So, the way we use this, if you get upset, and you have to yell “
“By the mid-20th century it's become a minced oath, so it's not considered offensive anymore, really,” says Bergen.
Talking with children about swearing
It's enough just to say, 'That's not a nice word', or 'We don't use that word'. Preschoolers don't always understand the meaning of swear words, but they can understand that swear words can hurt or offend others. So you could say, 'We don't use words that upset people'.
How can I get myself to stop? Just say more appropriate words rather than the really offensive ones. For example, instead of saying the F word, say, "Flipping" or "Freaking" or "Fudge" or "Frickin", and for the S word, "sugar", "shoot", "shiz", "shingles", "crap" or "crud."
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.
Ignore It If Your Child Wants Attention
Kids will often repeat behavior that gains a lot of attention. If you laugh or make a big deal out of a curse word, it's pretty much guaranteed your child will say it again. Ignoring the behavior can be a good strategy to start with, especially for young children.
The f-word can be a very hurtful, offensive, mean, and/or vulgar word. However, in adults' conversations and certain situations, it can serve as a comic relief, a colorful method of expressing frustration, surprise, astonishment and friendly-exclamation amongst many other things.
Considered respectable until about 1750, it was heavily tabooed during c. 1750–1920, considered equivalent to heavily obscene or profane speech. Public use continued to be seen as controversial until the 1960s, but since then, the word has become a comparatively mild expletive or intensifier.
Jay and Janschewitz state: “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….
Some sent in variations on "dadgum": dad-gum, dadgummit, dadgummit. The idea here, I guess, is to swear using "dad" instead of "God." Poor Dad takes some heat. Two people sent in "I swan" and "all schwan." I think these were forms of "I swear." The American Heritage Dictionary had more information on these.
The word “fart” has been recorded since the 13th century and comes from the Old English word “feortan,” making it the oldest swear word ever recorded. It has been used as a vulgar slang term for flatulence, and its usage has been recorded in various works of literature and poetry throughout history.
Sometimes, children with ADHD use offensive language in order to get your attention. Other times, they just succumb to impulsivity.
Cursing is sometimes allowed but never to degrade or bully anyone, in or outside of the family. Some parents allow their tweens/teens to curse out of frustration, but forbid profanity-filled name calling. There is a big difference between cursing because you stubbed your toe and cursing at someone in a degrading way.
A look into the science
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.
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.
They are uttered in intense emotional situations, such as when a speaker is angry and frustrated, under pressure, in sudden pain, or confronted by something unexpected and usually, though not necessarily, undesirable.
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.
Research into the hypoalgesic effect of swearing has shown that the use of profanity can help reduce the sensation of pain. This phenomenon is particularly strong in people who do not use such words on a regular basis.
Accordingly, profanity is language use that is sometimes deemed rude, obscene, or culturally offensive; in certain religions, it constitutes sin. It can show a debasement of someone or something, or be considered an expression of strong feeling towards something.
Swearing is often anger related, and while you may just want to change the swearing behavior, you may find that your inability to manage anger is really at the heart of the problem. Make it a habit to count to three before you are allowed to say a swear word.