Victims of our Up Bringing...

They do spelling in "word chunks" now in school. There's "-it" week, "-ing" week, "-ack" week, and don't even get me started on "-uck" week. (That's one of my favorite stories.) Anyhow...One day in first grade, I felt concern when I was looking over Berkeley's papers and noticed the word "shit" written, in her handwriting, on her paper. I asked Berkeley about it--a little mortified. She said to me "Oh, we had to write down all the "-it" words we could think of and that IS an "-it" word, Mom." I acknowledged that she was right and immediately asked what Miss. Crowther said about it. She replied "nothing."

I felt relief about the fact that nothing was said to Berkeley. I mean, it is her parent's fault she even knows the word. She just mentally cataloged the list of "-it" words in her world...and "shit" happens to be a common one. However, I was a bit embarrassed! Berkeley and I had a talk about how we should not put "swear words" on our school work and I apologized to her for using it too much. I told her I would try to not say it so often.

(notice the mask is covering her mouth!)

Fast forward two years down the road...

Berkeley is about to enter third grade and the "s" word hasn't necessarily left the household. Im still trying to be a "good Mommy" and not say it so much. (Stop laughing friends, I said "trying!!") So....

I'm talking with my Mom the other day. Berkeley is standing there listening. My Mom swears while getting a little passionate about what she was saying (Hmm...I wonder where I get it from?). Berkeley interrupts our conversation to whisper to me "Mom! Grandma just said "shit!" " I tell Berkeley that Grandma is an adult and can use her words the way she chooses.

Grandma asks: "What is wrong?".

Berkeley says: "You said "SHIT!""

Grandma says: "Oh, I'm sorry, Berkeley."

"I should really knock that shit off, huh?"


Berkeley laughs uncontrollably.
I give up.