Out of the mouth of babes
Jasmine is at that age where she has become a great mimic, so now is the time that I have to really watch my P’s & Q’s very carefully. One miss placed expletive, one unfortunate slip of the tongue and my little girl will have a whole new unwelcome vocabulary.
This is a problem that might be familiar for many families; little children using bad language that it has picked up from grown-ups is nothing new. Having been a soldier for many years, I’ve heard the worst that the English language has to offer and sometimes, the odd ‘bad un’ slips out. Spitting fat on the stove or catching your finger in the door can temporarily turn the air blue, and of course, the worst place for it is the car. I dread the day that Jasmine steps out of the car and asks, “Mummy, are you a jackass too”!
Being an Englishman living on American soil, I have a double problem. There are words that the English use, that leave most Americans with a look of horror on their faces. So if I don’t want to receive the wrath of my wonderful mother-in-law, I have to speak American-English when I’m around Jasmine. On the other side of this, there are words used by Americans that are considered rude and obscene that regularly slip into conversation over here. Twice a year my mother comes over with my son, so again I have to be extra careful with what Jasmine says!
Sometimes you just can’t win.
- Andy
