I'm gonna be late for *&#$%>*#@ school!

So according to a recent article, kids are swearing more than ever. No kidding. Walking through the mall on a weekend or day-off from school is like taking a stroll through a sailor convention. The swear words are rolling like waves on the ocean.

Swearing among kids is of course nothing new. Most pre-teens and teens accent their new found independence with colorful language. I can remember having a pretty spicy mouth back in the day. But I had enough sense to turn off the pepper mill in front of adults (unless I wanted to be sent flying across the room from an opened-handed slap to the mouth or risk the loss of an eye from a hurtling house slipper). I also watched my mouth around teachers, relatives and strangers on the street. It was a matter of respect for adults...and respect for myself. That seems to be the difference.

Now don't get me wrong. I can still swear with the best of them. But that type of language is reserved for certain company. I certainly don't swear at or in front of my kids, or around older adults (still the house slipper fear remains). I also choose not to swear in random public places because...well, it's just not a good look. But judging from the fact that I've come across plenty of Mamas who were perfectly comfortable cussing out their offspring in public, not everyone shares my viewpoint.

Again, it all falls on us, Mamas. Kids learn from our examples. My parents never swore around us, so it was understood that swearing was not allowed. And if I hear one of my kids swearing I have no doubt that the house slipper rule would instantly go into effect.

I think we all need to (at least once in during our Mama-lifetimes) take a note from this Mama...




I bet her kids don’t even know any curse words.