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What do you think of a 3 yr old using the word stupid

83 replies

twiglett · 30/03/2004 21:05

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lazyeye · 31/03/2004 17:15

I don't think anyone is saying the knowlingly swear in front of their kids or for goodness sake teach them to swear.....all the posts I have read say that parents sometimes inadvertently swear in front of them and that includes me. If it doesn't include you, all power to you.

Bugsy2 · 31/03/2004 17:21

Hate "stupid" and "shut-up". Ds (4.5) knows I don't like them and he only usually says them if he is trying to wind me up or if he is having some kind of monster moment.
We have a made up word as a kind of stupid equivalent which is "doofass".
However, we talk about farts and bogies and I'm the worst person for laughing about farts, wees and poos!!! (So grown up - not).

GeorginaA · 31/03/2004 17:26

That's awful Angeliz No, I agree that's a completely different league to inadvertantly swearing and your child copying you (half the humour is from the feeling of guilt that it was you who taught it them - being "caught out" that you are human!) - it's certainly nothing I would encourage.

At the same time, isn't part of parenting either modelling the behaviour you expect from your children (for example, something that I've been aware of recently - if I'm not able to stand up for myself in front of my child, how can I expect my child to stand up for himself if someone is being mean to him?) or admitting when you've done something wrong.

I don't think I ever heard my parents say they were wrong about ANYTHING or ever apologise about their behaviour, yet I was expected to apologise instantly if I stepped out of line.

I try very hard to always apologise to ds if I model the wrong behaviour such as shouting at him or swearing. A quick "oops, mummy shouldn't have said that, should she? Sorry!" does the world of good, imo, rather than an unrealistic expectation of us all being saints all the time.

Angeliz · 31/03/2004 17:42

Totally agree Georgina.

I think we all make mistakes and it's really good to accept and apologise to toddlers,(and let them see that we make mistakes too!)

The only big argument dp and i had infront of dd i felt AWFUL!!! Then i realised that it was probably a valuable lesson for her to see us arguing then being freinds again!

Blu · 31/03/2004 18:07

Of course they will copy what they hear. I have tried to stop using swear words since the Faint Blue Line so that I could be an example, but it's really hard. When DS hears me I do apologise and say that it wasn't good.

I try to say 'that was a really silly thing to do' or 'that person made a mistake' rather than label anyone as stupid. (Why can't DS copy the GOOD e.gs I set?!?

willow2 · 02/04/2004 22:01

Re farting - by the time he was two and a half ds had got the hang of blaming the cat - or his dad.

jodee · 07/04/2004 20:37

DS has picked up on saying "shut-up" from Finding Nemo, as well as "stupid", both of which are no-no's - he's getting into toilet humour as well and refers to his great-grandma as "poo-poo pants" - it's so hard keeping a straight face while trying to tell him off!

mamalicious · 07/04/2004 20:53

After a heated argument in the car with dh I decided some damage limitation was in order with dd1 and dd2..'so do you know any swear words then?' She looked at me sweetly and said 'shit' Not tooo bad I thought 'FUCK IT' she offered triumphantly. Guilty as charged, your honour!

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