Naughty Words

It's begun. Landon has become a little sponge ... with a much larger vocabulary than I imagined would be possible at three.

Which means ... we now have to really watch what is said around him because you never know where three-year-old ears are lurking or listening :)!

A few weeks ago he used the word "shut-up," which is generally used as a joke between Jeff and I. But Landon understood how to use it ... and use it he did. We explained that it isn't a nice word to say to people and talked about not saying it.

But he kept using it.

Finally, exasperated I told him again, we don't say shut-up. His clarifying question back?

"We don't say shut-up like Daddy?" 

Busted :)!

It was hard to keep a straight face while I explained that none of us is supposed to say it, even Daddy. I only had to hold it together until I could get away from Landon long enough to call Jeff with the story ... then I busted up laughing. 

But last night it came full circle. We were all in the car and Jeff was teasing me about something. I jokingly said "Shut-up!" and Landon (who we didn't know was listening) immediately piped up from the back seat "We don't say shut-up mom! That's not a nice word!"

Busted. You should have seen the smirk on Jeff's face. 

I apologized. But that wasn't good enough for Landon who then proceeded to tell me ...

"Mom, I'm angry you sayed* shut-up." At which time I was clearly expected to apologize again.

Sometimes a listening, and articulate three-year-old are a deadly combo.

As another example I said something was funky today. A word as new and fun sounding as that one needed to be repeated ... 

A word to the wise. Just don't say "funky" around your three-year-old. No matter how well they seem to articulate in general. It just doesn't come out quite like it should and could potentially be misunderstood. 

*Landon's version of the past-tense of the word "say"