by Dawna Dees

Created on: January 22, 2009

Kids will be kids and there is no preventative for the trials and errors that will accompany growing-up. They will attempt behaviors that their peers display from time to time, the good the bad and the ugly. Protecting children from latching on to those unwanted habits will come from not indulging in them yourself. Children learn most about the difference in what is acceptable and what is not by watching their parents and their parents reactions to the outside world. They adopt most of the beliefs and morals they have from within the home environment. Parents are role models and have a responsibility to display what they expect, which should be what they believe in anyhow.

Profanity is not an acceptable form of communication or expression in our home, nor is it acceptable in most of society's settings. There have been a handful of situations where my emotional overwhelms have caused a slip-up. My children were quick to recognise and disapprove of the isolated accidents. In return, I was pleased with their response and apologised for the negative exposure. I retain the same principals when visiting friends and family. If they use unacceptable language in my children's presence, I quickly ask them to refrain from doing so. Seeing that I don't mind protecting their exposure level, in all situations, contributes to the amount of respect they have about the morality of its usage.

Also witnessing the compliance from users to alter their language usage in lieu of this, speaks loudly. It is golden. Children like to be respected and by choosing to stand up for thier beliefs or deciding not to indulge in others distasteful choices will often gain them respect, more so than compliance would. Today, being an activist for where you stand is highly respectable and admired. Whether the stance on the issue is shared usually has little matter, unless a debate is qua-rented. Totally denying any exposure can have advese effects. If something is new and mysterious to them, attraction may become more powerful. Observing situations or media that utilizes profantity will allow a small enough experience not be shocked or intruiged later in life. Explaining that it is an uneducated form, dirived from the inability to aquire a vocabulary greater than that of a watering can may help.

Profanity is unacceptable in many areas of life. It's use is taboo in all professional, religious and educational atmospheres. Childhood includes preparation and training for life in the adult world. Hopefully, a large portion of their adult life will be in a professional, religious or educational forum. Helping kids see the big picture will often ease the battle and resistance to understanding.

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