Swearing

[Nel81]

Hi, if you've seen my other thread, you'll know that my son,7, has started at a provision for children with social,emotional and behavioural issues. Before he started the teacher warned me that swearing is likely to increase (he'd never sworn before, he's very innocent in that respect) as a lot of children there swearing. I've been on the receiving end through an open window while collecting him a couple of times so i know it's happening.

Anyway, last night was the first time he swore at home "puckin box," (he can't say f 😂) and I ignored it. He's said it a couple of times this afternoon, which I've ignored but is this the right course to take going forward? Thanks x

He doesn't know that swearing is not appropriate, so I would explain that to him, otherwise you are running the risk that someone will shame him for it. I would say something non-judgemental like "We don't use swear words, because they are not nice words. A lot of people don't like them or feel sad when they hear them. You can say "I am really angry" instead."

It's so hard knowing how to address this isn't it. My 2 boys both go to SEMH schools (now in Secondary but started in Primary) and we were warned they would pick up swearing (and other behaviours) due to the nature of the schools. So we pick our battles, certain swear words are allowed, hugely offensive ones are not, and we don't swear unless we are at home. Not the best solution, others would be horrified, and it's not encouraged but to be honest it kind of works, we never get swearing at restaurants etc although our neighbours must think we are housing a family of pirates turning the air blue!

Thanks, I have tried to explain that it's not a nice word but he's cognitively at the level of a toddler so I'm trying to model different words for when he says it. We were in the garden yesterday and he saw a spider so he shouted puckin spider. I said that's a silly spider. Tbh I don't blame him, the pucking spider was pucking huge and at his face level 😂

we have explained about not being words to use if not at home and on our own , some not ok there either & and reinforce this sporadically but mostly we play the nonsense word came st the time .

So when he swears react with an oops that’s a swear word (or square word as ds says & we have all adopted) what word could we use instead that makes us laugh and come out with nonsense words galore .

He will now often use nonsense words as square words now which can be highly amusing! Doubt it will work forever but is good atm!!

@Nel81 the puckin spider made me laugh!! And I really think this year there are a LOT of puckin spiders around!!! 🤣