5yr old knows about "the middle finger"

[Hungrycaterpillarsmummy]

Feeling a bit sad. My son started primary school this year and tonight he said "guess what someone bad at school did today?" And I asked what and turned around and he had his finger up at me and said "X did the middle finger". Now my son knew it wasn't a good thing and he looked very serious about it. He said the boy had done it to my son's friend. I think that is crazy young to know about giving people the middle finger :(
Is 5 normal where they learn about these things?

Ah they pick up all sorts at school. I wouldn’t stress about that, he knows it is not polite and that it got his friend into trouble so I doubt he will do anything.

No normal in our area but knowing some thing exist but not using it is not a big deal.

I'd say it's normal. We had the 'bad kid' tell the kids to look in their parents drawers as they have sex toys and parents have sex etc. My son was only 7/8 and he'd asked me what sex is which is how I'd found out. They don't stay kids for long when there's those kind of kids about.

Not normal for foundation in our area. Starts creeping in around year 2/3 and I’m full swing year 4. Very much depends if they have older siblings too.

I remember my little daughter coming home from school and saying she knew how to swear with her hands…then followed it up by saying of course she wouldn’t do it herself (and especially not in front of grandma!)

Omg!

It's normal for children to pick up this kind of thing at school.
You just need to make sure that you tell them that they shouldn't say or do these things.

My boy seems so innocent 😭

Yes I will. I was pleasantly surprised by how he told me it all and knew it wasnt a good thing.

Normal here I'm afraid. Although ds also thinks that 'shut up' is swearing. I fear we won't have many more real santa Christmases.

Not normal where we are but if this child has older siblings then they could've easily picked it up from them

Ha. I remember this in primary school. DM was a regular finger flipper so I knew what it was before anyone else did. I remember being annoyed when no one believed me that two fingers meant the same.

Have DC in reception now and I would be shocked if she came home knowing. However it's no biggie, we all learn at sometime. Much worse things he could have picked up.

Omg that's horrendous!

I'm worried about that too!

Ds did at least whisper that he knew a swear now to his dad at bedtime one night, and showed him. He still hasn't told me he knows, months later! He does say 'what the hell' occasionally and knows that's a bit naughty, but given the kids he's mixing with, the levels of deprivation, and his generally exemplary behaviour, I let that one go (beyond warning that school and grandma won't like it).

Learning about sex toys at 7/8 is a bit grim. I'd assumed they wouldn't know about sex until 9 or so? Maybe that's naive of me.

And he still is.

Even if he learns the word cunt tomorrow, he'll still be an innocent 5 year old.

I knew the middle finger at 4 and curse words at 5.
And a lot more by the time i hit 10.

Sorry but this just made me laugh.

My daughter got to 7 before she learned. I home educate so she didn't get it from school but from her friend down the street, who I expect did get it from school. She also goes to a little local after school type club in a fairly deprived area and has said a few times that various children have been told off there for swearing but I've told her I don't want her to tell me the words and I've never heard her say anything untoward. For the last couple of years she's reported some of the kids at the club have said there's no Santa and parents being the presents, but she doesn't believe them!

It is horrible when they come home saying things you wouldn't expect. I've managed by having very open conversations from young. I did explain to my son that that particular child is neglected. That his parents haven't showed him love and he's been around people who don't speak appropriately around children.

It's a really good thing when a child speaks to you about something like this. He trusts you won't get mad etc. he trusts that you are a safe place to explore the unknown he's learning from other kids. It does hurt but they're exposed to all sorts once at school.

Navigating the Santa thing isn't a big deal either. Some kids will tell him sooner than he's ready but when he comes to you, just tell him it's up to him if he wants to still believe and Christmas is magic whether he's real or not. Luckily mine had a younger sibling, then younger nieces who I taught mine to keep the magic alive for. Explained how good it feels to think of Santa visiting so now they know the secret (if they're ready) then it's exciting for them to play along for younger ones ❤️

Didn't you post about this the other day ?

Totally normal

Don't make a fuss about it or he'll keep doing it

I don't know if there's necessarily a normal because all it takes is one kid with a naughty older sibling and it spreads round the class like wildfire. So it could happen anywhere!

First day at school, aged four, my dd came home telling me about 'Susie', who 'lost her bra, lost her knickers in her boyfriends car'! I was shocked but she seemed to take it in her stride.