usually from the back seat of the car. ;^)
At this point in it's evolution I wouldn't consider "fuck" at all
appropriate for my kids (even if it is the most versatile word in the
English language). However this isn't anything to do with the word (it is
just a word after all) but rather because at this age (my son is five and my
daughter two) they simply can't understand how it may affect others.
If my kids are going to say "fuck" (and they will, I've no doubt about that)
then I want them to be able to say it in front of me. I hope that I'll
teach them when it's appropriate to use such language and give them the
ability to respect others when using such language.
When I ride into work (I take public transportation) and some kids are
passing "mother fuckers" around it's not the words that bother me: it's the
lack of respect and sense of community that using the words in that manner
convey. I would consider the same thing with your situation: the words
themselves wouldn't bother me, but the lack of respect for others (who could
be bothered) would bother me.
"Fuck" is the granddaddy of them. A formerly completely taboo word like
"ass" or even "shit" would be okay with me - in my house. My son is
learning that there are some words that he's allowed to use at home but are
not appropriate at school or at grandmas for example. He's not encouraged
to use them, but I try not to be too hypocritical about it.
For example daddy (that'd be me) has to tendency to lightly, but regularly
curse out frustrating video games (we go through buckets of "damn its" - I
think Jak II must have received several hundred thousand). My son is
allowed to do the same thing but only at home.
I've never punished my son for saying anything - I don't want to give the
words that kind of power. But when he pops out with "those words" we do
have a talk. I generally ask him what he might have said instead, remind
him that some people are really hurt by that kind of language and try to
find out why he said it in the first place.
In the end tho' if somebody doesn't see it as a problem then it really isn't
a problem - to them. If it's a problem for you can say something - at that
point simply courtesy enters into it. It sounds like I would probably less
offended that you by the same circumstances, but the fact that you were
offended would be enough to stop it in my opinion. I don't have to admit
that you're "right" to stop - I just have to respect your feelings.
Jim Davis
_____
From: Michael Dinowitz [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 11:10 PM
To: CF-Community
Subject: Re: Language today
But even with this so called evolution, do you want your kids using this
language? Do you want a 3 your old saying "where the fuck is my food?". I
don't
want my kids exposed to such language nor do I want to be. Problem is, many
people just don't see it as a problem.
I was totally shocked when I heard the language being used by people at work
in
front of this little kid and the parents were right there and not saying
anything about it. But as someone else mentioned, parenting is one of the
reasons for this change.
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