I do not know about you but, I hate when I hear young people having a simple conversation and every other word that comes from their mouths is a "bad" word. I would just love to wash their mouths out with soap. This may be another sign that I am not as young as I used to be. : ) I cannot help but wonder if their parents know that they talk like that and permit it.
No matter how much I try to protect my children from hearing the use of this type of language, there is no getting away from it. Whenever we go out, and a group of kids are hanging out together, we hear it.
I can think of only one instance, a few years ago, that left me quite impressed. It was totally unexpected because it completely shattered a commonly preconceived notion about young African American kids—and kids of all races. I was at a mall food court killing some time. Not many people were around. A few tables down from mine, was a group of five young African American teenagers.
They were the typical boisterous group. Surprise of surprises, these boys may have been a bit loud but, not a single foul word came out of their mouths. I sat there for a while just listening to them. I was stunned! How was it possible?!
My hat goes off to the parents of these boys!
This just goes to show, that it is possible for kids to interact without the use of foul language. What purpose does using these words serve? Does it make them "cool" in the eyes of their peers? Personally, when I hear kids talking this way, I think that they come from an uneducated family. There is no justification for the use of these words in normal conversations.
Just last year, I encountered a really obnoxious 15-year-old boy. We live across the street from a small park, so when the windows are open, you can hear the children playing. One afternoon, this boy was just shouting and screaming all sorts of "bad" words. I could hear it all the way to the back of the house.
I was getting upset with his language because my kids were at home and there were small children playing in the park. I asked him to tone it down and, being the cool guy that he is, refused, so I called the police. I told him that the cops were on their way and he started to walk away. He was scared. He did not think that I would call his bluff—boy, was he wrong.
Kids know that it is wrong to be talking like this. I guess that it would help, considerably, if their parents would set the example. Oh well, that is another story.
When I hear young people use foul language, I cannot help but feel that these kids have no respect for common manners. They are also showing a total disrespect for everyone around them.
Until next time. Take care.
