You’ve probably noticed that as your toddler starts talking, he suddenly becomes a little tape recorder, mimicking everything you say. The trouble is, he won’t only pick up ‘nice’ words, and often, your toddlers first swear word is a result of them copying something one of the adults around them has said.
The worst thing to do is draw attention to the swearing – and that includes laughing. It may be funny if your child comes out with a swear word once, but I can assure you it won’t be when it becomes a regular occurrence!
Make sure that your toddler understands that these are bad words, and apologise for saying one if and when you do. If they say one, ignore it, and then distract him or her with a toy or a game. If they’re older, explain that he or she has said a bad word, and that you don’t like that sort of language in your house.
As a last resort, if ignoring the swearing and reasoning won’t work, then you’ll need to use punishment. Next time they say a bad word, give your toddler a time out immediately. They’ll soon learn that it’s not a good idea to swear!
The worst thing to do is draw attention to the swearing – and that includes laughing. It may be funny if your child comes out with a swear word once, but I can assure you it won’t be when it becomes a regular occurrence!
Make sure that your toddler understands that these are bad words, and apologise for saying one if and when you do. If they say one, ignore it, and then distract him or her with a toy or a game. If they’re older, explain that he or she has said a bad word, and that you don’t like that sort of language in your house.
As a last resort, if ignoring the swearing and reasoning won’t work, then you’ll need to use punishment. Next time they say a bad word, give your toddler a time out immediately. They’ll soon learn that it’s not a good idea to swear!
