flying. As he landed he turned round and looked at us. Then said "Oh S**t".
We where quite stunned at this but had to laugh as it was just the sort of thing we would have probably said ourselves if we had fallen over.
I think the best one was the story my dad told me about my sister.
They were standing in the queue at Tesco's and a black lady was in front of them.
My sister had never seen a black lady before and turned round and said "Why hasn't that lady washed?".
My parents didn't know where to put themsleves.
2 people like this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
20 Jul 08
When my oldest daughter was about 2years old my cousin and his friend taught her to say s*it. I would tell her it was ugly and to not say it, but the next time they came over they would get her to repeat it. i finally told the two of them the next time she said it i was going to spank her-they never had her say another bad word!
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jul 08
Amazing how kids can pick things up like that now and at such an earlier age, than say when we were kids...goodness I don't think I learned to use the word sh!t until I was about thirteen..and older for other choice words..LOL Actually that phrase she used poopy d!ck is hysterically funny. As for how to deal with it. I would think maybe for now just ignore it and not give it anymore attention to it. Sometimes I think when one makes too much of something, that might only encourage more use of such language. If it really becomes a big time habit with her...I mean like ALL the time then I think you should tell her not to use such expressions anymore
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
22 Jul 08
Please don't pyewacket, I am trying terribly hard to be grown up and mature in this discussion but everytime I see poopy d!ck written in my responses I nearly cry laughing because I just hear her voice in my head saying it!!!!
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
24 Jul 08
would put more but meanie myLot won't let me LOLOLOLOL Xx1 person likes this
@tessah (6617)
• United States
20 Jul 08
now i havent any troubles with my kids cussing honestly. itd be hypocritical of me to punish them for doing what i myself do as well.. but theyve been taught and adhere to the rule of such words being "INDOOR WORDS" ONLY! there is a difference to my sprite coming out with "mommy yer a badass!" or "its f*cking HOT out!!" and her turning towards me or anyone else for that matter and cussing them out personally. respect is respect as far as im concerned and rudeness will not be tolerated in the slightest. the little one has never cussed at me.. shes far too respectful for such behavior.. but the uruk hai.. when she was about 6 and told to pick up her toys because it was time to ready for bed.. and she refused, telling me no.. so she got a time out. after the time out was over, i told her again calmly and firmly, "now go clean up yer toys" and as she walked by me.. she hissed at me "you f*cking b*tch" trying as best i could to not lose said calm.. i backhanded her across the mouth and landed her on her butt. she never spoke to me that way again.. or to anyone else.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
24 Jul 08
I know you are referring to your eldest, but whats a uruk hai mean? I cant believe she said that to you that is really bad, I hope my daughter does not come out with that to me, I think the outcome would definately be a lot different.
@jerzgirl (9327)
• United States
21 Jul 08
Maybe you can have a chat with her about it not being nice and that it would be alright if she said "poopy duck" instead. It sounds almost the same and is just silly enough for a 2-yr-old to get pleasure out of.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
22 Jul 08
What a cool answer, thank you I think that I will try that if she says it again!!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
20 Jul 08
It can be so cute when we hear such a small child swear. Mine used to when they were around that age, but never anything overly embarassing, and never in public, luckily... although I still have a couple more kids to get through, lol.
I would just tell her it's naughty, because I'm sure she doesn't realize. Each time she uses the word tell her it's not a nice word and she shouldn't use it.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
30 Jul 08
Oh dear...sorry, but I'm laughing too. I would've loved to see the look on the guys face...what a son of a skunk. To answer your question, I think it's best not to react. If she was a little older I would do the "those words are not appropriate" thing and "we do not use words like that, they are nasty" and I'd make sure her siblings are aware of this. Good luck.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
30 Jul 08
OH don't LOL!!! I think I am finally making her understand that they are wrong, when she says them now, I look at her and say "Pardon?" and she goes "sorry mummy" So I am getting there!
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Oh, my son did it on more then one occasion.
One year, we were at my husband's (now ex) boss' house for a picnic. My son at the time was scared of pools and water. He was about 2 1/2. He had been adamant about not wanting to go in the pool! This man picked up my son and put him on a inflatable in the middle of the pool. My son screamed hysterically. I jumped in and got him out. My poor little baby looked at this big man (about 6'6" tall and 300 pounds) and said 'Leave me alone, you dumb sh1t!' My son had never said anything like that before, I was shocked. This man looked at me and said 'Did you hear what your son said to me?' I said Yup and he was right.
Another time, he complained about man who was smoking. Even though it was outdoors, the air was stagnant and we were breathing in that smell. Matt complained about it and the man looked at me and said that my son had a smart mouth. Matt responds with I would rather have a 'Smart mouth then have a mouth that smells like a butt. He was about 3 at the time.
Again he was right.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
24 Jul 08
LOL, excellent what a smart boy he was, and when they are right it makes it all the more sweeter!!!
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
21 Jul 08
with 4 kids, it would be difficult for me to go back and remember the most embarrassing thing said. Kids just tend to blurt out anything sometimes. Obviously your daughter heard it from somewhere. Probably one of the older kids or one of their friends were getting a kick out of getting her to say it or else she heard it and is mimicking. If one kid said it and the others laughed she is bound to repeat it for the laughs. So obviously...don't laugh. She is 2 and doesn't know any better. I'd just tell her that she used naughty words and you don't want her to use them again. Then let it drop. Unless someone is deliberatly teaching her bad words then it should just stop. I wouldn't make a big issue of it. And to be honest, she kind of used the words correctly given the situation. @gemini_rose (16264)
•
21 Jul 08
ROFL you were doing so well until the end, I do agree my thoughts were not too nice I just did not say them out loud like she did. I really have no idea how I kept a straight face. Oh dear, kids ah?
1 person likes this
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
24 Jul 08
Lol, sorry to laugh but it sounds pretty cute coming from a 2 year olds mouth. I don't think I would have got mad at her, as like you said she probably learnt it off her older brothers. But I would have said to her not to say those words to people as it is not very nice. I think I have ignored some things that my daughter has said before, however usually she says it again at a later time then if i ignore it.
You are brave,lol, asking advice about children, remember what happened in my discussion. Hopefully people will see the humour in your discussion.@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
25 Jul 08
Lol, I see the humour in it, kids are so innocent, they can't help it if they learn these funny words from other people. They are allowed to make mistakes, they will learn as they grow older.@gemini_rose (16264)
•
24 Jul 08
LOL I know, I am a glutton for punishment, I keep opening myself up for grief with my children discussions, but I just cannot help it. And OK it was naughty but it was funny. I see the humour in it if no one else does and I don't encourage her, she never sees me laugh!! Xx
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Jul 08
hi gemini rose I dont remember now as its been many years since myson was a toddler, but I do know that ignoring an embarrassing
outbreak of a cuss word by a toddler is the best way to handle it as scolding usually makes it must that much worse. they soon get tired if nobody responds to them and they will go on to something else not embarrassing. lol I think my son once called some relative a poophead and he was furious but I ignored it and it did not happen again. lol.
@quinnkl (1667)
• United States
22 Jul 08
I think they all go through this phase. When mine did, I explained that it was not nice and we didn't use those words. And when it happened again, I would say "What did we say about that kind of language" and ignore him. It actually worked quite well with ours, but sometimes it doesn't go that well, easily!
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
22 Jul 08
They do all go through this phase, my daughter is one of those where if it is pointed out to her she will do it all the more. She does not with her dad but she does with me, so for me it is definately better to use ignoring or do what you do tell her it is not nice and then ignore it.
@ruby222 (4847)
•
22 Jul 08
Children will be children,and they have no worries when it comes to embarassing their parents!!The one time I well remember was when the girls were around two,they were sat having thier breakfast,and out of the blue one of the twins told the other to**** off..well I was horrified,and in my anger I grabbed the teatowel and swioed her across the face with it!!It may well have hurt,but at that point I was not thinking rationally,I was consumed with anger,luckilly this was before the days when this would have been deemed as bieng cruel..yes I felt for her when she cried,but there wasnt anyway I was going to tolerate that.She got over it very quickly,she knew the word was not a good word,but had no idea the impact that it had on me.Luckilly we managed to go for a very long while before any more unforeseen words came out!
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
24 Jul 08
It is when they are out of the blue that they are all the more shocking. I know she will get out of it, just hope it is sooner rather than later! Xx
@valeria1 (2721)
• United States
20 Aug 08
First of all I love kids and their honesty, they are just too much to be true! I am laughing here because I can imagine the man's face! Well I do not have kids but I know something I did when I was child that embarassed my mother. I went to a pharmacy with her and lots of people in there so I pointed to some period pads and screamed look mummy the same ones you have at home! LOL, I am impossible peple say!
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
21 Aug 08
I am not sure that he noticed you know, I knew what she said, in fact I knew she was going to say it before she did. I remember my second child though sticking my period pads all over his head when I was not looking one day and going outside to play in the garden.
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
21 Jul 08
Hi gemini,
I will be laughing also when I will be around a small kids talking like this..LOL!
ANyway, for 2 years old, I guess it's too early to take those words seriously..If we will explain things, it will be difficult for us to explain in her level why that is not accpetable..We can just say that is bad word but kids will not end up there..They have series of why after another why! LOL!
So, it's better for me to ignore this time but as long as she is ready to understand why this is not appropriate, I know it is easy for her to get rid of those expressions!
I also find the man very unkind, hearing that the kid requested it..LOL!
I was laughing also one time when my friend's kid who is 3 years old and she was asking her 9 year old Sister for a toy and the elder Sister doesn't like her to borrow it, with teary eyes, she approach her mom and with innocent face, she asked her mom when her sister will die...I was laughing a lot! LOL!
@saivenkaat802003 (4823)
• India
21 Jul 08
Hi gemini..
LOL, i really missed two things.. they pretty serious angry expression of your cutie.. and the and bizzare look of that man..
How did that man reacted to her remark.. Does he made a shallow grin? But to that man, her remark would have acted as a tiny bombshell...hahaa..
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
21 Jul 08
I did not dare look at him, I know he looked around but I just looked the other way and pretended not to have heard anything, I think I said something like " Oh look at that birdie over there" just to try and distract her LOL
@beruti (30)
• Malaysia
21 Jul 08
The best way is to stop her from hearing such words. These words may not be just from people whom are close to her but also from other sources such as TV show, video and even radio. You must know that children at early ages are really fast at "catching" new words. So you may want to be more careful with what you want your daughter to listen to.
If she says any bad words again, it's nice to tell her that it is wrong to say that words. You can tell her that what she said was not good and it could hurt someone's feeling. I think she will understand. With proper learning, you daughter will be fine, just don't punish her too much or she might hate you for that.
Just my 1 cent.
@powerbrokenape (399)
• United States
21 Jul 08
Tell her not to say that anymore. Hopefully she doesn't know what poopy d!ck is referring to or else she may have some mental problems about it, but they probably aren't too serious of problems. It's just that that is obviously about homosexuals. :/
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
21 Jul 08
Thanx for your response although I do know that at two she has no idea what it means it is just words to her, and not necessarily in reference to homosexuals.
@chingbeem (910)
• Philippines
21 Jul 08
i teach kids and i usually encounter children swearing like they were saying an ordinary word in their lives.what i do?
first,i could identify immediately if the child is conscious of the meaning of the word by coordinating it when it happend to his/her actions.
some children doesnt know the meaning,only that whenever they make a mistake,a deed or thought,they immitate what grown ups say when they're in the same position.so, i call the parents attention..
second,if the child just hears "badwords" unintentionally,usually in public places,they would not associate it much with misdeeds.
my children never shore,my husband never swore...when we hear it from other people,immediately,i talk to the kids.we discuss.we need to be honest to them.then they'll realize why the words are bad...and cannot be uttered in anyway...they have to realize this by themselves
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
21 Jul 08
Oh it was not cute, not cute at all. I did not know where to put my face and if he understood what she said then heavens knows what he would have thought of my parenting skills LOL
