AIBU to think that 'silly' is not a nasty word

[Catscatsandmorecats]

I'm genuinely interested in people's thoughts on this.

About a year ago I was saying to DS1 (then 2) that a cat was silly to be in the children's playground if it didn't want to be stroked. A slightly older boy told me off and said 'my mummy says silly is a bad word'. I thought this a little over the top and dismissed it, then recently one of the carers at nursery has said the same to DS.

So is it a nasty word? We use it as a kinder way to say someone is doing something stupid and to describe something funny that is a bit foolish too. From the dictionary definition this seems fine. DS is brilliant with words, loves learning new words and funny phrases and had a great vocabulary which I don't want to restrict (barring swearing obviously). But surely in the most part it is the context in which a word is used that can make it more/less nasty/offensive etc.

Not a stealth boast, I am openly proud of his language skills, he's not good with physical stuff or self care like others of his age, they're all different.

What do you think?

Good job these people don't hear me muttering "cunting fuck" under my breath a hundred times a day (yes, I'm working on it).

It depends on context. If he's going around calling people silly, then that's very rude and nothing to b proud of.

And I'm not sure how the use of the word 'silly' shows a brilliant vocabulary.

A child in my class called me a silly Billy one day when I knocked over some books and actually I didn't like it! So I don't usually use it. Also it reminds me of (patronising) Peppa 'Oh silly daddy', so I would rather my dc didn't say it but i just don't use it myself rather than banning it. Admittedly I am quite oversensitive!

Quite often when DS2 and DH are mucking about, DD and I look knowingly at each other and 1 of us says, "boys are silly."

The word "silly" has now lost all meaning.

So an animal can’t be termed “silly” without it causing offence?! Ridiculous!
No but kids extrapolate meaning so it teaches them. John was doing a silly thing rather than John was silly. Agree of disagree with the use of the naughty s word (although isn't naughty also banned?) it isnt about offending the cat so much as teaching kids not to be rude

Thank you, StandingUp. That's what I meant. Try to get into the habit of commenting on the behaviour, not the person.

People talk about the snowflake generation and wonder what the children they are raising will be like. If we're now saying that silly is offensive I think they might have a point.

My 6 year old uses 'silly' appropriately. As in 'daddy's being silly' when Daddy says something erm silly. Or 'you're just being silly, aren't you mummy?' when I engage in a flight of fancy. She never went to nursery. Clearly this is a nursery conspiracy.

I guess he has called another kid silly, which is rude.

Love51 is she ever ""naughty"" though??

I guess he has called another kid silly, which is rude
Depends. If little Oscar is running around being a ggiraffe making Lola laugh and Lola kindly says "Oh Oscar you're so silly" then that isn't rude.

If Oscar can't work out 2+3 and Lola disdainfully tells his "Oscar you are so silly" then that's rude.

Context.

Silly is daft not stupid surely?

I thought silly was the nice, child friendly version of stupid!

Thanks all, I'm glad I'm not totally off the mark!

Things are only ever called silly, or said to be being silly (interesting point on that and we do talk about naughty behaviour rather than naughty children) in context. DS as far as I know also uses it in a kind way, in context, we've chatted about it and also about how other people may not like certain words as well.

To the poster saying you do not see how it shows a brilliant vocabulary, I didn't say it did, I wanted to gauge opinion on not allowing a seemingly innocuous word - I know there are others that fall into a similar category and currently I don't censor other than swear words. I have also never heard silly used as a bullying word and I would certainly tell DS to stop if that ever was the case.

If DH is messing around / pulling funny faces at kids, I would def say 'silly daddy!' - totally said with affection. Really surprised this could be seen as a bad word

The context is everything.
You can label the behaviour not the child/cat. So you can say "the cats behaviour is silly," but not "the cat is silly."

sleeping naughty is reserved for hurting people type behaviour or deliberate nastiness. I wouldn't use it for getting dressed too slowly, which is the #1 thing I tell her off for, or for getting giddy (which is 'silly'). She has been naughty but not frequently these days.