An Age Old Curse

Cursing and swearing has gone on for years, and in most places you can let it all out without being strong armed by the law. However, there are some places that will enforce legal action as a way to keep bad language under control.

A Michigan man was convicted recently under an 1897 statute for public swearing in the hearing distance of children after his canoe capsized.

What Parents Should Know

When kids curse most adults look at them in shock, yet cursing is such a common part of everyday language. According to author and professor Timothy Jay, cursing has its merits. Its use is a way to express certain feelings like frustration and anger without acting out physically.

Why then do we look in dismay at children who curse? Probably because of a little concept called “manners”. (See Issue 1). There are certain behaviors that “civilized” people don’t engage in, or if they do, it’s only in certain environments. Usually when small kids start to use curse words they don’t even know what they are saying and are probably just repeating what they heard an older person say. If they are told not to say certain words and are not exposed to those words, they usually will stop.

Older kids and teenagers on the other hand have a clearer idea of what curse words mean and exactly how to use them. Many times teenagers go through stages of rebelliousness and are fascinated with things that are “taboo”. Using curse words is just one of those things and over time most of them usually learn to watch their language too.