Potty Words

actually those words are pretty tame,but here is a trick I did with my granddaughter. Tell them that only nasty boys talk that way and everyone will think they are boys.Also the more you make out of it the more they are going to say it to get a rise out of you.Its more or less a phase.hope this helps. M. D

At our house those our words we say to a wall, because you can't hurt the walls feelings. When my son started saying stupid, that is what we told him. He told the wall a few times and got it out of his system. When he wasn't getting a reaction, he didn't see the point of saying stupid.

My rule for our 3 yo is that she can only say those words in the bathroom. If she says them anywhere outside of the bathroom, I remind her that those are bathroom words and we only can talk like that when we are in the bathroom. That way, its not a case of her being told that she can *never* say it, just that she needs to be in the bathroom in order for it to be appropriate. (Good luck!)

By the way... I'm absolutely opposed to doing the wash-your-mouth-out-with-soap thing. Maybe because I'm so worried about her eating something poisonous... However I don't want to send her any messages that it would be ok for her to eat 'soap'. (I also refer to cleansers, cleaning products and wound medicines as 'soap'.) I just think its a bad precedent, especially with the limited understanding of toddlers and small children.

Those words ARE funny to kids, especially when they have the power to turn the adults upside-down. I say ignore them. You fuel it when you make a big deal of it. Besides, they're not really inappropriate to say; they're not swearing. Grown-ups understand that children enjoy things like that, and no one is ever harmed by it. Leave 'em alone. They'll get over it.

My kids (almost 7 and 4 1/2) also love to say potty words. I think they do it in part because they think they're funny but also because they're trying to get a reaction from others. I generally don't react as long as we are at home (or in the car), but I am strict about no poo-poo/potty/butt talk at the table when we are eating and other places where the talk is inappropriate, and they're pretty good at following those directions. It's pretty typical for kids of these ages to think those words are funny, and I keep hoping that the novelty of saying them will wear off if I allow them an outlet to say them.

I really liked the "say it to the wall" idea! Nice one! When my boys were young, we just ignored the "bad" words and they never became an issue. The one time we had a word issue was when the folks at the daycare told my kids that "booty" was a bad word. Well! Once they were told it was bad, they wouldn't say anything else! "Mommy, he said booty!" from both sides. I told them I didn't care if they said it, because I didn't think it was such a bad word, and it finally died down. They're very good today about not cursing, even though the kids at school do, but they do call each other stupid. I think I'm going to try the wall thing, think it'll work on a 10 yr old? We'll see!

I remember when I was young, I said some potty word and a teacher turned to me with sad eyes and said "I am surprised that such an ugly word came out of such a good girl". Never did that again.

I used to just tell my daughter, "we do not say those words" or "it hurts my feelings to hear you use inappropriate words". Of course I would dab my eye or touch my heart for a dramatic moment.. She would usually apologize.

The more you make of it, the more they will test you.

Yes, my mom did the old soap in the mouth bit. I can still taste Ivory today too! lol I have also been known to do it to my 9 year old in the past, not for potty words, but for lying.

Just get a plain jane bar of soap (Ivory works well, as so many now days have those little beads in them and I think that would be too mean, lol). Talk to them and tell them from now on the punishment for saying those words ANYWHERE will result in getting their mouths washed out with soap. STICK TO IT! Don't threaten it and not follow thru! Get the soap wet and I did one rub on the tongue for each year old they were (so 5 years, got 5 rubs with the bar). It only took a few times for my daughter's habits to stop. Sadly when I was younger it took me a few too many, lol.

Good luck!

soap worked on my kids......you have to tell them ahead of time that you're going to do it when specific words come out of their mouths...tell them which words, ask if they understand and don't fudge. Ivory works best. Once they go thru that - won't happen again. Make certain they understand those words are NOT acceptable, that people will think poorly of them because they say it, they're only words that can be used in certain situations and TELL THEM WHAT THOSE ARE. If they're using words that aren't appropriate anytime, where'd they heard them??

WELL MY BROTHER HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 3 YEAR OLD. I ASKED HIM IF HE EVER STOPPED TO WONDER WHERE HE HEARD THEM??? WELL HE WAS LETTING HIM HANG OUT WITH GUYS FROM HIS OWN CONSTRUCTION CREW!!!!! WELL IT TAKES ALOT TO BREAK THEM OF THIS CAUSE WHEN YOU TELL THEM NOT TO SAY IT, IT USUALLY GETS WORSE. HE FINALLY DID BETTER IGNORING HIM WHEN HE SAID IT @ HOME. & THEN HE STARTING TO REFUSE TO LET HIM GO TO STORE OR WORK WITH HIM @ ALL & FINALLY JUST WORE HIM DOWN. BUT HE GOT MANY MANY PADDLINGS & PUNISHMENTS FOR IT.
ALL I CAN SAY IS GOOD LUCK.
HAVE WE TRIED WASHING MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP, & PLEASE USE IVORY.
D.

Soap! Seriously. I tried other methods first, but they didn't slow her down. Got her with soap a few times, and it stopped it quick. I just put a little on my fingers and rubbed her tounge, and it did the trick.

Hi I use to have that problem with my son, as bad as it sounds, you need to pop them on their mouth. It worked for me, good luck.

You did not say how old these girls are. If they are teenagers, they should know better and are doing it to get attention. If they are younger like under 5 they are repeating what they hear around them, home day care etc. One way that I have dealt with this that If they get an allounce, they will have to put money into a kitty with every bad word, If not they you can take away something that they value with every bad word till they improve. You need to tell they other adults that they need to frown and shake their head's and say that, that is bad and not nice to the girls, when they see that the other adults do not like it hopefully they will change also. Good Luck

Even grown ups think those words are funny...don't we all get the bathroom emails and laugh hysterically? That being said, keep reminding them that those words are to be used in the bathroom or in thier own bedrooms. If they start using bathroom words, remove them from the situation EVERY TIME and make them sit by themselves. If they still continue to use those words, try a little soap on thier tongues, or a flick on the mouth.

I always hated the idea of soap, because a little soap can give you diareah! Anyway I liked what one poster Said, to tell them that only nasty , dirty boys say that! Another choice might be to make them brush their teeth every time. tell them if their mouth is dirty they have to cean it up! Kids usually hate to brush their teeth, and it won't hurt any to get the extra oral hygiene while your teaching them. If they do like to brush their teeth, try doing it for them, and scrub their tongue with the toothbrush, it may make them gag a little, and that is enough to make me stop saying ANY word!