What To Do When Your Child Uses Bad Langauge

Growing up involves a lot of experiments and limits testing. Listening to a little one speak is an extremely enjoyable and amusing experience, not only for the parents but also for everyone around. Yet these happy times can turn into moments of acute embarrassment for parents when their little angel starts uttering bad words. And, after it happens once, parents always feel jittery and unsure the next time their little one starts speaking.

Most at times, this is shocking to parents because they are careful of the language they use around their children. You start asking where it all came from, when did your angel become such a naughty boy. As always =, parents are quick to blame themselves for every wrong thing that their kids do. You are not always responsible for certain things as a parent, there are times when it is your fault, yes, but not all the time.

Children begin using bad words after they’ve heard others use those words, or after those words have been aimed at them. Grownups use this kind of language when they are upset, and the behavior trickles down to the children, usually with the original emotional heat welded to the words. Because harsh behavior spreads like a bad cold from adult to child and then from child to child, just about every child on the planet is exposed to name-calling, or bad words behavior, sooner or later.

As much as you the parent are not to blame all the time, the same goes for the child. It is not your child’s fault that he has acquired harsh language, any more than it is his fault that he gets a runny nose. When you child uses harsh language, he may not understand what the words mean literally. It is the tone that makes an imprint on them, and it si the tone that raises parental warning flags. The electric emotional charge irritates the child’s delicate internal system and makes the words stick like in their little innocent minds.

Why Does Your Child Use Bad Language?

It is a mystery sometimes where children pick up these forbidden words. A child can swear for a variety of reasons. But not necessarily because he understands the meaning of the words, sometimes it’s just to convey hostility or vent out his anger. The following are some of the reasons your child uses bad language:

1. The Home

At the beginning of this article, I said you should not always blame yourself for the wrong things your child does, this is a fact. However, there are times when you have to take the responsibility for some of his wrong actions because you are responsible and it is your fault. In this case, what you need to do is watch the language you use at home especially when the kids are around. Children learn by observing and this starts from the home, so if you always use foul language at home, either with your spouse or on the children when they misbehave, it is most likely that you kids will pick up the habit. Watch the language you use at home especially around the kids.

2. The Television

That is right, the television in your living room can influence your kid to do a lot of undesirable things. There is a lot of interesting TV programs that are child-friendly; however, some of these programs have segments that use the kind of language that you would not like to hear your children using. It is important for you to keep an eye on the kinds of TV programs that your kids watch. The TV could be very helpful and educative for you kids, it equally be very poisonous for them too. Set limits and censor the kind of programs that your kids are allowed to watch on the TV and make sure these boundaries are not crossed whatsoever.

3. School and Friends

Sometimes even when you make sure the home is foul-words free and the TV is properly regulated so that your kids don’t get to watch programs that use socially unacceptable words, you still wake up one day and hear your little one using words that scare the heavens out of you. Well, there is another place that can teach your child the use of such language, the school, and friends. Your child might have heard someone in school using such words and picked it from there or his friend who lives next door may be using foul language or even worse, he might have heard it from his friend’s parents. These are all possibilities, which is why when trying to solve this issue, you first need to know where your child picked up the habit.

4. Seeking Attention

Some children may use these words to get attention from others or to be like peers. The attention that a child likes may be coming from you, other children, or from home. There may not be much you can do about the attention he gets from other places, but you can reduce the attention he gets from using inappropriate words while in your care. Talk to him and pay attention to him when he is doing appropriate things. Point out positive things about him to the other children. When a child gets attention from using bad language, other kids may begin to imitate him for the same attention. To stop, help him find a better way to get the attention other than using inappropriate words.

5. Testing Boundaries

Testing boundaries are normal and perfectly part of growing up. The child is curious about how much he can get away with. What can he do or say and still get away with it? Using inappropriate language is one such way kids use to test the boundaries and limits set by their parents. Every child has some kind of rebellious instincts in them, and they will test these instincts in one way or the other. so when your child decides to test the boundaries in this area, make sure you stand your ground and make it clear that there is a no go area.

6. It makes them look cool

As ridiculous as this may sound, kids sometimes really do think that using bad and inappropriate language makes them look cool. Especially if some of the people they look up to use such languages. Maybe the coolest boy in school is known to use bad words or their favorite movie star uses such words while acting, all this could push him into using bad words because the belief is that it will make him look cool.

How to Help Your Child Stop Using Bad Language

Using bad language is not good for your child; it is socially not healthy and would affect him in the long run. It is therefore very pertinent for you to confront and put a stop to this new found behavior before it becomes worse. Here are a few of steps you can follow to help your child drop the act

1. Start with yourself

The home is the first school for the child, you will do good to remember this and make sure the home is safe and secure in all angles, from bad language as well. As a parent, keep your child away from the use of bad words as much as possible. Avoid using such words yourself, especially around the kids. When your child does something wrong, don’t swear on them or use foul language, instead speak to them reasonably. The house should be a bad language free place for your kids. If it is a power struggle and boundary testing venture for your kid, let him understand that there is a no go area whatsoever.

2. Find out where it is coming from

Figure out the source of the problem. Where is your child picking up such words? If the home is safe and secure, then you need to step out and check out all the other possible sources, school, friends, etc. You also have to know what triggers the use of such language, does he use it when he is angry, or does it happen randomly? All this will help in resolving the issue.

3. Be calm

When you catch your child using bad language, don’t over react, yell or threaten him. Instead stay calm, keep your cool and open a dialogue with him. How you respond at this moment has a lot to do with how the situation will be resolved. Avoid force or harsh punishments. Have an open conversation with him and find out what exactly is going on, why he used such words.

4. Set the limits

Your home need to have rules, limits and boundaries which are followed by everyone, no exceptions or excuses. Make it clear to the child what kinds of behaviors are accepted and what kinds of behaviors are totally unacceptable in the house. Make sure the rules are not so strict that the child will feel terrorized, but let it not be so loose that he can get away with anything.

Conclusion

Kids pick up habits all the time; it is up to you to decide what behaviors stay and what needs to go away. Again, kids are kids and will always need your help because they don’t know what is best for them. Keep your child safe from bad language.