It's every parent's worst nightmare -- you're at a family gathering or birthday party when your young child drops the "S" bomb, or even worse, the "F" bomb. Your face is on fire, and you're absolutely mortified. Surely everybody knows that they heard the expletive from you, which means you're likely to blame. The bad news is that children often repeat what they hear, including those foul four-letter words. {relatedarticles}According to experts it's only natural that your children mimic what you say. Part of the issue is that they don't realize that the language is inappropriate at that age. Some parents are more apt to focus on their children saying unkind things to others, even if there are no profanities involved. They consider that a more relevant issue. Of course, no parent wants their young child cursing like a sailor. Children will also test the limits with their parents, interjecting a "damn" or "hell" in a sentence to see how far they can push the envelope. Experts maintain there are four surefire ways to clean up those potty mouths. Parenting magazine editor-in-chief Janet Chan maintains the tried-and-true technique for phasing out unwanted language is to set an example, set boundaries, give punishments and communicate.
Refrain from swearing, especially in front of your children. If you do slip, say another word with just as much feeling, one your child is likely to give more credence to. If your child swears, ignore him. By putting an emphasis on the word, he'll be more likely to repeat it. {relatedarticles}Emphasize to older children that swearing has no place in your car, house or presence. If they continue to drop the profanity bombs, institute a punishment. Stick to it. A swearing jar can be extremely effective. Make children contribute their allowances to the jar if they do curse. Or take away a privilege. Make sure your child realizes why the words are offensive. Communicate your views on foul language and why it's unacceptable. Eventually, you'll get your message across - and it will likely be four-letter word free.