Potty Mouth

I know this sounds awful and I will probably get a lot of 'I can't believe you would do that' for this, but my mother washed my mouth out with ivory bar soap on a wash rag. She basically told me if I was going to have a dirty mouth, then she was going to clean it. It stopped me from doing it!

Good luck!
Jodi

The first question I have is where did she hear those words? You, sitter, sib, TV, radio????? You need to deal with that side of the issue too. Little ones are great mimics and they will repeat what they hear.
Make sure your discipline is swift and consistent. Every time she utters one of those words it needs to be an immediate time out or whatever you choose.

I actually agree with soap in the mouth, and I also make my kids go stand in the bathroom if they say "potty words" Now, I will adimt no one in our family uses swear words, so our potty words are actually when they decide it is time to joke about bathroom functions etc. But it might help. But for sure you need to stop where she is hearing it!! This can not be a do as I say not as I do, or watch on TV etc.. Good luck, I cant imagine what I would do if I heard something like that from my kiddos :) ~A.~

Hi!

I'm a firm believer in washing out the mouth with soap when necessary but I don't think I would do it for a 2, 3, or even 4 year old. At that age they aren't able to think logically about it and she is just repeating words that she has heard. She doesn't even know what it means, so to wash her mouth would be cruel punishment. She shouldn't be punished but trained through time out mainly so she realizes that when she says that word that she goes to time out. Soon she will get the connection.

I also agree with what someone else said about where is she picking up these words? I don't know too many 2 yr olds that say that. So I would look into that and nip that in the butt.

Hi S.,
My nephew who is 4 has this same problem!
Personally, I would NEVER suggest you to wash out a 2 yr olds mouth with soap!!
Maybe at 5,6 or 7 yrs old if she picks up the bad habit but not at such a young age.
She's just repeating a word she has heard from somewhere and she will eventually stop.
I can promise you she will not keep this behavior as long as you keep enforcing to her that it is wrong.
I would just keep doing what your doing, try time out, naughty mat, etc. but absoulutely NO soap in the mouth!
That's only going to cause her to get sick and possbily throw up....a little potty mouth at her age is not worth it!
She's very young and I'm sure she will grow out of her potty mouth very soon.... : )

My kids picked up the s*** word pretty early and I litely would tap my son in the mouth to let him understand what he was saying was wrong and now we don't have a problem with him saying it.

I have read a book called "Creative Correction" by Lisa Whelchel (yes Blair from Facts of Life). She uses a vinegar and water mix which is a little safer than the soap. You don't need much vinegar at all. It's like 1 part vinegar and 2 or 3 parts water. If that's something you want to do, I can easily look it up for you -- just message me.

This is what worked for my with my oldest, now 9 yrs old, when he went through that phase. I told him he could say f--- or s--- all he wanted, but he'd better not say crocodile...or SKUNK (while looking around as if to make sure no one hears me)!! Especially SKUNK because that is SUCH as bad word because skunks stink soooo bad and squirt their stink on people..ooooh we don't say skunk.

Then I walked away.

Later on we went shopping and he shouted SKUNK throughout the store...I gasped, appeared shocked (which is what they want you know!!) and he giggled and was generally pleased with himself. but he never really said f---- or s---- again and if he said any other "unsavory words" I'd go OH MY DID YOU SAY SKUNK?!?!?! shhhhhh! :)

Good luck!

First, you have to cut out the source of where she is learning the word from, b/c she is getting reinforcment to say it from the source, and not to say it from you. Give her a lesson as to why the word is bad. She'll get it eventually.

Teach her a replacement word. Really, kids her age are mimicing to get a reaction.