Daily Tips for Families

Today's Tip for Families

01-30-2022

Set the Tone to Reduce Bad Language

These days, it's common for kids to swear and use other bad language. But that doesn't make it OK. Using bad language is a form of disrespect for others—and for the person using it, too.

Respect is a vital element in a productive learning environment. If your teen uses bad language, these ideas may help put a stop to it:

Evaluate your own behavior. Do you sometimes speak disrespectfully around your teen? If so, have a conversation about it. Say, "We both use inappropriate language, and that's wrong. Let's change together." Plan how you'll do this.
Make rules. Be clear about which words are not acceptable, and expect your teen to use common sense. But don't try to eliminate every negative phrase in your vocabularies.
Turn off the screens. Many TV, video and game characters show disrespect in their language and actions frequently. Review the media your teen consumes, and set appropriate limits.
React calmly. Hearing your teen curse makes it tempting to explode yourself. Wait until you can speak respectfully to deal with the problem.
Take heart. The language problem isn't permanent. Many teens swear to shock others. Before long, they settle down and shape up.

Brought to you by:

Webster County Schools

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