Cusses..they are everywhere in our household conversations. Nary a shalt-shaker is passed without a curse. It wasn't always this way. When the kids were little, we were very careful not to utter obscene or aggressive language. The house was full of "dangs" and "shucks", and we sounded like purple dinosaurs!
This all changed as our children hit adolescence. To be cool parents, we would allow the occasional s-word and we would use universal hand language to let hostile drivers know what we thought of their road-side behaviour. As our teens grew to be young adults our swearing escalated alarmingly.
There has been an incredible pleasure to be able to utter these illicit words with our children - it's like sharing a forbidden treasure. Or perhaps like dancing, when it has been prohibited (think "Foot Loose").
We are not alone in this transition. A friend called the other day, who also has young-adult children. Even my ears were burning after our discussion (hard to believe, I know).
The one downside is, of course, that our ten-month old is learning our bad-ass vocabulary. I'm afraid his first word will be something entirely inappropriate. What to do? Restrain our liberal ways...?? Nah, I don't think so, it's been fun. I think our best course of action is to let the "little man" know that some words can only be uttered by adults. It will give him something to look forward to.
I can hardly wait until our very uptight, judgmental and non-cooperative MD asks me what Liam's first word was. If he utters admonishments, I'll tell him to "Shut the Front Door!"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
We're trying to design a "creative swearing" mode (possible, but not certain, with an interested spouse, adult children and the occasional friend). Participants in the daily conversation have to add one new, rarely-used word, per day.
ReplyDeleteThis methodology could remedy the lazy, downward spiral toward a minimalist vocabulary composed of a few nouns jolted by the F-word.
But just saying it ain't going to make it so. It seems most people are captive to inertia outside the regimes they have been disciplined into, by parents, institutions, peers and occasional sado-masochists, psychologists or pets.
So I think a competition or award is necessary. Because we are all watching our weight, it can't be a fresh raspberry pie. Because we are not to drink excessively, especially hard liquour, it can't be the premium scotch you used to swirl at Christmas and apply directly to your liver. Because it's a drag to drive to the shopping mall, or wash anymore new items of clothing, or play with one MORE, UNNECESSARY NEW GADGET it can't be a financial reward.
What is it?
New word for today: "liquor".
ReplyDeleteNew word for me, sensuous.
ReplyDelete