To ask the nursery if they say this.

[Dylaninthemovies1]

DS (3) has recently started shouting “oh my god” when he’s excited.

I’m sure this isn’t something I say: and my husband definitely doesn’t say it.

My mum is very religious and we live near a lot of religious people, so I don’t really want him using this phrase. Growing up my mum would have went mental if I used this phrase. She would have rather I swore instead of blaspheming (she doesn’t like swearing either)

DH was going to Ask the nursery if it’s something he could have possibly picked up there. But would we be “those” parents?

[justbeingadad]

I completely get your outrage at this, life now is not life when you were a child.

This phrase is not religious and is not blasphemy. You may not like it, I don't either, but it sounds like you're trying to appease your parents and neighbours rather than anything else.

Let it go, when he's old enough to be disciplined for bad behaviour, see if it's still an issue.

[helpconfused]

I don't like this phrase even though I say it. I wasn't allowed to say it as a child. I have taught my son to say oh my gosh instead. Now if I get caught saying oh my god he corrects me

[user1473878824]

I’m not from a religious family but I wasn’t allowed to say oh my god when I was a child either and the ten year old gets corrected with a gentle “oh my goodness” and a smiley raised eyebrow. I don’t know why but I find something really distasteful about children saying oh my god.

[NoSquirrels]

Just calmly keep correcting him with Oh my goodness or whatever you prefer.

This works for ours. I’m sure it’s time-limited but I don’t like hearing kids say “Oh my god” if possible. We’ve never made a big deal of saying it’s ‘banned’ or anything - just kept offering the alternative.

[Skittlesandbeer]

We corrected it to Oh my gosh, every time. It stuck. Now at 8yo, DD has just added it to the ‘we do it this way in our family’, and isn’t tempted to join in when others say OMG.

The only blip we had was when at 4yo, she corrected an older lady who had stopped to talk to her in the street and compliment her curly pigtails. The lady was quite offended.

We aren’t religious, but we try to respect other people’s beliefs. Why offend huge parts of the population when there are alternative ‘exclamations’ to use.

[Angelf1sh]

@oatgroat, YABVU raisins and currants are different things —(cunt)—

[Angelf1sh]

Jfc, why can I never get the strike through to work?

[CareBear50]

Dyrne

If it’s the blasphemy you object to; then try gently correcting him to say “well fuck me sideways!” Instead of “Oh My God

This is rude. I can't understand why so many people choose to use expletives when English is such a rich and varied language. It just seems so disrespectful

[hoorayforharoldlloyd]

Not impressed you got a member of staff told off for blimey - the link is tenuous, most people don't know that so it doesn't really mean anything blasphemous anymore and it sounds like you were enjoying some power play. Not very Christian.

[SmartPlay]

"If you don't like religion, just say so."

I thought I was ;)

^"If you enjoy saying 'oh my God' or whatever (and I do), just say it. No one is going to lock you up, even if some of them tut under their breath.

It's really not as big a deal as you might think."^

Well, considering the OP's posts and several answers here, I does seem to be a big deal to many people.

[Isadora2007]

I think people who are offended by something like this, simply because of the fairy tales they choose to consider reality, should just suck it up.

I find it absolutely ridiculous to prohibit my child from saying something completely harmless, simply because of some religious believes.

Why isn’t it okay for my child to tell Their school class that Santa isn’t real then? It’s not as if parents even actually believe in him but that is a huge no-no isn’t it?

[BadnessInTheFolds]

YANBU in any way to mention to nursery that you've noticed DS saying this and you're trying to discourage it (mention religious granny if you like). If they hear him, could they remind him to say Oh My Goodness instead? They might decide to make it a general rule not to say it in the classroom off the back of that, or they might decide to go with, "some people say it, some people don't" approach

Honestly 'that parent' is someone who comes in all guns blazing, screaming that nursery deliberately taught their child to blaspheme. You seem like a perfectly decent normal human being, capable of having a polite conversation so I'm sure you'll be fine

[golddustwomen]

My 5 year old dd has been saying what the heck since she was around 3. I blame scooby doo and toy story.

[JellyNo15]

I work in childcare and loads of preschoolers say it. I just repeat with Oh My Word.

[MindyStClaire]

I can't understand why so many people choose to use expletives when English is such a rich and varied language.

Expletives are part of that rich variety. Not for children, obviously, but swearing has its place. The poster you were quoting was making what's known as a joke.

I'm betting OP is in Northern Ireland. A lot of people here would be offended by "oh my god", and "would have went" is common too.

[DogsandBoysmeanMud]

You are that bothered and this is your 3rd child??

[Pigletpoglet]

DD age 2.5 to the paediatrician: it's fuckin' FREEZING out there today!

[Shockers]

Give them a more entertaining alternative. Oh, good gracious! Said with real feeling, is much more likely to appeal!

[practicallyperfectwithprosecco]

When dd was 2 she was with ex mil, she looked at her dinner sighed and said " for God's sake how many times do I have to tell you I hate fucking sausages"

I really wish I had seen mil face at that point - she was a bit of a hyacinth bouquet and this just proved to her what a lucky escape her darling son had from the common northern girl ( she regularly referred to me as this)

It was also the only time dd swore as a child - she really couldn't have picked a better moment.

[CassianAndor]

I absolutely loathe the sound of children swearing so I'm with you. I couldn't care less if 'all the other kids are saying it' (they probably aren't). I have a total potty mouth and I reined it in. I would expect anyone working in a nursery setting not to swear at work.

[HeronLanyon]

I don’t mind omg but recently told “as a secret” a 3 year old child of friend that ‘oh my gosh’ was even better to say than whatever she had picked up and was parroting. Had checked with ma first that that wouldn’t drive her up the wall. Worked a treat ! Hope it sticks

[messolini9]

@practicallyperfectwithprosecco

Bully for your DD, hurrah!
& I do hope you were able to fire return shots to exMiL at some point, to repay her "common northern girl" compliment.

Something choice about uptight hidebound pretentious southern twats, for example ...

[Milkstick]

My LO (a bit older) says 'what the FLIP!' a lot because of a minecraft youtube account he used to watch. It's not swearing but the way it's said is so irritating, I want to have a stern word with the lad on the videos. I've made the mistake of tolerating but then saying STOOOOP SAYING THAAAAAAT when it gets too much, but an explanation of why was more effective. I think with this, you'd have more influence speaking to DD about different people saying things different ways, and some people not liking it (we specifically say, please remember not to say that around x person - again, I know yours is younger so it's not quite so easy). Also important to focus on the intent behind it as it's necessary for them to separate the words from the intention too. Now you just need the GPs to get their heads around that too.

[KB197]

When your child keeps saying something you don’t want them to I think the best way is to ignore it, don’t react to it and they will quickly get bored of it. Worse things he could say. It’s more than likely learnt from other children.

[Helendee]

I guess it’s deemed ok to be cool about kids using language that might offend Christians but how about if it were a different religion, is that also acceptable?