MY TODDLER HAS STARTED SWEARING!

Out of the mouths of babes,” goes the old saying, and it’s still very true. Toddlers are insightful and honest, but they can also be unintentionally rude.

If they start swearing or refusing to use good manners, it can be challenging for parents!

It’s important to remember, toddlers have no social conscience yet! So, if your child sees someone in the bank queue and asks, “Mummy, why is that lady so fat?” it’s important to remember she is not being deliberately rude or malicious.

HOW SHOULD I REACT?

It might be tempting to leave the queue or ignore the toddler’s comment, but this isn’t effective. While this isn’t a time for punishment, it is a time for social teaching. You need to be clear, confident and firm that it isn’t acceptable to say such a thing.

“We try to say nice things, not things that might make people sad,” is one example of how you can respond.

Or you could say something like, “If you wouldn’t like to hear it about yourself, then don’t say it about others.”

MANAGING MANNERS

Teaching manners is very important, but you must remember that toddlers are too immature to grasp why or be socially aware yet. The first way to instil manners is to be a good role model – always say thank you and please, etc.

NAUGHTY WORDS

Ignoring your child’s first few swearwords can be effective, as some toddlers are only doing it for attention. But if it continues, try a reward system that recognises using nice words and having good manners. Most toddlers go through a stage of being fixated with “potty” humour and will call others “poo head” or something similar. It’s natural, but you can ask them nicely to stop and use a reward system.

TO THE POINT

If your toddler delights in being rude or acting out, you can set up a program of losing points. If the child swears and they lose three points, maybe that means no ipad or TV for the morning.