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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Aibu to think poo is not a rude word

77 replies

somewhereovertherain · 08/11/2017 07:21

Just that. A friend has had a call from school to say their DC has used a rude word in school and it’s not acceptable

The word poo. They want him to use no 2 as poo is rude.

For me I’ve never herd anything so redicilous. And if poo is a rude word what do you use.

OP posts:

pisacake · 08/11/2017 13:18

no not me, my DS is obsessed with that video though.

ZuzuMyLittleGingersnap · 08/11/2017 15:28

5 yr olds using the term "Number 2" pales into insignificance when compared with an adult of 53 informing me (why? WHY?) that he was "off to the Lav, to spend a big penny".

A big penny.
Christ on a bike.

Nanny had taught him "spending a penny"/"spending a big penny" were the only polite terms acceptable for a small child describing bodily functions...and this man had evidently seen no reason to alter that in 50 years.

Ttbb · 08/11/2017 15:29

That's just stupid. Any reference to that is a bit uncouth but no.2 is no better than poo. If I were your friend I would teach my child to call it shit instead and see how they like about it.

thegreylady · 08/11/2017 15:43

When I was at primary school (late 40s/early 50s) we had to say:
“Please Miss I need to leave the room with paper!”
We were then given 4 sheets of toilet paper and no more.

SpitefulMidLifeAnimal · 08/11/2017 16:11

YANBU. The bowel cancer TV ad uses the word "poo". Which makes me think we really shouldn't be so uptight about poo when it is such an important indicator of health. I don't like the idea of children being to embarrassed to say they need to go for fear of using the wrong word either.

Number 2 though? Gawd, that sounds just as bad as "back one out"!

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 08/11/2017 16:31

There's no way a school would phone parents to report a child politely asking to go for a poo.
Your friend is exaggerating or talking a load of poo. Her story stinks.

Mittens1969 · 08/11/2017 16:34

I wonder how many calls to parents that teacher has made to complain about them using the word poo?? I would have expected that reaction to the word shit, but not the word poo.

NearLifeExperience · 08/11/2017 16:46

I'm a bit at posters asking if he was just asking to go to the toilet or calling someone a poo head or something... if he was using it as an insult they'd hardly be telling him to say number 2 instead! You big number 2 head!

I recall being new qualified infant teacher, unused to not being able to swear. After ripping a big display poster I was trying to show the class I said "Oh..." and struggled to find a good, clean word. I eventually settled on "poo!" as I thought it was a normal, acceptable word.

I had two complaints from parents!

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 08/11/2017 16:48

They’d hate my DD’s school. The transition teacher says ‘fart’ 😱😱😱

27yorkshiregirl · 08/11/2017 16:52

Love this thread!! Back to read more comments in a sec, just off to lay a massive gorilla finger. I mean number 2.

TheSmallClangerWhistlesAgain · 08/11/2017 16:55

You're not going to stop a group of 4/5 year olds from saying poo. Every other word is poo/wee/bum at that age. I can understand that teachers get sick of it, but they must know what children are like.

"Number 2" is ridiculous. At junior school, we had a whole series of slang words for body parts based on stationery - pencil and pencil sharpener chiefly - and would burst into fits of ridiculous giggles when we succeeded in making teachers inadvertently use double entendres. Number two is just going to make maths lessons even harder to control.

Heatherjayne1972 · 08/11/2017 17:37

Surely it's too confusing for a child to say 'number two' especially if it's known as 'poo' at home
What an odd school

SparkleMotions · 08/11/2017 17:42

I think the School are being ridiculously precious about this! Shit is a rude word, poo is not! The Teacher who complained needs to get over themselves if they think 'poo' is rude!

Original poster

somewhereovertherain · 08/11/2017 18:32

We know it’s true / fact it is a small village school.

It was used in the context of “I need a poo”

OP posts:

Emmageddon · 08/11/2017 18:33

I'm working with a man at the moment who thinks it's hilarious to announce, several times a day, he's either off to point Percy at the porcelain or make like Snoop and ‘Drop it like it’s hot’ - this is a 54 year old man.

I'd far rather he just said I'm going to the loo, or preferably said nothing at all and just went out of the office like everyone else does, with no need to tell the world what is about to happen.

ProfessorCat · 08/11/2017 18:58

They'd hate our phonics scheme then where the children are taught :

Oo poo in a zoo

Minxmumma · 08/11/2017 19:20

I have laughed so much I am suddenly glad my pelvic floor hasn't collapsed.

Poo is just poo...... so bizarre to get uptight over it. What happens when one if the little poppets gets clever and says they need to do a number 7 and clarifies with a really big poo...... My twins would have had a field day over it.

There are so many worse things he could have said what a waste of effort to get niggly over it.

I'm off to walk the dog (not a metaphor!) and not doubt clear up his unmentionables.

Funnyfarmer · 08/11/2017 23:20

People saying there is no need to specify what he will be doing in the toilet.
I remember on several occasions in primary school and I've heard it whilst helping out in schools.
" Can you wait?" Some reason a poo is regarded more urgent than a wee. So kids may reply " no I need a poo".
I specifically remember a teacher asking me during a pe lesson when I needed the toilet if I could wait? I said " no" she then asked if it was a number 1 or 2. I didn't know what the hell she was on about so I told her she needed a poo.
I also know when my daughter was in reception she still sometimes needed a little help wiping after a poo so would have to tell the teacher she needed a poo.

Funnyfarmer · 08/11/2017 23:25

My dd is nearly 7. She says. " I need a poo. I think it's going to be a warm one

DorisDangleberry · 08/11/2017 23:32

Social etiquette is that one announces one's bowel movements as one leaves the room with the following

"I'm just going to drop the kids off at the pool"
"I just need to lay a cable"
"I need to make an offering to the porcelain throne"
or
"I just need to take care of some paperwork"

sadiemm2 · 08/11/2017 23:40

Dear lord.... We teach our children (foundation stage) to merely ask to go to the toilet. I don't need to know exactly what they are doing in there.... Except for the little tinker who keeps filling up the loo with blocks of tissue... I will find yiu....

SteamTrainsRealAleandOpenFires · 08/11/2017 23:51

"Scuse me teach, but I'm busting for a Theresa May"

Don't you mean a "Douglas Herd" or even a "Richard the Third"?.

HateSummer · 08/11/2017 23:55

WTH? So stupid! Will they change Winnie the Pooh’s name to Winnie the number 2 in their school?! Ridiculous.

DustyCropHopper · 08/11/2017 23:59

I agree that using poo in the circumstances of actually needing a poo but I also agree that the teacher could encourage the use of 'I need the toilet' rather than what they actually need to do, that is actually what the class teacher and I did in a reception class for the 9 years I wotprked in there.

Funnyfarmer · 09/11/2017 00:03

At home I announce "I'm going on my break"

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