Mum stuff | Dare to swear...

Some things your kids (and husbands) say and do just make you shake your head in absolute shock and horror wonderment. Seth is always trying to push the boundaries of what he can get away with, and Andrew is no better as he somewhat encourages him. It drives me crazy!  The events that transpired last weekend were the straw that broke the camels back.

A few months ago, Seth came home from school and declared that he had learned the rudest word in the world! Awesome. He wouldn't tell me what it was though, so Andrew took him aside and had the conversation...

S: "No, its too embarrassing"
A: "Its okay mate, just tell me what it is"
S: "Okay, but you can't tell mum, because she'll be upset"
A: "Promise" (Andrew may or may not have been crossing his fingers behind his back, because as soon as he came out of Seth's room, he told me.)

Seth then proceeded to drop the c-bomb.

Yep, you read that right. Such a proud moment...not!  More questions were asked...who taught you that, and more importantly, do you know what it means?  Now, Seth didn't know what the c-bomb meant, but he knew it was a bad swear.  Andrew tried reasoning; should you really be using a word if you don't know what it means? Promises were made that he wouldn't use "that" word ever again. Good decision.

Fast forward to this weekend. I don't know why, but Andrew dared Seth to eat dog poo. I don't even know how that conversation started.  I sometimes wonder who's worse.  Next thing we know, Seth is standing in the dining room with a dog poo in his hand. WHAT! Not a white chalky one either, a good fresh one. Ewwww!!!  Thankfully he didn't eat it...I've tasted it before and its not good, but that's a whole other story. Hands were disinfected and another "talking to" was had. What is it with boys and dares?

Andrew then dared him to swear. Why??? I ask you, why? I yelled at Andrew, then I yelled at Seth...DON'T YOU DARE! Seth looks around with the cheekiest smirk on his face, then drops the c-bomb...again! Seriously, couldn't he have just said shit, but no, he had to bring out the big guns.  He was sent to his room to think about what he'd just done.  Andrew was sent down there to talk to him about using appropriate language and accepting dares...

...and to apologise for getting him into trouble.

What do you do when your children swear? Should I be instituting the swear jar and washing out mouths with soap?