At some point in their lives a child will start cursing. Between school interactions and the internet it will be impossible for your child not to learn about swearing. In the old days no cursing at all was allowed, but sociologists and psychologists have discovered that some curse words used as a strong expression is not harmful at all. Bullying, denigrating others, and using slurs are a different story. Read the following article to learn how and what to teach your child about cursing.
Key Takeaways:
- Benjamin Bergen, professor of cognitive science at the University of California San Diego, recently published What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves.
- In it, he discusses the topic of children and swearing, debunking the myth of the harm of cursing around children.
- Benjamin Bergen: Parental reactions are important because children are fascinated with how their actions, including language, affect us. Where are our limits and what are our buttons?
“Infants and toddlers are good at consonant plus vowel, repeated if necessary. That gives you childlike words like “poo-poo” or “wee-wee.” But we’ve crafted profane words to sound a little more adult — can you imagine a 1-year-old pronouncing “crap”?”
http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1128898/what-to-do-when-kids-curse
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