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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think "bloody" is not a swear word?

106 replies

MummyO3 · 12/01/2011 19:51

my son is in primary 2 ... aged 6 (just turned) ... and is on a behaviour chart, due to some extreme behaviour.(adhd)

now when he gets all six stars for the day we make a big fuss of him...

6 periods of time, if all rules kept he gets a star for that period of time... rules are 1. no agressive behaviour in the class or playground...2. listen to my teacher and do what is asked...3.put my hand up and wait to talk to my teacher...

so today he comes home with 5 stars and a number 1 Hmm it states, sent to depute for using bad language....

imo bloody isnt bad language, now the school have said he said bloody, just randomly, nothing else with it, so not like he said bloody hell etc (catholic school, so could understand them being annoyed about that) but i dont get why the school has reacted over this Hmm

AIBU?

i have scored the one out on his chart and put a star, i refuse to punish him for that, and noted on the chart, "sorry but i dont think the word used is a "swear" word etc and i think its very unfair that he has had a number 1 for this rather than just speaking with us about it"

as 5 stars are 5 stars he gets the pocket money earned but 6 stars is a big differnce cause he haas gotten them all, now i am by no means soft on my son, i will be the first to punish him if he is wrong, but i dont think he is Confused

WWUD?

thanks :)

OP posts:
thumbwitch · 13/01/2011 00:27

whoops, just seen my typo - in case anyone couldn't work it out, it's female vet.

thumbwitch · 13/01/2011 00:30

Well, you can use "dash" instead of "damn" - an old faithful.
heck instead of hell, bloomin instead of bloody.
Most people, I think, replace shit with sugar or shite - but then I don't think shite would sound good out of the mouth of a babe either.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 13/01/2011 00:36

I think the only REAL swear words (in the sense that I would consider someone else taking offence to be 'justified') are fuck and cunt.

I don't REALLY want my daughter saying most of the other ones, but it's an aesthetic rather than a fear of offence issue.

That, and the fact that you don't want children to swear as they don't have the social skills to know how what is appropriate changes with the situation.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 13/01/2011 00:38

TBH my daughter seems to be doing fine at insulting me with the words poo, smelly, head, poo and stinky in various combinations.

mackereltaitai · 13/01/2011 15:38

'Oh bother' would be acceptable IMO TheCoalition.

I would also be all right with 'Oh no' and 'Shoot' (handy American import IMO). My mother used to say 'Oh Christmas' under extreme provocation - about once a year.

I don't like swearing, full stop.

dockate · 13/01/2011 16:27

YABU; certainly not a word I'd be happy for my children to use.

OTheHugeManatee · 13/01/2011 16:30

Did you say it's a Catholic school? 'Bloody' is a contraction of 'by Our Lady' which might be construed as blasphemous if you are determined to be offended.

solo · 14/01/2011 10:10

My Mum says 'fishooks!' (one word) and irrationally, I hate it! fiddlesticks is more pleasant IMO.

violet79 · 08/10/2011 15:10

The word bloody was said on the tweenies...when max was trying to pin something to the wall, sommin went wrong and he used the curse bloody, so it cant be THAT bad...my kids say it and i dont think anything bad of it, they are being called on it at thier new very regimented school now we have moved up north, but down south in thier old school nothing was thought of it...i think it depends on how controlling the school likes to be over thier pupils...
im annoyed because the school is forcing them to apologise for it when at the age of 7 and 9 its just pure habit and i cant see it being broken. Its making them feel naughty when they are good kids :(

DownbytheRiverside · 08/10/2011 15:18

You bumped an old thread to say that? Why not start a new one?
If your children are breaking the rules at their new school, it won't matter how irritated you get, they will still be in trouble. You may have to find a school more in tune with your attitude to avoid the stress.

minimisschief · 08/10/2011 16:12

well if nothing was bloodied as in oh dear my finger is all bloody from this paper cut etc

then he is swearing because without any other context and randomly using that word he is using it as a swear.

yabu

FriskyMare · 08/10/2011 16:23

Seriously - they used the word bloody on the Tweenies violet79, I think thats awful, thought it bad enough when Ron Weasley said it in the films (not sure he does in the books). I'm not a prude, just hate hearing children swear.

worraliberty · 08/10/2011 16:29

If you don't think it's a swear word or rude to say, ask yourself if you'd say it in an interview for an important job...I doubt it some how.

Oakmaiden · 08/10/2011 16:31

It is a swear word. And it was swearing.

However, his chart isn't for "not swearing" so I don't feel it was appropriate for the school to use that to punish him. If he had done the things he needed to do to get his star then he should get his star. It is just unfair otherwise.

pointydog · 08/10/2011 16:37

It is a swear word

rhondajean · 08/10/2011 17:14

Its a swear word, but a mild one.

DD1 at almost 12 isnt allowed to use it, never mind DD2 at 7.

However if hes been really good the rest of the day and didnt realise, Id just have a wee chat with him about not using it again and give him the star.

BatsUpMeNightie · 08/10/2011 17:20

Bloody fucksticks - another bump of an age old thread! Someone IS having fun. Fuckwit.

worraliberty · 08/10/2011 17:22

Ohhh you said Bloody Shock

BadRoly · 08/10/2011 17:27

I would class bloody in the same league as fart and arse. Not especially strong language but not especially pleasant words for young children to use. I would pick up all of mine on using it.

pippilongsmurfing · 08/10/2011 18:02

Whether it's a 'mild' swear word or not, it's certainly not a word a 6 YO should use, unless in the context of 'I cut my knee,it's bloody' or whatever.

lesley33 · 08/10/2011 18:04

It is a swear word as far as I am concerned. Not the worst he could have said, but it is swearing.

pippilongsmurfing · 08/10/2011 18:05

Whether they said it on frigging Tweenies or not, bloody is not something 7 and 9 YO's should be saying. If you are telling them there is nothing wrong in them saying it then you are doing them a disservice.

Bunbaker · 08/10/2011 18:16

"Yes it is swearing.

And whether you think it is or not, if the school have rules about what is and is not appropriate language, you are doing him no favours by disregarding them and telling him you don't agree with their rules.

YABU"

I agree

jandymaccomesback · 08/10/2011 18:17

Schools tend to have a zero tolerance poicy on any form of swearing, mild or not.

flicktheswitch · 08/10/2011 20:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.