Oh, yes. The things they say.
Pook went through a phase of saying "What the --" often. He only had the two words, stopping with that I'm-about-to-say-another-word sound but not saying more. Finally I had to ask him to stop saying it. I explained that many people would think that he was planning to say more words even though I knew he wasn't. Because those people might think he was going to say a bad word, it might just be best not to say the starting portion. I asked if other kids he knew used a final word. He said yes, sounding uncomfortable already. I went for it, and asked what word they used. He got very quiet. He leaned over to whisper in my ear: "heck"
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The more I'm around kids from Pook's school, the more lucky I feel that I've got him. So innocent. I want to keep him that way even though I know he'd just be beaten up for it if I did. So, my opinion on foul language is that I simply don't want to hear it. But I don't care if he uses it. I told him there were "playground words" and "Grandma at the dinner table" kinds of words. If he thinks he shouldn't say something in front of his Grandma, then he shouldn't say them in front of me, teachers or other adults. Those are playground words. I understand that there will probably be (if there isn't already) some playground cred to using words I'd rather not know he uses. I'd hate to be the one to keep him from any coolness he may have. He certainly won't have inherited any from me.
We've had a nearly identical discussion with AJ, also about "What the," except that it turned out that he didn't know anything came next. His friends, including the 11-year-old next door, always stop there. I thought it was odd, except that I'm finding it in AJ's books and the cartoons he likes to watch as well.
ReplyDeleteI look after a little boy who is quite fond of this little saying. I have always wondered what he thinks comes after "What the..". I shall have to ask.
ReplyDeleteIt's cute that he leaned over and whispered heck! It's scary to think of the slang they will pick up on the playground but sadly it's everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWhen my oldest was little his favorite thing to say was, "shut it." While that isn't very bad it didn't go over so well when he said it to his Nana! Took me a while to break him from that one!
One more thing:
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through DadGoneMad. I've posted a complete list of everyone who left their blog link on his Big Big Stars post in a post of my own called Blog Rolling With My Homies over on my blog, so if you want to see it come on over and sit a spell. I don't bite..…that hard anyway!