Swearing and adult themes in school English coursework

[um]

I recall ds1 reading 'The curious incident...' in Year 4
It doesn't seem to have done any lasting damage though. He's nearly 17 now and seems (relatively) normal.

[Reading Mum]

DD has just announced that they are doing this book for GCSE which seems a bit more appropriate - the whole year are going up to London to see the show. She is a happy bunny as she has already read and loved it, and we have been to see the show (thanks to KidsWeek) and that was really good.

[coolmum123]

I took my 11 year old to see the show over summer (another thanks to kids week) neither of us had read the book. I was when the 3rd word uttered was F***!!!

So I was a bit uncomfortable about the fact that such language was used in the presence of young kids (and some were quite young).

Didn't mar our enjoyment of the show but was surprised.

[Angelcake]

My year 8 son has just come home with a letter to say that they will be going to the show next term so I assume they will be studying the book. He does not know all the words; he and his friends are quite naive about that kind of thing so that will be interesting and I'm not sure I approve. Those in year 9 choosing GCSE options were warned that the Drama texts would involve strong language and they should not take it if this would be a problem so I'm surprised they they think that its ok for year 8. I still remember being laughed at at school in year 8 for not knowing how to pronounce "whore" in whatever Shakespeare we were doing, and certainly not having a clue what it meant!

[Reading Mum]

I took my 11 year old to see the show over summer (another thanks to kids week) neither of us had read the book. I was when the 3rd word uttered was F***!!!

So I was a bit uncomfortable about the fact that such language was used in the presence of young kids (and some were quite young).

Didn't mar our enjoyment of the show but was surprised.

I took my daughter to see Our House the musical because they were doing it in Stagecoach a few years back. I had to spend the first few minutes explaining all about condoms!

[booellesmum]

They will all hear these words at school.
I personally feel I would rather they read / watched things with me containing those words so we can have the time and place discussion.
Last year DD2 aged 10 was allowed to watch 127 hours which is a 15. It has the f word a fair bit, I told her it was perfectly acceptable to use it in that situation, ie having to cut your own arm off!

[Yamin151]

Mine see/hear a lot of these words on TV or at school. I can honestly say not from us. As a happy fish wife away from children, I quit swearing anywhere near children when I was pregnant (yes, it took me that long to teach myself! No, I wasn't that bad!!) but I can honestly say we do not swear in front of the children.
In some 15 films they hear them, also in songs (access to spotify) and Thing 2 went to see Billy Elliot last year on stage. All that way for 10 mins in the Globe theatre and £72 to hear an actress say "Fa**y"!!!
Anyway, they know they are not allowed to use those words at home, though we have had to have the odd word about some used in anger, but never (yet) the F word.
Books too - the cherubs, lots of others have many words in and I couldn't ban all those.
Does annoy me though.

[southbucks3]

Just tell them it's the associated use of swear words which is wrong, not the word itself. After all there are hundreds of words to describe poo and wee, few people take offence to the two I just used, but the two most common versions associated with the colloquial dialogue of the lower rankings in society are termed swearing and unseemly. Similarly using the word intercourse offends less than the word for the same action beginning with f.
The common threads when using swear words are anger, fear or aggression and a lowering of status. When you take away those things it's just a word, however it is impossible to remove that association in our minds, therefore to get our attention and tap into that two second feeling of insecurity people swear, even when not angry or afraid. Hence the opening sequence of four weddings and a funeral....those few words get your attention quickly, but you equally quickly feel secure that you are still watching a rom com because a posh young chap with floppy hair is uttering them, swap Hugh Grant for vinny jones and you would have a completely different idea of how the film may progress.

Obviously the more descriptive terms related to human intercourse are another kettle of fish, and another level of educating your child when you are quite ready thank you. I admit to naivety there until I was probably far too old to be honest. However as I have a beautiful book on my shelf of William hogarth engravings I have explained the term harlot, again why it that easier to say than whore, for any reason other than complex letter combinations, yet iron maiden had people singing Charlotte the harlot long before the shockingly vulgar songs we shy away from now. (I have hidden the Earl of Rochester collective though!)

I personally hate children swearing, because it symbolises that they already have the need to shock to get attention or to look worldly wise or cool. I would rather be stunned by their use of complex words, but that's my own preference and we shouldn't judge others on their use of different words that mean exactly the same as our own accepted version.
Personally I get far more cross with the derogatory use of words like gay, retard and idiot, which are sadly bantered about without a thought.

Ps. I swear in front of the family about once a week and get terribly told off by dh and son's one and two. Number three my sweet young innocent has never ever uttered or written a swear word to my knowledge and doesn't really care about the odd swear word. All the boys know if the f word ever comes out of my mouth it means I'm v v v cross or upset and something may be thrown imminently or a boy may prefer to alter his current perspective of a situation....a simple call of pre warning if you may, used on extremely rare occasions!

[Yamin151]

Just tell them it's the associated use of swear words which is wrong, not the word itself. After all there are hundreds of words to describe poo and wee, few people take offence to the two I just used, but the two most common versions associated with the colloquial dialogue of the lower rankings in society are termed swearing and unseemly. Similarly using the word intercourse offends less than the word for the same action beginning with f.
The common threads when using swear words are anger, fear or aggression and a lowering of status. When you take away those things it's just a word, however it is impossible to remove that association in our minds, therefore to get our attention and tap into that two second feeling of insecurity people swear, even when not angry or afraid. Hence the opening sequence of four weddings and a funeral....those few words get your attention quickly, but you equally quickly feel secure that you are still watching a rom com because a posh young chap with floppy hair is uttering them, swap Hugh Grant for vinny jones and you would have a completely different idea of how the film may progress.

Obviously the more descriptive terms related to human intercourse are another kettle of fish, and another level of educating your child when you are quite ready thank you. I admit to naivety there until I was probably far too old to be honest. However as I have a beautiful book on my shelf of William hogarth engravings I have explained the term harlot, again why it that easier to say than whore, for any reason other than complex letter combinations, yet iron maiden had people singing Charlotte the harlot long before the shockingly vulgar songs we shy away from now. (I have hidden the Earl of Rochester collective though!)

I personally hate children swearing, because it symbolises that they already have the need to shock to get attention or to look worldly wise or cool. I would rather be stunned by their use of complex words, but that's my own preference and we shouldn't judge others on their use of different words that mean exactly the same as our own accepted version.
Personally I get far more cross with the derogatory use of words like gay, retard and idiot, which are sadly bantered about without a thought.

Ps. I swear in front of the family about once a week and get terribly told off by dh and son's one and two. Number three my sweet young innocent has never ever uttered or written a swear word to my knowledge and doesn't really care about the odd swear word. All the boys know if the f word ever comes out of my mouth it means I'm v v v cross or upset and something may be thrown imminently or a boy may prefer to alter his current perspective of a situation....a simple call of pre warning if you may, used on extremely rare occasions!

Southbucks are you really Giles Brandreth in disguise?

[Tolstoy]

When you have been met in the school playground by tight lipped primary head brandishing DCs confiscated swear book must have been a boring lesson that one, you realise it's pointless to deny DC the pleasure of an excellent book in all other senses.

This particular DC has no embarrassment factor unlike DP

Oh well at least it didn't have the danger aspect of DS2s similarly returned penknife.

I shall just have to ensure they all talk posh