Actually, this raises an inte
Posted by paul on Sun, 12/07/2003 - 4:40pm.
Actually, this raises an interesting point, something I've been arguing with people for years.

Why is there such a big thing against using certain words around kids? I mean, I can understand not using them around a five year old who may repeat them at inappropriate moments, but once a kid is old enough to have some discretion, what's the big deal? As long as they know when not to use them, and don't use them constantly, why try to shelter the kids from those words? Isn't it better to make sure they just know how and when to use them properly? If you make those words completely verboten it just means that they'll get an extra thrill out of saying "fuck" just to shock people, which leads them to use them incessantly. Want to see that in action? Hang around a bunch of college freshmen sometime. They're as bad as contractors.

Frankly, I don't really shelter my kids very much. I know that they see some of the ugliness in the world and acknowledge it so that I can discuss it honestly with them and give them a more mature perspective on it and understand it. I see my role as a parent to be more as a guide, someone to show them how to deal with the world rather than someone to shelter them from it. As someone who was very sheltered for a lot of years, I strongly believe this to be the better way- they won't get caught by surprise later on.

My openness in such things as posting the above lyrics reflects that. They're just words, and only have power over you if you let them.

Oh, and I can't edit the above, ParU- once someone replies to it, it's graven in stone.

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