swearing in the playground

[ipanemagirl]

anyone know successful ways of addressing this.
Our school junior playground has ripe enough language for some parents to be concerned.
Does anyone know of successful strategies to tackle this? I partly assume, as so many of the kids hear it at home, that it's a lost cause!

[lilolilmanchester]

I raised this when my DS was in primary. I spoke to the head who told me that in his experience, raising it eg in assembly or in class would actually make more of a big deal of it. He assured me that any bad language overheard was dealt with. But they don't hear everything do they? So not sure what the answer is, other than to a) have a word with the head and b) reinforce with your own children what is acceptable and not. Interested to hear what others advise.

[TripletEm]

My dx3 have just started school this term and unfortunately we did have the F word said in our house a couple of days later. The school can only do so much and to be honest I think they feel that it is the least of their problems.Very helpful!!
I have been quite open with my dx3 and disscussed the words(the ones they have told me they hear in the playground,I haven't taught them any more!!)and that I won't have them used in our house and told them it isn't nice and it is not good manners. My dx3 have accepted this and when they came home from school yesterday they told me that the boys at school were using the words from the 'naughty list' but they didn't join in!!

[foxinsocks]

I think some of them think they are very cool swearing at that age!

I sat mine down and explained in graphic detail what the words meant (they were open mouthed and silent - for about the first time that I can remember!).

I would have a word with the school - I think ours is very hot on clamping down on bad language.

[seeker]

The novelty wore off very soon with my ds. I just said that there were some words that it was OK for children to use and some that weren't. He then said that x child said them and I said that different families have different ideas, and in our family ....applies. He hasn't sowrn in my hearing since. What happens in the playground I don't think about!

[ipanemagirl]

thanks for these posts. I think iit is hard for the school when it's so normal in some homes.

[seeker]

Another point. I really think you can only make rules for your home. I don't think it's fair to try to make children different from their peers in the playground - I don't allow swearing at home, but if ds needs to do it to be one of the gang at school then I think I have to live with it.

[lilolilmanchester]

Totally agree with Seeker. You'll come across loads of examples of different things being acceptable in different families (in our case, it's alchol for teenagers at the moment, would rather be back dealing with the swearing TBH!) Important thing is to pass on your values, with an explanation of why you think it is important, talking to them as Foxinsocks and TripletEm did.

[ipanemagirl]

Thanks lilo good point