Parenting Style: Using Foul Language Around Kids

The other day, my daughter and I were out shopping. We rolled our cart into the toy aisle and found a little girl sitting on the floor, tinkering with a toy whose buttons flashed and played music. Her mother was a few feet away, looking at the shelves and mumbling something about getting a present for someone's birthday party. While trying to put the toy back on the shelf, the little girl knocked over a bunch of other items. In the ensuing crash, her mother rushed over and blurted out, "Put that s**t down and get your ass over here!" In tears, the little girl ran to their shopping cart and sobbed while her mother shoved all the toys back on the shelf. The mom slapped her daughter's hands and yelled, "I told you to stay put!" The little girl responded with a slap back and yelled, "Stop it, ass head!" With that, her mom put her on her knee, and with each slap on the butt came: "Don't (pop) talk (pop) to me (pop) like that (pop) ever again (pop, pop)!"

My 18-month-old daughter and I watched in shock. Just minutes before, the girls had been laughing together. Now this kid was getting the, well, s**t kicked out of her! Why? Because she called her mommy a bad word ... a word she undoubtedly learned from her mom's own dirty mouth.

I had this sick feeling in my stomach wondering how many times a day that little girl was punished for merely doing the same things she saw her mommy do. I wish I'd had the guts to tell that lady it was all her own fault.

I'll admit that I let out an occasional "s**t" when I slam my finger in something, but I try to keep my language PG when my child is around, and I ask other people to do the same. I just can't understand why some folks think it's OK to speak to their kids the same way they'd tell off Joe Schmo on the street. Parents with potty mouths, be warned: Don't be surprised when your kiddos start cursing you out!