Watch what you say

We knew once Hayley came home from the hospital as an infant we were going to have to start watching our language. It's because we knew it was going to take us that long to get our act together. Sometimes we still slip. Like the other night when my husband called me on his way home from work. My hands were full so I put him on speaker phone. He used the F word. oops.

I knew from before I had children that they are extremely astute. I had my oldest niece in the car with me one day and I forget where we were driving but someone cut me off. I muttered "a$$hole" and she exclaimed "HEY- That's my Daddy's word!!!". oops.

So I have worked really, really hard not to curse around Hayley. And I have been pretty proud of myself. Generally speaking I have been able to hold to it. Although now I am realizing it isn't just cursing I am going to have to watch out for.

Today we were going to my Dad's house to do a load of baby laundry. It was a four way stop and I was going to turn right. It was the guy to my left's turn to go so he went. And so did the guy right behind him. I was getting ready to go and then the third car went. (Before you say I must have been sleeping at the wheel I will assure you I was not- they were literally going and I felt like Frogger looking for an opening to cut in) When the third car went when I muttered "IDIOT".

Two seconds later from the backseat I heard "Are you talking to me?". Oops.

"No punkin, Mommy was not talking to you."

Note to self- little ears hear EVERYTHING. And this child has extremely advanced verbal skills for a two year old. The pediatrician heard her talking at her two year appointment and gave us fair warning that we were in for it. So not only do we need to watch the curse words but we need to pretty much watch everything else. (Lest we get a call from the babysitter that she starts calling people "idiot"- because I have no doubt she would even use it in the appropriate context.)

Comments

[yvonne]

Jenn - Just be thankful you don't live with my husband. Now have a 2 year old that calls everyone a 'buddy numpty' when they do something wrong!

[Kami]

Jenn- I remember when the girls were two, we were driving back to our apartment and out of nowhere, there was this crazy woman on a hilltop wearing a chef's hat (the tall white one) and grilling out. It was the wierdest thing ever. I started to blurt out, "What the fu........." Well, lo and behold, the girls were saying what the fu.... all day. It was horrible. We have really had to make changes. It is not easy sometimes! Lol...

Kami

[Kami]

To clear things up... I stopped at fu.... the other two letters did not come out of my mouth!!! Lol

[Crys]

That's so true! I've worked in child development in college, so I had to learn new ways to say things. However, now that I have moved in with the boyfriend and his three boys, I've learned that other things I say can be picked up.
One of my phrases has been "Knock it off." I can say that I did pick that up from my mother and today I learned that my youngest boy has picked it up from me. His oldest brother was tugging on his sleeve and I hear in his three-year-old voice "Stop it! Knock it off!"
Ooops....he he. Could be worse I guess.