Calling all mothers of little boys! Lately Gordon is so into saying potty words. You know like poop, bum/butt, booboobs (a word he learned from his friend for boobs) and other such words. He knows he is not supposed to say these words but its like the forbidden fruit. He just can't stay away. He'll come up to me and say, "I didn't say poop" just so he can get it out without getting in trouble. Or he'll whisper, "booboobs" like I can't hear him. The other day, he had a friend over and they were saying these words. When I got after them, I heard his little friend say, "Lets go in your room and say it." What is so fascinating about bathroom talk? Is it just because I don't want him using those words in every day language? Should I just ignore it? But then I feel like I've already told him its not polite to say those things except when we are in the bathroom and then if I just stop reminding him its like I quit. He can do anything he wants as long as he wears me down. You know? So I need advice. Do I just leave it alone? Or try explaining it better- why we don't use those words?
7 comments:
At first I laughed at the boy saying "Lets go in your room and say it." But then I thought how bad things can get when kids are trying to be secretive and learning inappropriate things from friends behind closed doors. My sister has told me a couple stories about her neighbors who will take her son in the basement and ask him to do gross things.
My only advice is to keep encouraging him to ALWAYS tell you things. It's a good sign if he feels wrong about doing something, even if it's just because he said a 'potty' word, then feels like he needs to come and tell you.
You're doing good, though. I think it's all about them being concious of what's right and what's wrong. And that Heavenly Father is always watching.
?? I don't know ?? Maybe disgard this comment entirely. I think you as his mom knows what'll be best for him!
Konnor's been saying some of those things too.. it drives me nuts! I don't have any advice for you. I try not to get too mad at Konnor because I know he's just saying it to get a response out of me or Kambree... And I truly am hoping that it just a phase.
Good Luck!
Warning: This is going to be long. Sorry! I'll tell you what works for us. I think if we tell kids that those words are wrong, then their fascination with them only increases. Kids love a reaction, even a negative one, because it gives them a sense of control. So, I've tried hard to tell my kids that there's nothing wrong or bad about those words. I especially don't want them to think that there is anything bad or wrong about their own bodies or, ahem, their body processes. So, we just emphasize that there are some words that we save for the bathroom. I tell my kids that we can say any "potty" words we want as long as we are in the bathroom. Sometimes I even make up funny songs with them while we're in there. Never anything like "You're a poop head." But just silly nonsense rhyming songs like "Shoop, poop a loop." Wow. I can't believe I'm actually talking about poop songs. Sorry. Whenever Emme does it, I just say, "Oh how fun! You want to say potty words. Come on, let's go to the bathroom!" And I take her hand and make her go to the bathroom with me, and we say them together. She doesn't do it at all now, because she stopped getting the strong negative reaction.
Now, I'll tell you something funny/gross that my sister-in-law did. Her daughter (older than Gordon) was having a problem with potty words and using them in a mean, name-calling kind of way. So my sister-in-law said, "If you use potty words, you have to drink potty water." Her daughter didn't believe her and did it again. So my sis.-in-law got some water and dissolved a chicken boullion cube in it. It looked yellowish and tasted nasty. And she made her daughter drink it. They didn't have any more problems. End of novel.
I love that with Kennedy my problem is sometimes with her saying "what the hell" lol. yeah, thanks moms at her dance classes : ( but without going on (I see you've already got plenty of advice) I'd just say I think you've got it right on. Ignore a lot of it or better yet change the subject (like if he comes up to you and says, "I didn't say poop" I wouldn't even respond to that and I'd start talking about something totally different), you can explain occasionally or talk to him about it, I think, but I think if you do this often it may also reinforce it (because it seems he probably knows better and just wants to say the words). so I think whatever you're doing will be great. just count yourself lucky it's not swear words.
p.s. in case you don't read your other comments from previous posts I had to tell you that Gordon is super cute in the dress up stuff and that I loved your high school journal entry, so rich.
Oh little boys! I couldn't tell you what to do! Mitchell always corrects us when we say stuff like dang it, or anything he might take as being rude, or a bad word! But he says everything should be oh man, even if it doesn't make sense! Oh well, hopefully it is all just a phase! Boys Will be Boys I guess!
Ok so I have never commented on your blog, but I am freaking out that it was Daimen that taught Gordon the whole booboobs thing!!! Daimen says it all the time!!! I wonder where they got it? They are in the same Sunbeam class but I cant imagine they would be talking like that during class. If it was Daimen I greatly appologize... just know that I am fighting the same battle over here! :)
Post a Comment