What is a cuss word really?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-28-2007
What is a cuss word really?
11
Tue, 02-26-2008 - 3:04pm

After a great week off school, Liam has arrived home each day this week with written complaints about his language. What is odd is he is very careful with cuss words as he knows where it lands him (usually loss of screen privilages, his first love). Now he did drop the F bomb as recess when some kids were teasing him, and I made sure he understood that this was not on at all; he does get it too. But today they were complaining of him using Darn or Heck as they "sound like cuss words!" For the love of all that is divine and holy, when does the censorship end???? I could give a hoot if he says Darn, Heck, Booger, blah de blah de blah, but they act like he has the runniest potty mouth on the planet. So I thought about it and decided I had to tell them to back off. They just rattled the leftir, anti censorship college student in me!

I do find it mildly ridiculous though as to the censorship of words as innocuous as Heck or Darn. Perhaps it is the cultural difference from my own upbringing but there are words that my husband and I do not find offensive, and really think the policing of a child's ability to express his or herself with harmless words to be ineffectual and unecessarily restrictive. It is in essence unecessary censorship.

Liam does know what is allowed and what is not, and I only witness him swearing at home when he is in a rage (which are decreasing all the time) or extremely frustrated with others due to his struggle with social interactions. Even then the words that he expresses tend to be on the tamer side.

Know that we will support you in terms of truly offensive language, but I will not police innocent expession of excitement or frustration, with words such as heck or darn, no matter what another's personal interpretation may be. If I did then who is to say what is or isn't considered offensive? I am trying to raise my son to be expressive and true to his feelings without being offensive, but I will not do so at the expense of his worrying about every single utterence that stems from a nagative emtion.

I hope you understand where we are coming from.

As to his physical behavior at PE, we DO NOT see this behavior at home at all anymore. I request to know what is happening in school that makes Liam feel so insecure and out of control? if it continues perhaps we need to look at the antecedents presented before specials. It is obviously not about leaving the classroom as he appears to be doing very well in Math and Resource. It is very troubling to hear of this behavior, when he had a wonderful week at home,

I look forward to your reply as soon as possible,

DG>

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 02-27-2008 - 5:15pm

Dee, I have found that my emails get more attention when I cc other people, like the principal or the special ed director.

                                

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