Children aged 5-11 years might swear to express emotions, get a reaction, or fit in socially. It's good to talk with children about swearing. They can understand that some words hurt or offend others.
“Parents often wonder if this behavior is normal and how they should respond to it. Our data show that swearing emerges by age two and becomes adult-like by ages 11 or 12. By the time children enter school, they have a working vocabulary of 30-40 offensive words….
It's normal for kids to swear at one time or another. Young kids will often repeat something they've heard. Older kids often want to test their parents' reactions. If your child has started using a few choice words, there are several discipline techniques you can use to curb their use of inappropriate language.
For many teens, swearing is a way of fitting in with peers and “trying out” adult behaviours, adds Arnall. “It tends to peak in the early teen years, and then diminishes as teens mature.” So don't worry that the newly expanded vocabulary of your 13-year-old daughter means she's doomed to a life as a potty mouth.
Children imitate swearing in others
“Imitation is a big part of development,” Sperling says. Children see and hear what's said after someone stubs their toe or yells at another driver, and they decide to try it. Part of this is emulating a sibling or parent; part is attention; part is the reaction.
Children aged 5-11 years might swear to express emotions, get a reaction, or fit in socially. It's good to talk with children about swearing. They can understand that some words hurt or offend others. You can help children find other ways to express emotions.
Previously speaking with Global News, cognitive scientist Benjamin Bergen said casually swearing around kids is fine. “The use of fleeting expletives doesn't have any impact at all on their well-being, on their socialization… as far as we can tell,” Bergen said.
High school students are generally not offended by curse words, yet this does not mean that all high school students are not offended by hearing swear words. Some may have heard them in settings that were traumatic for them, causing bad memories to be raked to the surface when they hear them in school.
Profanity is widely considered socially offensive and strongly impolite; slurs, however, are both intended to be and by definition are derogatory, as they are meant to harm another individual.
“It might lead them to hard, aggressive behavior.” Other parents may worry about the social consequences of their kids learning to swear. Children are sponges, reflecting what they hear at home. They don't always know the subtleties of the proper time and place for adult language.
Sometimes, children with ADHD use offensive language in order to get your attention. Other times, they just succumb to impulsivity. And often they also lack the perspective-taking skills they need to anticipate how their words may impact others.
We will often use swear words "to vent some emotion", she says. "If you're angry or particularly happy, swearing is a catharsis. Swearing also centres on taboos. Around the world swear words will tend to cluster around certain topics: lavatorial matters, sex, religion."
We don't know how the earliest speakers of English swore, because it wasn't written down. Before the 15th century – which is when swearing first appeared in writing – most writing was done by monks, and they were too good, and their work too important, for them to write down swear words.
Jesus tells his listeners in Matthew 5:34 "to swear not at all" and in here presents examples of unacceptable swearing. "Sermon on the Mount" (Bergpredigt), by Friedrich Petersen (1927).
5 letter words. Beard, Fanny, faded cocks. Weird wanks. Farted.
used for emphasis: I hope to God (that) he turns up. I swear to God (that) I didn't know about it.
“Inappropriate language” is a broad term that covers many things like coarse joking, using cuss words, name-calling, exclusion, etc. When thinking about how to best support a student, getting clarity about the problem is key.
Tell him that the phrase is a euphemism for the commonly used swear word. Then tell him that the word itself is a vulgar way of saying "to have sex". At 12 he should understand what sex is. If he doesn't, then you should have that discussion.
Young children often swear because they're exploring language. They might be testing a new word, perhaps to understand its meaning. Sometimes swearing happens accidentally when children are learning to say words. Children might also be trying to express a feeling like frustration.
Although not inherently harmful, early dating can put youths at risk for drug use, promiscuity, and other delinquent behavior, experts say. They advise parents not to push the timetable, but to try to understand why a child wants to date and respond with appropriate guidance and limits.
Typically, it's best for children under 13 not to engage in romantic relationships as they are still developing emotionally and cognitively. Healthy friendships are encouraged for teenagers between 13 and 15, but romantic relationships could be too much for them to handle.
The right age to give kids their first cellphone is really up to you. Age isn't as important as your kid's maturity level, ability to follow rules at home and school, and sense of responsibility as well as your own family's needs.