To ask for toddler suitable alternatives to FFS

[slightlyeggstained]

DS is 2.9, speech improving but still a bit unintelligible to other people at times. Thankfully, given that he's picked up "for fuck's sake" as an expletive.

Ignoring in the hope it'll be less interesting and will fade away hasn't worked. He mostly mutters it to himself when frustrated. Think it's time to try retraining him to use something else.

Any great suggestions for pithy phrases that aren't sweary?

Jeepers creepers.
Gee whizz (had to be drafted in after he started repeating Jesus)
Goodness me!!

He said shit once in the car (straight after me, obv) but I didn't make a big deal out of it and he's never repeated it since. Phew.

We taught my little brother that grapes was a rude word by giggling after we said it. He's now 21 and it's still used as a fabulous alternative for twat, ie the bunch of grapes on the road today...

"Oh bother" was my managers go to replacement for children swearing in nusery. It was very effective. But then again no one argued with her.

Dd is yet to pick up any swear words, I'm sure she will. Probably just chosing her moment... for max embarasment!

I like 'blood and sand' - it's still satisfying to shout! I thought I managed to temper the rest of my language pretty well.. Until I hear my 3yr old reciting the alphabet, 'r is for rat, s is for shit'...

Fiddlesticks and flapdoodle! (My mum's friend taught us that.)

fiddlesticks?
oh sugar!

Showing my age here but I use "Oh, Ffestiniog" from Chorlton and the Wheelies. I've also mastered the silent mouthing of fuck sake for moments of extreme distress!

Nuts!

Bums!

Faintly rude but not sweary. And weirdly cute when repeated. I'm going to start using Jeepers Creepers too.

In the name of sanity.

I use "for the love of Keith!"

Dunno who Keith is.

Also poosticks/bumsticks and ratbag.

Why an alternative? Why not just tell them not to say rude words?

Twinkie - because ignoring hasn't worked, telling him not to say that hasn't worked, so we're on to Plan C. He's fairly quick to correct pronunciation of a word if we repeat it for him, so seems worth a try.

Love SchweinSteiger! Now if I can get DP's mega sweary mate to start using it, we're sorted.

Might be able to "correct" to fudge cakes or Pete's sake...

Take inspiration from Friends with:

Gosh darn it
Boo-hockey
Brother Pucker

Sugar plum fairy was what my mum said.

Sugar plum fairy was what my mum said.

Sugar plum fairy was what my mum said.

Haha! My username IS what my daughter interpreted 'Oh for fucks sake' as when she was 2. I still use it to this day.......

"Flip" is mine!

Well, I'm not trying to be an arse but I really don't find it funny or cute when I hear toddlers swearing. I think it's horrible to hear.

Children do understand the word 'no' if it is said firmly and applied consistently.

DS said one of the TAs at his school used "fudge-nugget"

I couldn't use that. It would all too quickly turn into "fuck-nugget", having seen that on here somewhere

Mother Hubbard! became my favourite when DNiece was born & we had to censor.

We didn't ignore either. No is no.

Jeepers creepers and for the love of Pete!

I say bums and bummer a lot....well....ok I also mutter FfS a lot too but thankfully they haven't repeated it. I've had 'shit' a few times and as we have dogs I pretended i said 'sit' . The other day DS weed everywhere as he was getting dressed after his bath (he's nearly 2) and hubby who does not cope with bodily functions yelled 'arghh he's pissed on the floor'. Well that was it, DD aged nearly 3 kept saying 'he pissed on the floor! No pissing on the floor DS!'. I kept changing it to wee and she hasn't said it since. The other day she said to DS at dinner 'you bloody well eat it'. Honestly I need to curb my language big time

I didn't think DP and I swore that much, until DS came along. We've actually reduced a lot but even if we completely stopped (including in moments of stress like whacking head on open cupboard door, etc), it's very hard to stop friends and family swearing.

"Bust my buffers!" (from Thomas the tank engine) gets a lot of use in this house, along with "Flatten my funnel!" and my particular favourite, "Pump my pistons!". It's oddly satisfying to shout.

Still a way to go though, the other day I stubbed my toe on the same chair for the umpteenth time and was expressing my displeasure when 2 year old DS ran in and asked "What fucking chair mummy?"