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Curb the Cussing
How to Cure Your Preteen's Foul Mouth
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
Finally, parents need to set good examples and stand by what they say, says O'Connor. "I think the real problem with kids swearing is that they are hearing it from their parents," he says. "Even though the parents themselves are telling their children not to use the 'bad' words, they are setting an example of their use – sometimes without even realizing it. If parents don't want their kids to use the words, they need to remove the words from their own vocabulary."
Poremba confesses that she, her husband and their friends use cuss words. "Our children learned from us, no question," Poremba says. "Thing is, we don't tell our kids that they can't use the words. What we have done is discussed the inappropriate times to use the words – like at school. We've also discussed appropriate ways to use the words."
Sometimes we all swear without meaning to. If this happens, discuss it with your child. "When parent's swear, out of anger or anything else, there's absolutely nothing wrong with their apologizing to their kids for their choice of words," O'Connor says. "There is always an alternative to swearing or bad language. The secret is to find it."