I distinctly remember the moment our eldest, then aged four, exclaimed two slightly mispronounced words that clearly started with F and H. They weren’t perfectly articulated, but they were unmistakable.
“Umm, we don’t say that in our family.”
– “Yes, you’ve said it.”
“Umm, I have?"
– “Yes. You said it once when we were all crying.”
Context: my husband and I are not big swearers. There’s no moral high-ground here, we just don’t really swear. Some further context: we had three baby girls in four years. For a season I was home all day, every day with a baby, a toddler and a preschooler. From time to time, there was some crying. And perhaps some swearing… apparently… maybe.
We’re not here to tell you how to talk in your own home. Every family will have their own gauge on levels of appropriateness. But kids just say the darnedest things sometimes, don’t they? If yours have surprised you with a fresh phrase or two lately, you may be keen for some tips on how to tackle it.