The Power of (Certain) Words...
Sunday morning my son, who is 3-and-a-half, dropped the F-bomb. Yep. Out the F-word came from his innocent little mouth. Twice. Do they still make Lifebouy soap? thought I. Crap--I hope he never says that in front of my mother. Or at preschool.
My husband was witness to this. After a What did you say? to confirm, he asked Murray where he heard That Word. "From you," he said to his dad (AHA! I KNEW IT!), "And my mommy."
Um--I don't think so! It couldn't have been me! I don't say it much. (And if I do, it's more likely I'll say it at the office, and even then, under by breath.) But if not us, then who? He's only got basic cable in his room. All his DVDs are rated G. He hasn't seen our potty-mouthed friend Jerry since summertime. We must be the guilty party. What a proud moment in parenting!
And how do you explain to a kid his age just why that's not a nice word to say? Why can one little word can have so much power? The F-word. Scrotum.
The fact that's it's ALA awards time, along with the fact that my son suddenly curses like a sailor, reminded me of the whole The Higher Power of Lucky/Newbery/scrotum controversy happening around this time last year. Based on my quick BookScan check, Susan Patron's Newbery winner seems to be selling just fine, controversy or not. At home, I haven't gotten Murray to use the s-word when discussing his anatomy, but these days I'm not sure if it would be preferable to the daddy-taught terms he currently uses. I suppose I should go Google Lifebouy. Just in case.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
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7 comments:
I feel your pain. My son is two and drops the F Bomb, along with the F*ing A** Bomb daily.
http://vintagechildrensbooksmykidloves.blogspot.com/
Too funny, Alice, but a perfectly normal part of parenting. Just wait until about ten years from now. Then you'll *really* be surprised at what he comes up with (for me, it was finding porn in my 13-year old son's bathroom...).
I nearly spit out my coffee, Alice. Instead, some of it came out my nose. Too, too funny. I think my boys were about 5 or 6 before I heard them utter it. and by that time they KNEW it was wrong and when they realized they said it and I had heard, in both instances they froze open-eyed. Before they went about their business pretending it didn't happen, hoping I had not heard it. Neither time was it extolled in anger or with aggression so I just reminded them that that word was not to be used. They knew. And were very discretionary about its use all the way through high school. At least around my wife and me.
What sweet memories this brought. The little darlings show off their new words at the most inappropriate times...at parties, family functions,church.
The best thing I found that helped me was to completely ignore it. Obviously when they repeat it like an echo in a cave, something needs to be done.
Thank you for the memory.
Lea Schizas
http://leaschizaseditor.com
hehe
My little sister (21 years between us!) came of toddler age in a house filled with my foul-mouthed teenage brothers and she picked up the f-bomb at the tender age of two. My mom was flying with her somewhere and sis didn't want to be buckled in and eventually stood up in her seat and hollered, "F... you, mommy!" Needless to say, Mom was mortified. Unfortunately, most of the passengers were not privvy to the apology that followed, in which sis said, sweet as can be, "No f... you mommy. No f... you."
Ha ha!
When my son was born and my wife was nursing the baby and recovering from the birth, she watched the entire Soprano's series while my 3 year old daughter played in the corner. Eventually, my fairy princess of a toddler took to requesting things in a perfect Tony Soprano imitation, index finger extended, saying "Just f*ing do it!"
http://mrchompchomp.blogspot.com
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