Swearing

[2sp_]

Working with the sheepies today I let out a string of oaths at one of the farm dogs which was hanging around at the gate and getting the sheep excited.

Little did I know that a employee (whom I cannot stand) was across the yard with her toddler.

I have apologised to the woman as I really don't like swearing in front of kids and am well known for not standing for it in front of my own.

Her reaction to my apology was that I shouldn't worry as the 2 year old has heard it all before...

I was stunned. I really do live a sheltered life. Is it quite normal for folk to swear in front of kids? Do you do it? Would it bother you if someone did it in front of your child?

[anneasquith]

no, no, yes.

[black_cat51]

mine is 2 and we swear in the house/ Thankfully she is not yet in the position of repeating words back

[roxie_09]

I don't have children but my best friend does and I will not swear in front of him and like you have said something if someone does. I also won't swear in front of my mum and especially my nan! Xx

[sherrardk]

I don't swear in front of mine but I know there are parents in the playground who do and who swear at their children too. At one nativity play a two year old turned round to his mum and came out with a string of expletives and she just laughed.

[Buenchico]

I had a friend who worked as a classroom support assistant in a school for children with learning difficulties. They were walking back from the swimming pool one day, accompanied by several parents, when one of the children used a few choice swear words. Mindful of the child's learning difficulties, my friend calmly explained to him that the words he had used 'weren't very nice' and that he shouldn't use them, whereupon his mother said (without a trace of irony), "I don't know where he f***ing gets it from, I f***ing don't!"

[Sparkles62]

I'm with Anne, unfortunately, not everyone shares our morals these days,
you only need to walk through a shopping centre, or anwhere that has children and adults together and listen to the way some of them speak to their children, they also seem to find it highly amusing when their little ones repeat the words they hear.

[Butterbun]

When my daughter started high school, she made a new friend who lived a few streets away from us and who had attended a different primary. They were out playing on their bikes together when the other child's mom came to get her in using a string of unrepeatable words.
Mine hurried home and was so frightened as she'd never heard words like that before. We don't swear in our house. She soon got used to this because as she got older she realised that some people do speak like that normally, littering the conversation with expletives.
You must have been shocked when you realised you were overheard.

[knowabit]

I grew up with my nan and various uncles and aunties swearing, a lot, but I never did! I admit I do sometimes swear now in front of my kids, but they never repeat the words. They are told they are bad, and just cos adults use them, doesn't mean they can.

[2sp_]

I would die if one of mine came out with something they shouldn't.

[2sp_]

Buttterbun, I was mortified when I spotted her!

[Mamyalynne]

I don't like swearing in front of children either, but like many have occasionally slipped under duress, as did my daughter recently - after a stressful incident she blurted out 'Jesus Christ' (bad girl).


Her 3 year old picked up her shame as she covered her mouth in horror - a few days on as he bumped his head on the table, he yelled full belt "Cheese and Crackers!" with a proud expression.

[2sp_]

My oldest had trouble with the word fork for a while...

[anneasquith]

knowabit, you swear in front of your children, but tell them not to?

[treetops68]

The Better Half And I never swore at home when ours were small, but once they started school we were onto a loosing battle. However, we persevered and forbade it in the house. I have always held the view that if you can't converse without it, you are the poorer for it.

[Cloverjo]

I don't like any swearing in front of children. The children in my extended family hear adults swearing in front of them, but not to them, and they know they are not supposed to say those words themselves.
I once heard a man in a pub say to his small child, '"Don't f***ing swear in front of your nan!"

[Sparkles62]

I think we all probably do our best not to swear in front of the children, but we wouldn't be human if the odd one didn't slip out every now and then.
My small grandson was telling me that his Dad had been to hospital because he split his finger open,
I asked what he did, and granson replied he shut the door on it and he said sh*t, naughty Daddy. Lol

[Jeza]

I have posted this a while back on another thread. I heard a woman say to a small child "come here you little c???" I could not believe my ears.

[1ozzy]

All my children are in their late teens or early twenties now. They occasionally use expletives in moments of pain or frustration but never in front of someone who would be offended. They hear me occasionally, but never as a child. We used to get foul looks from other parents when my daughter was about two, we would take her to a local pond to feed the ducks, but she had trouble pronouncing the word. Running around with food in her hand shouting "come back ****".
I found the other parents reaction amusing.

[ummmm]

Yep...I swear. I'm really accident prone and I swear when I hurt myself. It's usually For Funks Sake or ***. I also swear when I'm really angry...which is rare.

My kids swear in a similar way. I tell them off for pointless swearing (my youngest is 15)

Never swear at children. I might swear in the same room as them but 'never' at them. There was a woman over the shop he other day, her little boy, about 4 years old, was asking for sweets and she said 'put them back you little sh!t'

Actually, my older son swears quite a lot when the football is on...