For some families cursing and swearing is not a big deal, while for others, how people speak is very important. Unfortunately, even if you are very careful how you speak within your house and even if you are successful in banning cursing and bad language within the family walls, children will be exposed to bad language out and about. How much control can a parent have and how can we counter the bad language a child may be exposed to?
Unless we live in a remote area or under a rock, our children will be exposed to unsavory language. They hear it in movies and television shows, they hear it from neighbors, relatives, people on the bus. I am often amazed at how much swearing and potty-language I hear just walking down the street! I don’t know how we could protect and sequester a child entirely so we have to move on to what to do about it WHEN it is heard.
You can state very clearly and remind your child what your values are regarding swearing and cursing but we have a challenge here—how to state our case without being judgmental and snobbish (or classist and racist.) I find that combating the behavior and not the person is key: “I do not approve of that language” or “Swearing is inappropriate in public” is less judgmental than “What a loser that person is!” or “I better never hear you talking like such a lowlife!” Can you see how one version addresses the behavior in question while another passes judgment on the person?
You could also make more of a game out of it, asking your child “What could that person have said instead?” This encourages critical thinking and shows your child that there are always alternatives to swearing that can be creative and effective.