4 Year Old Potty Mouth

Updated on July 03, 2012
L.B. asks from Grain Valley, MO
7 answers

Hi ladies! I need help. I have a daughter who is about to be 5 in August . And, while, she can be a challenge at times, (like any child),she is a pretty good kid. She can be very hard-headed, like both her parents, but I would consider most of the things she does very normal for a child her age. We recently signed her up for an indoor soccer league for summer ,as she wanted to try it. Last night was her 3rd game, and after the game, her coach, (who is maybe 15 years old or so) walked her over to us and informed us, infront of her, that sometimes Gracie has what she referred to as an "attitude problem". I asked her to be more specific because I wanted to know if she just wasnt' listening, or if she was saying specific things, etc. She told me she called someone named Anna, who I assume is the other coach, a "stupid, dummyhead" and called her a "toilet" and some other things. While there are worse things she could be saying, I am obviously mortified that she would think its ok to say that to ANYONE much less an autority figure. We were supposed to take her out for ice cream after the game, which we told her she no longer got any ice cream. We went ahead and went because we had told our other daughter we were going, so we went ahead and went and let our other daughter get some, but did not let Gracie get any. When we got ho me, she did not get any other snack before bed and I made her go to bed early . I did talk to her about WHY she didn't get ice cream and had to go bed early and told her I wasn't sure what else her punishment would be because I wanted to think about it some more. My husband and I decided next week we are going to walk her over to make her apologize to both coaches for not being nice because last year at he daycare at the gym we work out at, she did something unacceptable one day there and I made her apologize to the teacher and she was super uncomfortable and embarrassed and have never had a problem since.
I guess I just want some advice because I am so shocked she would say those things. I know she knows better and I think she was probably trying to be silly, and just got carried away. We do not talk that way in our house, and I guess it makes me feel like its a refelection on me and I am a bad parent. It's really frustrating. I think I am shocked too, because other than normal sibling fighting that goes on from time to time, I have never heard her say things like that to other people and I have no idea where she would even get that. Anyone else ever dealt with this? Just wanted advice. My mom taught kindergarten for 30 years and I always remember stories she had about disrespectful kids or things kids would say at school and I always remember thinking "What the heck are the parents doing?" so I think I am overly sensitive to making sure I don't have THAT kid.
Any thoughts or comments are welcome! Thanks ladies!

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So What Happened?

Jo W.-Thank you!! I do hope she was just caught up in the moment, but I also want her to know what is appropriate to say, even when acting silly. Maybe I threw out the "toddler" word too freely, as I do not necessarily view my almost 5 year old as toddler still, and definitely do not try to treat her like a baby, but the word is still in my vocabulary because I do have a daughter who just turned to 3 so I unfortunately use the word blanketing both my girls when I shouldn't.

More Answers

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E.T.

answers from Albuquerque on

She's four, almost five. Kids do crazy things at that age that make us embarrassed. Don't over think it, though. She probably WAS trying to be silly and got carried away. Taking away ice cream sounds like an appropriate punishment to me. And apologizing to the coaches is a good idea, but if you have to wait a week, I'm not sure I would do that. Perhaps next time.

Your child calling someone a toilet reflects on you - of course, but it doesn't reflect poorly if this is the first (or second) time. It's only when your child doesn't stop or steps up to worse words when other people start to think you don't know how to discipline/teach/raise your own kid.

6 moms found this helpful

N.G.

answers from Dallas on

She's 4. Don't overthink this. Like Jo said, she probably just got caught up in the moment. Swift punishment works best for this, I would have had her apologize to her coaches immediately for acting that way, no ice cream, and then let it go.

5 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Most likely it was the moment, she said something and the other kids laughed so she wanted to continue to be the center of attention.

What really concerns me about this post is you are referring to a five year old as a toddler. Nope they are a child. Toddler ends around two maybe three give or take. I only point this out because treating a child like a baby tends to make them behave like a baby. Even though they know better....

5 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

who knows why kids try these things, although it IS healthy for them to test the boundaries. and fortunately for this little girl, she has parents who responded swiftly and appropriately.
now she knows what those boundaries are.
well done, mama.
:) khairete
S.

3 moms found this helpful
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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

I think you're taking the right approach to it. It's hard and Jo is probably right that she got carried away, etc. There is only so much you can do when your child isn't right next to you. Keep reinforcing the right thing to do and hope for the best...isn't that what parenting is about!?! ;) Also, you might want to give her some strategies to help her when she's feeling frustrated or angry instead of calling names.

3 moms found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from San Francisco on

It sounds like you've done exactly what you needed to do. Took away her snack, made her go to bed early, and you are going to make her apologize. Perfect! No advice needed.

But "toilet" is kind of funny...

(p.s. While were on this subject, sometimes I wish people who work with kids would be a little more adept at meting out discipline/consequences themselves, instead of freaking out when a 4 year old calls them "toilet.")

2 moms found this helpful

C.P.

answers from Columbia on

My mindset is "Dirty mouth? Clean it up!"

I used Ivory Soap on both my kids. Told them that if nasty words came out of their mouths, they would have to stand in the corner with a bar of Ivory in their mouths for 5-10 minutes.

Worked like a charm.

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