[Closed] Swearing in front of young kids...Yay of f'ing nay...

I try not to swear in front of children unless I know that their parents are ok with it. That's not because I think it will cause the children any issues but it's just out of respect for the way other people want to raise their children. They're going to learn all those words as soon as they start school anyway so there's also an argument to made about demystifying them.

**** yeah. The little blighter's have coming to 'em they do.

I don't in front of mine or anyone else's

Swearing profusely in front of other people's children, whilst sitting in a pub beer garden, cigarette in hand; it is one of my favourite ways to spend a Sunday afternoon.

No joint, crackpipe or similar David? Disappoint.

You always make me feel so bad when I swear in front of your kids. 😆 I do try, I really really do.

sorry. 😳

Swearing, like recreational cannibis use in the playground, is something that my kids are aware happens in the wider world, but not in our family.....'cause it's bad m'kay

A big no.
Actually Mrs YP and I noticed recently how much we were using profanities unnecessarily and with little effort have cut the F word out of our day to day language.

I try not to, but fail far too often.

Several years ago I had my wallet and phone stolen from a restaurant table in Granada. I was in the toilet a the time, other adults were distracted. My then 5 year old daughter did witness the theft but didn't know to say anything about it. I obviously wasn't cross with her but I was somewhat angry about the theft of my phone, wallet and cash and this anger came out in some strongly worded views about the thief....

When she got back to school and the subject came up in the 'what did you do during the holidays chat', the teacher asked my daughter what she would do differently next time.

"Stab the fing c in the hand with a fork" came the perfectly eloquent reply.

wrecker - Member
No joint, crackpipe or similar David? Disappoint.

😀 only as I pass the school gates in a morning on my way to work

fieving criminal?

I don't in front of mine or anyone else's

Same here. My eldest daughter however has a talent for it that is beyond compare. She can be a very articulate and reasoned human being in any discussion but suggest for example that she might put her plate in the dishwasher or in fact carry out almost any action whatsoever and you will be hit by a 5 minute non stop swear fest. It's so ridiculous that rather than be offensive it just seems funny.
I also have a neighbour who among other issues has I believe Tourettes. I go most days to see his 96 year old mum for a cup of tea and so she can have some relatively sane company after a day of listening to his incessant sweary ranting.

loading the roof box i dropped something cranbrat then aprox 4 said"oh bugger " with perfect intonation i saw both my self and my deceased dad in him clear as day he also now says "oh god" in exasperation which he has picked up at his C of E primary school.

I try very hard to avoid swearing at all infront of him and either challenge or ignore his very rare attempts, chanting "willymiester" for three days was the hardest to ignore.

I really dislike it, partly for the reasons the OP gives but mostly because it just shows a lack of respect for those kids. Teaching kids that swearing is fine simply isn't equipping them well for growing up as part of our society.

Some people may be perfectly at ease with bad language, but many aren't, and that's particularly true with people in positions of authority.

The idea that demystifying swear words is somehow positive is equally thoughtless, only from the other side of the glass as it were. Doing this surely ruins something that's important and also great fun when you're growing up - discovering the power of swear words and as a result, learning about the boundaries as you go along.

Had an example of this on Sunday afternoon - I was playing football round at the park with my two boys (one P3, one P6) and as often happens, some kids they know from school and elsewhere came over and got into the game. All great, until one of them dropped an F bomb to me (not in an abusive way). Gave him a chance by asking him to repeat what he'd said and he decided to repeat it. I calmly explained to him that I wasn't prepared to be spoken to like that and sent him on his way. I don't think he was being purposefully rude, I think he just misjudged it and I wondered about the language he routinely hears at home. Being told you're not welcome any more in a casual game of football is unimportant; making the same mistake elsewhere might not be.

Being Irish, I kinda have a license to be swearier than your average Brit...in fact people are disappointed if I don't eff and jeff.

I thought I was doing really well at reeling it in in front of dd until he was struggling with something one day and said "Daddy, ****'s sake..." 😳 😆

So, yeah, not sure of which sweary phrases you use most? Don't worry, your toddler will let you know. 😀

I thought I was doing really well at reeling it in in front of dd until he was struggling with something one day and said "Daddy, ****'s sake..."

😀

I try and avoid it wherever possible, however Mrs P from Ireland, where saying **** is OK on national radio breakfast show. It is used alternatively with like instead of "um" or er".
Not only that but there is the inventiveness around not swearing like instead of "I fell on my arse" using "I fell on my hoop" or "I fell on my hole", which are more graphic, yet more acceptable.

I now swear less during the day at work and at home as a c, but away from that I think my "swears per day" average is the same if not higher than it used to be

Oh the swear filter picks out the Irish F-bomb!!****s sake

crankboy - Member
hi jive missed you.
no it won't be a third world war but define terms it will continue to be a war involving much of the world but in a very limited area.

Nobody wants or knows how to fight or can afford a big global war nor i suspect does enough of the kit actually work.

We may get a new and tedious cold war out of it though.

Probably a bit of an OTT reaction 😉

I try very hard to moderate my language around kids, this us is especially in evidence when I go to watch rugby & am surrounded by other peoples kids.
My favourite bit of thinking on the spot was in exasperation at the actions of the referee Wayne Barnes (known for being a sod)
My shout of "Mr Barnes, your parentage is questionable!" got a few giggles from the adults around me*.

*obviously I don't count myself amongst their number!

I adore swearing I really do - people who never swear have never had the right sort of food or sex.

But, like the Dr says, swearing for swearing sake is pointless, it loses all meaning - some of my friends used to swear to such an extent they needed the 'double swear' to make their point when they got angry, they would really say things like "the 'effin' 'effing' wouldn't start this morning and even then it's wasted because it sounds so silly. Worse still they wouldn't even notice they were doing it - I spent an agonising 20 mins listening to my Mate ranting away about work when every third word was C*** as the rest of the room (actually it was a large steam room full of middle aged women oddly) looked on in disgust. I asked him when they all left if he'd done it on purpose to get rid of them "did what?".

I do sometimes swear in front of my kids, but never intentionally, it's usually through shock, pain or bad driving - my eldest knows most swear words, but knows he's not allowed to use them - I'm sure he does with his friends out of ear-shot of adults - just like I did. I would never swear in front of other people’s kids - you never what to hear "Daddy, what's a ****?" from someone else Kid after you've tripped over a kerb or something.

You always make me feel so bad when I swear in front of your kids

It's OK. I'm secretly getting yours hooked on prescription drugs via the transdermal route... and you though I was simply rubbing his head....

DrP

Swearing profusely in front of other people's children, whilst sitting in a pub beer garden, cigarette in hand; it is one of my favourite ways to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I fully support this behaviour, if a bloke can't go down the pub and do a bit of drinking and swearing then there's something very wrong.

I don't drink, swear or smoke in from of mine.

Tricky. Yes, they'll hear them in the wider world soon enough but at the same time need to know that they don't necessarily need to use them themselves. Or, if they do, then they should be saved for specific occasions so they have the right impact/effect.

For example my youngest got sent flying in an innocent collision at basketball practise the other night. Part shock, part pain, her response was tears. Which when your peer group is older girls and boys isn't necessarily a good one; you need to be tough and to stand your ground. I told her if shouting out something rude helped in that moment, that i wouldn't necessarily think bad of it. Whereas if she said it to me because i told her to do her homework, then i would.

@franksinatra my wife is now crying with laughter.

my Mate ranting away about work when every third word was C***

This is so very wrong. That is a very special swear word saved for exceptional circumstances. Routinely deploying the C bomb risks devaluing its impact and should always be avoided.

I had a bit of a road rage thing with my then 3/4 year old in the back. In my defence I didnt start the swearing. Anyway fast forward 3 weeks. My uncle asked junior if he wanted another burger from the bbq. "No thanks ****ing ****er" he replied.

I was brought up in a quite a sweary environment as my dad was a skipper on the fishing boats and practically every word expressed was an expletive of some sort whether that be when i went down to the harbour when they landed or helping out with the gear on the boat, or in the pub afterwards , yet i don't consider i swear very much - certainly not in normal conversation so i guess it comes to what values you were taught growing up.

There was a letter in our local paper last year from a holidaymaker expressing disgust and moral outrage as they had went down to the harbour in the town to watch the boats land their catch of scallops/queenies and they were shocked/disgusted at the amount of swearing coming from the workers involved. I can only surmise they didn't approach the deckhands in question to express their outrage otherwise they'd hear what "real" swearing sounds like.

I try not to, but they do slip out occasionally.
This is why I don't like people bringing kids to grown up events, i feel inhibited by not being able to use an f,c or b when the subject at hand requires it.

Problem with swearing in front of kids is it normalises the behaviour, it gives the message that it's ok to do it. Kids will still swear like anything out of earshot of course, but they should at least learn that it's not always appropriate.

I do, not very proud of it though.

I have explained that Daddy says some naughty things that shouldn't be repeated, and especially not in front of teachers or grandparents. He has full licence to tell me off and I accept it like a naughty boy.

I don't have a problem with mild swearing like "bugger, balls, sod" mind - "oh bugger" expressed with a world-weary sigh from a small child can be very amusing.

A tad more concerned to hear that when his teacher was demonstrating writing on the blackboard by intoning "up, down" he shouted out "funk you up!" at the top of his lungs - though he sometimes mumbles "funk" leading to some genuine moments of horror...

Someone mentioned the elderly back there and it's just reminded me of a little tale.

My dad had the good fortune to spend the last couple of years of his life in a nursing home for the perpetually bewildered. Some of the [s]inmates[/s] residents had lost their marbles in quite spectacular fashion.

One day my mum and I were visiting when all of a sudden across the room, one old dear burst out "OH F IT!" over a dropped stitch or something.

The staff were on hand quite quickly, she doesn't know any better after all so were very patient with her. "Now Ethel, what's that word we don't want you to say?"

"F..." she meekly replied.

"And what do you say instead?"

"Teddy bears," replies Ethel.

"That's it, very good, well done," says the assistant.

Two minutes later at full volume again, "OH, F***ING TEDDY BEARS!!" My mum and I were in pieces.

OP my 5yr old son said

'Daddy?...'
Yes?
'Daddy you are a ****in d£#%khead'

You what?!?

'You heard me'

Why did you say that?

'Well you swear'

WHEN?

'You called someone an idiot'

Yes yes I know..

There are far too many unused words in this English Language of ours, that could and should be used instead of swear words.

IMFO.. 😛

I try not to swear in front of the kids, but the odd expletive comes out. Nothing too hardcore though.

First time I took my son to football I was concerned about the bad language going on, but after I had a word with him, he stopped . 😀

Not keen but the odd couple have slipped out.

I try not to swear in front of the kids, but the odd expletive comes out. Nothing too hardcore though.

I've never f'ed or c'ed in front of my kids, though I accept I can be inappropriately foulmouthed at times. It just shouldn't be done.

Eldest is 12, and at a school with a "diverse" catchment area, and I have never heard him say anything worse than "for God's sake", one of many reasons I am very proud of him.

I suspect - like me - he may act differently with his friends.

My parents NEVER swear - not even 'bloody' which I don't think is even a swear word nowadays. I'll never forget the day his Gran asked my then 8 year old son how he had got on at Rugby training that morning.
Him: Great thanks, we finished up early and so we just played 'Hunt the C' for a while.
I'd never heard him saying anything like it and almost choked. Hoping she would miss it (she's a bit deaf), I let it go
Her: Pardon?
Him: we finished up early and so we just played 'Hunt the C'
Her: How do you play that?
Him: Well one of you is the C and he hides. The rest have to find him. That's why its called Hunt the C
Her: Oh, a bit like Hide-and-seek? What did you say it was called again?
Him: Hunt the C
Her: (paling) DID YOU JUST SAY THE C-word?
Him: No! What's the C-word? (pauses) You mean C?
Her: Yes, stop saying it!.
Him: well you asked what I was doing this morning.

I only really swear at car drivers, whether I'm in one or not, it just comes naturally. My 3 year old thankfully only said "get a f***ing move on" once straight after me and hasn't repeated it since... oopsy.

I know a couple who looked after their friends children for the night . After the youngsters went to bed he got pissed and they had an argument . When he woke up next morning he realised he had been a bit of a dick and went downstairs with a paper bag over his head with the C word printed across the front by way of admitting that he was out of order . Later that morning there was a knock on the door and he answered it and it was his friends , who's children he had been looking after . Noticing a look of horror on their faces he turned round to see their 5 year old daughter stood behind him with that paper bag over her head with the C word across the front .

That ^
Is weird on so many levels

Swearing in front of young kids...Yay of f'ing nay...

Nay. No. Nein. Non. ???. ???.

Can't see a problem, as long as no one is being verbally abused, sock it to the little c8, never forget when my daughter first called me a f w**.

This the same Dr P who lost his temper with his son at BBB 2014 and had a loud, sweary outburst that left us raising our eyebrows in middle class disgust?

They hear it all the time, but need to know their boundaries. No is the answer.

I try not to swear in front of mine but experience of the playground and the football field tells me that they'll hear it all anyway. The first time I took my son to watch a football match I explained afterwards that there was a time and place for that kind of langauge and it should stay in the stadium. I've also explained to him that it has its uses when used in moderation but there are many many other words we can also use. He's 13 this year and over the last year or two I've happily let him listen to some of the funnier profanity laden podcasts that I listen to, like the Bugle.

He's 13 this year and over the last year or two I've happily let him listen to some of the funnier profanity laden podcasts that I listen to, like the Bugle.

When you gonna introduce him to Derek and Clive?

My nearly year old wouldn't dream of swearing, she tells me off for saying "bloody", which is referred to as the "B" word. A few months ago, she said someone had used the "C" word at school, I must admit I was quite shocked, it turned out it was "Christ"

I often think about this. Is it the case that if we swear a lot it takes the offense out of it and we effectively become more civilised?

Look at the film situation; relatively hardcore porn and horror is now in mainstream films. 20-25 years ago we were all asking for the box under the counter.

The point being we don't care now what's in our films we've got over it. It's not sensational any longer. We see the bigger picture of whether a film is good or bad.

However I'm all for the innocence of being a child. The trouble is GTA destroys it all.

I grew up on a farm so I think I'd learned the full set by the age of 10 including the obscure ones.
We knew it wasn't language for the house or school or generally when parents were listening if you didn't want to get into trouble.
As for these days I just know how to express myself in most situations and when dropping bombs is appropriate.

It was however a shock when I took my mother the head teacher to the football, would make sailors blush...

This the same Dr P who lost his temper with his son at BBB 2014 and had a loud, sweary outburst that left us raising our eyebrows in middle class disgust?

I would very much doubt that! I may get mad at the little dude, but a loud sweary outburst is not my style...

DrP

I try not to, but as I don't have my own kids, dont get a lot of practice at holding my tongue so sometimes fail miserably. Doesn't help that the nearest thing I have to kids, my god daughter, 's mum is a professional swearist who could make Gordon Ramsay blush.

Swearing is a life skill, you need to know when its appropriate and acceptable and when its not. I sometimes swear in front of my kids, but I don't use swearing as every second word in a sentence like some do. My boys know that swearing is not usually acceptable, but that they occasionally slip out and as long as its not in front of your Grandma that's not the end of world.

If you never swear at all in front of your children they will just pick it up at school anyway...

I don't swear at all.

Only if I mash my toe on furniture as I bite my tongue?

Learn self control?

I have self control, I also swear... It's not either or. A life of polite words sounds dull. Swearing just to sound cool is crass, a well rounded vocabulary is worth it.

My Dad is a pretty gently sort of a guy but thinks that 'sh*t' is a not a swear word - seemingly because he was brought up on a farm. So I wasn't impressed when I got into trouble for using it at school.

My son has heard me swear, seems to realise it's not to be used in normal conversation.