Use Your Words !

If you walk through an early childhood center, you will undoubtedly hear the phrase “Use your words.” We are constantly encouraging our children to use words to express their feelings. However, I would like to encourage adults to not only do the same but to be careful of the words that they do use.

Sometimes those naughty words just slip off your tongue before you can stop them. Swearing can be a way to relieve frustration and express your feelings in a direct manner and we are all guilty of letting one slip occasionally. A recent study showed that 86% of all parents admit to swearing in front of their children. The same study found that parents on the average use 10-12 expletives a week in the presence of their children. Unfortunately, swearing isn't the kind of language you want your children to pick up. Children are sponges and they want to emulate their parents. If you make it a habit to use profane language in front of them, it's probably going to come back to haunt you.

Another problem with words is that they are powerful. Words express, words carry expectations and can be heard and felt much differently than they may originally have been intended. Whoever said "Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me," might have been deaf. Words can hurt us, anger us, make us laugh, fill us with joy, and ultimately they can heal us.

So let us be careful of what we say and how we say it especially around our children because we are their role models and they take their cues from us.

Yours in caring,
Dana Chibbaro