to ask schoolkids on the bus I was on to watch their language?

[StudyFullTime]

travelling on a bus at school kicking out time and school kids got on and sat by me and 4 year old ds, they start effing and jeffing, they couldn't be older than 13/14.

Anyway I let that go until one of them calls the other a fucking cunt so I turn to them ask could they watch their language please.

They do watch their language but are still mumbling.

Then I thought balls, should I have said that? So, wibu?

[HelenHen]

Aero, how does it hurt you? You're being silly now! Think about it!

Anyway I'll continue to swear and y'all can continue to be offended... Your choice! Seems silly to me!

Can somebody explain exactly how it hurts you though? It doesn't make any sense! Many of you admit to swearing at home but not in public... Why? If it's so offensive, why do it at all?

[Aeroflotgirl]

No Helen I am not, unless someone has Tourette's there is no need for swearing in public, I and many other or pole find up offensive which it is. There is a time and place, on a public bus is not one of them. I do not wish to hare you swearing like a trooper in public thank you, keep it private!

[Aeroflotgirl]

People doh

[Aeroflotgirl]

It's about manners and decency Helen, we're those boys your sons btw!

[HelenHen]

Ahhh manners and decency! Keep your judging to yourself! Everyone here who said they've asked someone to stop swearing said they got what they wanted. I am a very decent person thank you and I always say please and thank you! You still haven't explained how it hurts you though... I genuinely want to know!

[Aeroflotgirl]

Helen I find it offensive, it does not physically hurt me, but it's not nice hearing someone swearing on a bus or train, it can be intimidating.

[StudyFullTime]

Well, I have complained to the school and they're taking it very seriously, to the point that they're going to locate the girl.

[struggling100]

Personally (and this is just my individual perspective) I don't mind swearing at all. In fact, I think it can be positively hilarious on some occasions (think: Malcolm Tucker). I don't mind adults or kids who swear.

I DO mind aggressive and intimidating behaviour, swearing or no swearing. I would step in with older kids (teenagers) and say something gently, but I do think there's a way of doing this. I was on the train the other day and a teenage girl was playing music really loudly on her phone. (I think it may have been an honest mistake - she had headphones on, and I think she may have thought it was coming through those when actually her phone was blaring away). An older gentleman got up and said (really aggressively) 'Turn that bloody rubbish off. That's not music, it's just NOISE'. Though what she was listening to wasn't to my taste, I thought he had managed to be even more rude than she was being. I rolled my eyes and grinned at her.

[HelenHen]

We'll done study... Wow, get the girl in trouble for being normal! That's disgusting! What do you hope to achieve? Seriously reporting a teenager for swearing, what next? This big brother stuff is getting too much! Ah well, as long as it makes you proud of yourself! I presume you were a perfect teenager and never offended anybody?

[glenthebattleostrich]

I've typed and deleted a couple of replies to Helen but I think I'm going to go with a nice simple will you just fuck off. You are wrong but obviously to much of an arsehole to care.

[Martorana]

Such fun acting a part on Mumsnet, isn't it, Helen? You can pretend to be anyone you like- including a character from Father Ted!

[StudyFullTime]

Helen, swearing in public is not normal, it's that sort of attitude that explains why young people think they can do what they like when they like.

I was never a perfect teenager however I certainly would never have swore like that on a bus especially with my school uniform on cause if my mother ever found I was speaking like that I would have got a beating.

[Aeroflotgirl]

I agree study, back in tge day if we were swearing, or eating in the street or doing any thing anti social in our uniform it would certainly get back to the head.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Oh yes I was smoking in the street and was in uniform, someone reported it to tge headmistress and I got a bollocking. Right of passage IMO, no I don't smoke.

[HelenHen]

Lol Glen!

Marto, what part am I acting? 'feck' is hardly swearing! And yes, I do swear in public and will certainly continue to do so cos I don't think the majority posting on this thread actually constitute what's normal. I'd say most people are ignoring how bloody ridiculous it is. I was gonna ignore but then decided to speak up!

Ah so it's ok to beat your kids but offensive to swear? . Very strange!

[HelenHen]

And young people get a tough rap! I don't think they believe they can do what and when they like... Especially when there's people like this just dying to report them! Let teenagers be teenagers for fuck sake!

[Pregnantberry]

YWNBU, but for me it would depend on where I was as to whether I said something.

For example, every time I go to pick DSS up on the bus (lives in a quaint Oxon. village) since he was 4 the same situation has played out - group of rowdies from the big school start swearing, a hard-looking teenager who probably has a little brother or sister will say something like "oi, vez a li'ul kid sat ver" and they shut up and I don't need to say anything but it probably would have been fine if I had done.

However, if I said something in the same situation in the town I grew up in - a slightly inbred looking town in the east midlands - then I would probably be heckled until I got off the bus, which would be far more alarming for whichever DC was with me than them swearing amongst themselves, so I wouldn't bother.

[HavannaSlife]

I live in the east Midlands, which slightly inbred looking town is it

Helen what are you on! So you are saying you would have no problem what so ever with your 4 year old telling someone to fuck off

[Aeroflotgirl]

I personally would not report them unless their swearing was directed at me, if it was amongst themselves I would let it go, I was a teen once ya know.

[HelenHen]

Havanna were these kids 4 and did they tell someone to fuck off?

In answer to your question though, no! There are much bigger priorities!

[Greyhound]

Not unreasonable.

Having said that, years ago I was on the London underground and a young lad was blocking the exit door. He was fooling around and showing off to his girlfriend. I asked him to let me past and he got nasty with me. I tried to push past him and, when the doors opened, he picked me up bodily and threw me onto the platform :( My shopping went everywhere and I was quite badly bruised.

I heard his shocked girlfriend exclaim and I hope she later dumped the bastard.

The underground managers and the police got involved but, sadly, he was never caught.

[HavannaSlife]

No sorry she called someone a fucking cunt in front of a 4 year old who could easily go into school tomorrow and repeat it!

In the real world Helen parents tend to not like little children who swear as they don't want their own doing it, if you have a child who swears they tend not to get many invitations to come round and play

[HelenHen]

Because nobody has given me a good reason yet Mrs! None of you seem to know exactly why you're so offended, you all basically say 'because I am'!

Havanna ad I said before, that's the only reason I'll teach my kids that it's wrong to swear, because of judgemental shithead parents. I won't have somebody else punish them because I believe it's ok, as terrible as that is!