Bad mummy alert - please help me stop my 3.1 year old swearing!

[crokky]

DS is 3.1 and his speech is a bit delayed (say 6 months ish behind). However, it seems that he has no trouble learning swear words.

It was probably me that he heard swearing, I will admit. I have a 3yo and a 1yo and DH works 7 days a week and I have quite a lot on my plate having only moved here a year ago.

Anyway, I don't actually know if it was me or someone else, but he learnt the word "fucking" and it must have been from someone saying "fucking hell". The first time I heard him say it was when I was trying to fix a towel ring to the wall in the downstairs toilet. I dropped the towel ring and the tool I was using accidentally and I said "aarrgh" - I wanted to swear but DS was behind me watching the DIY so I did not actually say anything other than "aarrgh". DS helpfully added "FUCKING"!!! I said, you mean "FALLING" and thought no more of it. Anyway, a few weeks later, I was in the garden, again trying to fix something and it came apart quite suddenly. Again, DS is behind me, again I didn't swear but DS said "FUCKING!" as the thing came apart. Again I said "FALLING" to try and persuade him that was the correct word, but I don't think I succeeded. I am really worried he is going to say it at nursery when something goes wrong and get expelled! What would I say if the staff told me he had said a swear word at nursery?

Please help me, DS really loves the nursery (of a school that I want him to go to!) and I don't want him to get expelled. Bear in mind, any explanation etc needs to be understandable by an average 2.5yo as DS at 3.1 is a bit behind. TIA.

[crokky]

Thanks for responses - I'm glad they wouldn't just expel him straight away for it. He is already spilling all our secrets after just 2 days .

Nursery staff: "Does anyone here sleep in a bed?"

DS "I sleep in mummy's bed" (actually an amazing sentence for DS given his speech is not great)

I have actually not said any swear words recently in front of him and that's why I am not sure where or when he learnt this one.

Claire - your DD sounds a lot more advanced than my DS. I would have been thrilled if he said a sentence like that, regardless of the swear word in it . He still is not yet able to understand "We don't use that word" or anythign like that yet, so I think, I must try not to make a big deal of it. I would have laughed before as I am a bit immature I suppose, but I don't laugh now, I just worry about him getting into trouble or worse, teaching it to another child at nursery!

[Claire2009]

DD told me at 18mths "Mum, Barney's pissing me off"

She was watching a Barney dvd that SHE asked for!

She's said a couple more words, which admittedly she's got from me but I tell her "No thats a naughty word" and she agrees.

But when I say anything even "Oh my god" she catches me and says "mum thats a naughty word"...

Best thing to do is don't make a big thing of it, and try not to laugh!

[HecatesTwopenceworth]

Change what you say. Try to train yourself to not swear! alternatively, substitute any random word, umbrella, banana, anything, doesn't matter what it is, because you can't tell him "that's a word we don't use" if you are doing!!

Anyone who works with kids knows that they come out with alsorts! worst thing you can do is make a big deal out of it because if they've a mind to, they can decide to say it over and over just cos they know they shouldn't

[MuffinBaker]

They won't expel him for swearing.

I got told y 3 year old had said about chickens that they shit and poo on eggs. I was mortified. he said about it a few days later and it was as clear as day that he said they sit and poo on them.