The first time….bad word

Most parents I know try to raise their children to be outstanding citizens of this world. We teach them how to be polite, how to share, how to use manners, how to obey. The list continues on and on and exhausts our mental capacity. We try to instill in our children right and wrong. We teach our children what is and what is not appropriate. So imagine my horror when Annaliese spoke her first bad word.

Shock. Dismay. So stunned that we asked her to repeat it because we could not come to terms with what she really just said. She says it again. Umm.. the shock does not seem to vanish. Not my baby. Not my sweet little peanut. Thoughts immediately rush in my head. “do I say that word?” “I do not recall using that on a daily basis” “does it come out and I am just completely oblivious to what is happening?” “did she hear it on TV?” Where oh where could she possibly of heard it from.

Since this being her first offense, we explain to her that she cannot say that word again because it is not a nice word to say. There was no discipline. However tears instantly ran down her face. She cried uncontrollably. It was like we handed down a five year sentence. She was devastated. We knew that she would remember not to use that word again.

Now let us fast forward a few days. Annaliese runs out of her room saying sissy said “d*** it”. She then continued to say the word about five more times. I had to explain to her that she just had to tell me that her sissy said a bad word and not the word itself. After that I go to Madelyn and explain to her that she is not to say this word because it is not a nice word to say. She looks at me and with those eyes it was if she was saying a big you know what to me. I pulled my head back in disbelief. My Madelyn appears to be so kind but she acts as if nothing will ever get in her way and that she is in charge.

As a parent you look forward to all the firsts in life. The first word, the first step, the first time they sleep through the night, the first time they use the potty.It is such an honor to experience these first times in my girls lives. There is not much thought put into the first times that will make a parent shutter and cringe. I knew that eventually an inappropriate word would come out of their mouths.  It has the abiltiy to stun you and propel you on a path of knowing that more will shock you.  More will cause your head to turn. More will make you gasp.

So here is to all the firsts we as parents will continue to experience!