Foul language. When another child uses it and your asks what it means

[babe1]

In the Summer, my children and I were at a public paddling pool in our local park. My Daughter came running up to me and said "Mummy, that little boy has just called me a c. What's a c? I was absolutely mortified, and leapt up to have a stern word with the child's Mother, but he was there alone with another boy of the same age. (They were about 10 or 11). I was too furious to trust myself to speak to the boy himself, so the best I could do was to tell my DD that it was an awful word, and one that I never wanted to hear again. Have others been in this or similar situation? How do you handle it when your kids come home repeating horrible things that they've got from other children?

I would explain,k That's a rude word for the girly bits between your legs.

Short and simple.
Why do people use it?
Because they are trying to be horrible. Nothing wrong with the bits, just the word.

sorry, didn't mean to post this twice

To be honest, I tend to tell them what it means (or something fairly close to what it means) - well, my older two (6 and 8) at least.
This is because, once, my son told me his supper was 'crack'. He had no idea that the word was actually crap or that some people would find it offensive - especially coming from him!

I came over all sentimental when ds (6) spent an afternoon with a crowd of cousins etc. ranging from 6 to 17. All getting on well and looking after each other.

Then he came out and said "mum, what's a wanker?"

Sigh, you can't have it all ways.

quanglewangle - this made me

did you tell him?

Ds1 came home from school camp last Friday and asked me what a knob was. I have also noticed him this week using Christ and sucks in the wrong context. I agree with flack: I just tell my children what the word means, tell them I don't like them using it, (although my language is not very guarded I must admit and I don't mind them using my words) and see what happens next.

My kids are of an age where I definitely tell them what the word means and how bad it is in terms of potential to offend.

Bad words don't particularly bother me, they're just words. But I do make it clear that I would never expect them to use these words with adults, smaller children etc.