A @*#$ Potty Mouth

I can still remember the first time I ever cussed. I was going somewhere with my daddy and I said damn. I didn't have a clue as to what that word meant or why my saying it made my daddy pull over to the side of the road. He asked me what I had said so I said it again. He let me know in no uncertain terms that that word was a bad word that I was not to say again. Apparently the lesson stuck because I can count on two hands the number of times I've cussed since then.

I didn't grow up in an environment where cussing was a standard part of the language. My parents didn't use that sort of language while I was growing up and I've only heard them curse a handful of times. And the majority of those times have been within the last year. Now don't get your panties/tighty whities in a knot. I'm not that sheltered. I just choose to express myself without the use of profanity, but I'd hate to leave the impression that I've never cussed. I have but only seldom. Now please don't think that I'm passing judgement on people that do use curse words to express themselves. What you choose to say is your business.

But I do have a problem with parents that let their children use that kind of language. And not just let them use that kind of language but teach them that kind of language. I like to watch T.V and more specifically reality T.V. Usually on Monday nights I watch Wife Swap. Last week, there was a little boy (8 years old at the most) who was saying things like "f*** you lady" and "that's a bunch of s***". Okay, I can see how the producers of this show might like the shock aspect of this kind of thing. Hey, apparently it's helping them get ratings...I'm still watching. Anyway, last week the father said he didn't mind if his 8 year old son (that's second grade people!) used language that was what anyone would consider foul. Now, you can see how I would be shocked by this. I can't even say a little damn without feeling a little weird. But this is a T.V. thing. Surely normal people don't go around encouraging their baby to have a bad word be his first word.

Apparently, I'm very wrong. In the last week, I've sent two kids to the principal's office and I seriously thought about it today. And for what, profanity. Maybe I should mention that I was teaching second graders! Anyway, this little boy today was proud of his use of the word b****. I was pretty much in shock (and no he wasn't directing that comment at me) and I asked the first thing that came to my mind..."Do your parents let you talk like that at home?" "Yeah Miss, my dad taught me that word." My jaw just dropped! Last week a little first grader said "You're just a p***y" to a little girl on the playground. No wonder the world seems to be going down the toilet...our future has a huge potty mouth.

So, my question is, those of you out there that endulge in the occasional (or heck, often) use of profanity, do you teach it to your children? Are you proud of the fact that your child knows what b****, f***, s***, p****, and d*** mean and can use it in a sentence but can't grasp the proper use of verbs and nouns? And if you do allow your children to speak that way, do you at least let them know that there are certain places where language like that isn't appropriate...namely the school playground? And I've always wondered this since I spent a weekend with a college roommate's family. Is there a certain age when you can start using curse words freely among the family?

I wonder how hot a topic this will be or if cursing is just as common place as PB and J sandwiches.