3 year old saying Bog

[Shurdle]

Got pulled aside by nursery last week to say DS was calling the toilet “the bog”. I know in the UK some words are more acceptable than in other parts but where we are “bog” is considered crude slang. So obviously I told nursery I didn’t know where he’d got that from as we don’t say it but I’d ensure he knows the word is toilet.
On Friday he spent the day with my parents and came home calling the toilet the bog again. I messaged my mum to ask if she knew where he was getting it from and she said she had been saying it to him as it was easier than toilet which he was struggling to say. I told her nursery wasn’t happy and I didn’t like it either so could she stop. She laughed and said I was being precious but agreed she would continue teaching “toilet”.

He was with my parents yesterday afternoon and whilst in the bath he pointed to the toilet and said “that’s a shithouse”. Now I know my father says this but I don’t believe he would tell DS to say this so I reckon my mum has told him that I was complaining about the bog word and my father has said something like “call it the shithouse then” as a joke and DS has overheard??

Anyway my aibu - I rely on my parents heavily for childcare which they insist on doing for free. Do I just let it go rather than causing a scene bringing it up again??

YABU - confront them about saying bad words in front of DS
YANBU - let it go, it’s not worth the fallout.

Yes loo is middle class. I love saying 'toilet' in front of my uptight PIL - it really freaks them out.

I was always taught that ‘toilet’ was a nasty vulgar word.

They are called "toilets" on the street signs in our village which point to the public toilets.

We are clearly a vulgar lit around here. I'd maybe prefer them to say "bog". Should I suggest it to the Parish Council?

@lucillelarusso

Yes loo is middle class. I love saying 'toilet' in front of my uptight PIL - it really freaks them out.

😂 Call it the bog instead?!

Interesting on what words some feel are appropriate and which are not.

The word toilet is used in our household.
Definitely not bog or loo or shit house

Personally don’t like the word bog, and I would be very unimpressed if my child came home from pre school saying that word after hearing it from another child.
Maybe a parent has complained and that is why the nursery have spoken to you about it?

I'm a northerner (tother side o't'Pennines) and I find it incredibly difficult (and slightly amusing) to believe that anyone in Yorkshire would calling a toilet a bog is offensive. Someone please tell me I'm wrong🤣

@Topseyt

I was always taught that ‘toilet’ was a nasty vulgar word.

They are called "toilets" on the street signs in our village which point to the public toilets.

We are clearly a vulgar lit around here. I'd maybe prefer them to say "bog". Should I suggest it to the Parish Council?

“Bogs” would be so funny on a street sign. In the Navy they are calked the Heads which seems strange- Maybe as they were situated at the front of the Ship?

It sounds funny until other parents in school reception are telling their children to avoid your's. Children think that these things are funny, of course they do, but they don't know what context, or whose company to use them in. Some don't grow out of them and let's not pretend that we don't avoid deliberately obnoxious/crude people. Why aspire to bring children up to be the lowest they can be?

Tell nursery to get a life. Bog is a colloquial term for toilet, they are being rather pathetic and stuck up.

@Ponoka7 I agree, a sensible response. No-one wants a child to have no friends at school.

Bog is the Serco-Croat word for hello I was once told, incidentally.

Nowt wrong wi' bog.

A 3yo saying 'shithouse' has really made me laugh!

I would tell your dad he's said it, and ask him not to say it again as your DS will get told off.

I don't have an issue with swearing in general, but young children aren't able to tell when it's appropriate so it's better try to avoid at this age. By school age they should be beginning to learn when it is and isn't appropriate.

[quote Migrainesbythedozen]@campion Loo sounds dirty and vulgar to me, I don't understand the UK obsession with the word. Why can't they use the proper term, which is toilet.[/quote]
Quite the reverse. "Loo" is the only acceptable word. "Toilets" are sold by builders' merchants. That said, "toilet" is significantly better than "bog" (and "shithouse" is in a class of its own).

Bog and fart are offensive?

Oh my word

@lucillelarusso

Yes loo is middle class. I love saying 'toilet' in front of my uptight PIL - it really freaks them out.

Loo isn't middle class. What is wrong with people 😂

This has made me smile!

I've always said loo and really dislike toilet. So that would offend my ears more than bog - even though toilet is 'correct'!

But YANBU. Your PiL should respect your request to stop using bog/shithouse

This thread makes me feel like I've stepped into an alternative universe! Toilet wrong, bog wrong, loo wrong, no wonder children are getting confused, I'd probably started calling it a shithouse too, out of options!

Everybody says shithouse, but what about pisshouse?

Thunderbox?

Bog isn't a word I'd want my children saying, especially at 3! While I wouldn't class it as a swear word, it's pretty crass/unpleasant.

That being said, I grew up in the midlands, and we said bogs at secondary school to refer to the toilets, because they were gross, and bogs seemed apt! I'd never have said that in front of my parents though! It was always toilet or loo.

I would laugh for a month if my two year old was saying “bog” instead of toilet. It’s not a word I use but it would just sound so incongruous coming from a tot. I’m surprised nursery have a problem with it - it’s definitely not swearing! Shithouse… well, that’s definitely problematic isn’t it.

In terms of your parents I’d probably say look nursery aren’t keen and I don’t want him singled out so can you please say ‘loo’ if he’s struggling with toilet. And I’d have very firm words about shithouse.

Then with nursery I’d tell them to get a grip and just do what they normally do with children using incorrect words “yes, you can go to the toilet” and he will correct himself in time. It doesn’t need to be a big deal!

My DD says fart though. I never thought there was anything wrong with it! She would panic every time she farted thinking she’d poo’d and she hates pooing, so now she says “just a fart!”, which is hilarious. If nursery pulled her up on it I’d think they were insane.

you need to teach him he only says shithouse at Granny and Grandads, especially when they have friends visiting

Just wanted to add this from the nhs website for the posters who would be horrified by the word

There are honestly nurseries out there where children can't say bum and fart?! Perfectly normal words?! Hilarious.

Nope I wouldn't like my 3yr old saying "shithouse". I'd be mildly unimpressed with "bog", but would do nothing more than just repeat "toilet?" after every time she said it and just keep modelling it correctly and I wouldn't make a fuss, it's hardly a bad word.

My DD says fart though. I never thought there was anything wrong with it! She would panic every time she farted thinking she’d poo’d and she hates pooing, so now she says “just a fart!”, which is hilarious.

That's so cute 😂 my 2 year old says "I just pardoned" which I love 😂