OPINION: Do I let my kids swear?
A few words - yes, some words I bark at, and for other words, there's a time and place and it's how it's delivered. But by that stage, they're not listening to me.
Do I get a say in whether they swear or not?
Every now and then I have influence - if we're around older people or my mum, I'll shut it down.
When a bunch of young teenagers are at our house, I no longer fight every word. A number or words slip through and it's sometimes easier that way.
I don't want to fight with them all day, everyday.
Some words are worse than others, and if I feel it's over the top, then they'll get the message before it gets out of control.
I've worked out, 'yo, G', isn't a swear word, yet, but it amazes me how they all call each other 'G' and they all respond to 'G' - so it's 'G' this and 'G' that, usually preceded with the F-word. Sometimes, it's just, 'what the F, G'.
I used to half-heartedly try to stop it, thinking that was the right thing to do - but hello, it's not 1933 anymore.
Our kids have been on social media for years. Places like TikTok shove this in front of their faces all the time.
Society as a whole has relaxed its language standards I think. Still, I tell them swearing makes them look dumb.
In life, you work with what you've got.
You can steer your kids, but you can't control them at every turn. I trust them that they'll be bright enough to judge it right.
Duncan Garner is the host of The AM Show.
