know what word you’re talking about.” “Ok, well,….I think it’s fart.” I almost laughed out loud. Whew, this won’t be as hard as I thought. “Yeah, Stephen, that’s not a very nice word and let’s try not to use it, ok?” I turned to open the car door and get out, but wise thoughts overtook me from my friend Susan about not ever letting teachable moments pass and I knew we weren’t at the end of the conversation. “Uh, Stephen, are there any other bad words that you know?” “Well, yeah, there’s the ‘d’ word.” Ok, that one’s not so hard to explain. But wait, Becky, don’t assume again. “Which word is that, Stephen?” “Darn-blasted.” Relief again. But only short-lived: “And Mom, you know there’s the ‘s’ word.” I raised an eyebrow as I clearly remembered my first time hearing the ‘s’ word (and going home and asking my mom what it meant) was also in first grade. “Well, what word is the ‘s’ word, bud?” Looking sideways at me, he replied, “You know….stupid.” Big sigh on my part. “Oh, of course, Stephen, yeah, we don’t ever want to call someone that word either. It’s not very nice. That really can be a bad word.” Big smile and contented nod from Stephen. Too bad we won’t stay at first-grade bad words forever.
San Diego
San Diego from the top of Mount Soledad
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Bad Words Indeed
I was getting out of the car today after picking up Stephen from school, and he asks me from the back seat, “Mom, what is the bad word that begins with ‘f’?” Oh boy. Here comes that conversation. First the fear spoke and I thought, ‘This could go so wrong.’ (Are we ever prepared for these questions?) Then the shock took over and I thought, ‘Where did you hear that word?!’ and fast-forwarded to banning friends and tv programs and even recess. Then the rationality won out and I turned back into my seat, pulled the car door closed and prepared myself for a meaningful conversation. I looked back at Stephen and calmly asked, “Can you tell me what word you’re talking about, bud?” He looked down at the floor and said, “Well, I know I’m not supposed to say it.” This didn’t help my fears. “It’s ok, bud, go ahead and tell me so I
know what word you’re talking about.” “Ok, well,….I think it’s fart.” I almost laughed out loud. Whew, this won’t be as hard as I thought. “Yeah, Stephen, that’s not a very nice word and let’s try not to use it, ok?” I turned to open the car door and get out, but wise thoughts overtook me from my friend Susan about not ever letting teachable moments pass and I knew we weren’t at the end of the conversation. “Uh, Stephen, are there any other bad words that you know?” “Well, yeah, there’s the ‘d’ word.” Ok, that one’s not so hard to explain. But wait, Becky, don’t assume again. “Which word is that, Stephen?” “Darn-blasted.” Relief again. But only short-lived: “And Mom, you know there’s the ‘s’ word.” I raised an eyebrow as I clearly remembered my first time hearing the ‘s’ word (and going home and asking my mom what it meant) was also in first grade. “Well, what word is the ‘s’ word, bud?” Looking sideways at me, he replied, “You know….stupid.” Big sigh on my part. “Oh, of course, Stephen, yeah, we don’t ever want to call someone that word either. It’s not very nice. That really can be a bad word.” Big smile and contented nod from Stephen. Too bad we won’t stay at first-grade bad words forever.
know what word you’re talking about.” “Ok, well,….I think it’s fart.” I almost laughed out loud. Whew, this won’t be as hard as I thought. “Yeah, Stephen, that’s not a very nice word and let’s try not to use it, ok?” I turned to open the car door and get out, but wise thoughts overtook me from my friend Susan about not ever letting teachable moments pass and I knew we weren’t at the end of the conversation. “Uh, Stephen, are there any other bad words that you know?” “Well, yeah, there’s the ‘d’ word.” Ok, that one’s not so hard to explain. But wait, Becky, don’t assume again. “Which word is that, Stephen?” “Darn-blasted.” Relief again. But only short-lived: “And Mom, you know there’s the ‘s’ word.” I raised an eyebrow as I clearly remembered my first time hearing the ‘s’ word (and going home and asking my mom what it meant) was also in first grade. “Well, what word is the ‘s’ word, bud?” Looking sideways at me, he replied, “You know….stupid.” Big sigh on my part. “Oh, of course, Stephen, yeah, we don’t ever want to call someone that word either. It’s not very nice. That really can be a bad word.” Big smile and contented nod from Stephen. Too bad we won’t stay at first-grade bad words forever.
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1 comment:
Soooo smart to ask what he was talking about....good to remember as we have 3 headed that way in a few years!!!
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