It’s inevitable. There comes a time in every child’s life when they must be ripped from the safety and security of their loving mother’s bosom and tossed to the hungry, vicious wolves known as 8 year olds. Kids late in their childhood years are fascinated by things that they think they’re getting away with. They’re pushing more serious boundaries for the first time and love the idea of acting older than their chronological age.
The other night we were at a party celebrating finally getting moved in. We were there to relax, eat, enjoy good conversation, play a little Rock Band. Our daughter was there to play, jump on the trampoline, get to know the neighborhood kids more, learn how to cuss. SSSKKKRRRREEEEAAAACCCCHHHHH. Hold on. What?
Yes, while I was jamming out on the drums and Du was rockin’ it on the guitar my daughter was in the other room getting schooled on the different cuss words that all the kids knew. I didn’t find out about it until today. I’m just thanking God that she suddenly remembers these things and tells me. Here’s how it went:
It’s school time. I’m trying to get her to pay attention to the math sheet in front of her.
R: Mom, remember when we were at the cookout last night?
Me: Um, that was two nights ago, so the night before last. (I’m a stickler about getting that right).
R: Yes, that night. We were in Susie Qs room (not her real name). Sally B and Susie Q were telling each other all the bad words they know. (Stalling) Um, I heard one…and don’t…know…what it means…
Me: Well, what did you hear? (Not knowing if my heart could take what was about to come out of her mouth.)
R: What does (spelling out) a. s. s. mean?
I was relieved that it wasn’t one of the “big” ones. I had to keep myself from laughing and also wanting to march over there and snatch some heads bald. In a nice way, of course. I explained to Reagan what it meant and why we don’t say it. She went on to clarify by using it a couple of times in example sentences. It was so hard not to laugh.
My girl is growing up. And I’m actually glad that she’s going to be exposed to some of this and other “older kid” behavior. She needs to learn how to react to the things she’s going to hear, see and learn. She needs to learn how to stick up for herself when things start to take a turn for the worst while she’s at other people’s houses. Homeschooled kids get a bad enough rap for their “lack of socialization” (don’t get me started, and you don’t want to be on the other end of that fight). We’re here for her so we can control the type of socialization she gets and to what degree she gets it.
Meanwhile, it looks like I may need to buy me a couple of bars of soap. We may have a sailor on our hands.
(Lula, this so reminds of the story you were telling me about your little sailor.)
Not So SAHM 
oh de lolly. i guess it’s not great that danny doesn’t have to wait on the neighbors to teach him worse than a.s.s. that little s.h.i.t. chloe keeps STEALING HIS WAFFLE, though.
Oh, that’s funny. And not funny. I barely remember having a conversation like that with my friends a long, long, long time ago.
My girls are/were in public school and hated all the language they would hear on the bus and in the halls. They still don’t like what they hear in the movies or on tv.
I think as long as she knows what’s right and wrong and your position on such language, she will be fine : )
* I’m having a CONTEST! Have you entered yet? *
I have only myself to blame for my kids’ potty mouths. And really, I’m lucky they don’t cuss on a daily basis. Bridget is the worst offender. I have curtailed my cussing A LOT (not like it was ever that bad anyway, compared to some). I’m just glad she thinks “Stupid Baby Head” is the worst it can get. LOL! Or Jacob’s, “Big Fat Baby.”
I so admire you for homeschooling. I don’t know if you’ve done a post about it or not…but if you ever get a chance, I have questions for you! I’m thinking about doing it but I’m a little scared.
1. Socialization? You said not to get you started, but please, vent! I want to hear all about it!
2. What do you do with the younger kids while your working with the older ones?
3. Do you know a lot of other homeschool moms to talk to and share ideas with?
4. Is it lonely? Are you in the house constantly?
I LOVE how absolutely precise she had to be-to make sure that you knew exactly which word she meant…you could very well be out-of-it so she verified! In my house I answer-then they listen and say-I’m gonna ask Daddy! It took me 3 weeks to convince oldest son there was no such thing as a chocolate milk cow because the K teacher said so (GROWL)-things get better as they learn you are not an idiot during homeschooling–I think that is a big subtle message they get from “socialization”–or it could be that around here everyone else just knows I am odd and the kids pick it up from them 😀
I ASSume you ASSured Reagan that there will be times it is OK to say certain words. 🙂
It’s time like those that I’m glad I don’t have any kids. I fear that I’d find a way to screw it up.
Thanks for stopping by! I can’t wait to check out your site more!
That is so funny and I love how she used it in some sentences just to make sure she understood it correctly! Those are conversations that I don’t look forward to either although I know they are necessary and would much prefer them ask me than anyone else!
Ha, I suppose I can’t understand that – I grew up with four older brothers and a ‘potty-mouth’ mom AND dad. I watched South Park since I was five, and at 7 I got called a, ‘gutter-slut lesbian-whore.’ (I remember specifically)
The schools I went to weren’t exactly great, but now I’m out of school, and since I got used to it as a child, I can handle it now. Because if I wasn’t used to that treatment, you can bet there would’ve been some broken jaws involved. ^^ I can’t say, though, that i might not have preferred homeschooling, but what’s done is done. And besides, my mom was too busy cheating on my dad and working two jobs, and my dad was too busy in Iraq.