At some point during parenting you may run into a dreaded potty mouth of your toddler. It may just be an occasional not-so-nice word that leaks through or a more regular and repeated issue. So, whenever you child curses how should you handle it?
The answer is going to be different for each child. Cursing can be curse words that adults use, or it can be as mild as calling another child a “poo face”. Disciplining your child for saying these curse words needs to be consistent, but you need to first figure out why your child is cursing. Do they curse when they are angry, to hurt another child’s feelings, or just because they are repeating things they have heard adults say? Once you decipher when a child is prone to cursing you can be preempt it. If, for example, you see that your child is getting angry try to diffuse the situation before cursing begins.
Once cursing has begun you need a game plan. Most all child psychologists agree that if you give the child attention for the cursing it will only get worse. Whether that reaction is goo dor bad, it will be a reactio nontheless.
Try not to laugh, as that will only encourage more cursing. Instead refocus the child and have a defined punishment such as time-outs / naughty step etc. If you are consistent and do not give any attention to the cursing it should go away.
Children learn by example, so if you are prone to cursing your child will act as a small parrot and repeat even the not-so-nice words he/she hears you utter, so if you don't want to hear them say it, make sure you don't curse in front of your child. Children who curse typically hear those curse words from someone close to them such as a parent. If parents cut down on their cursing they will see cursing in their children subside as well. And remember if relatives, friends and minders will need to be careful with their language too and don't be afraid to remind them. Or course, there will be times when the child hears something, and you have no control over it, in which case you can explain to the child that it is a naughty word that 'we don't use'.
No matter what method you use, the key seems to be all around consistency.
Have you encoutered this at home? If so, what method do you use to curb your child’s cursing?
