Children learn fast. When we are angry we have tendency to use bad words. I did it - once and twice. The parrot started to repeat, so I had to stop. For love of the Pete is the safest saying for me around Matthew - it really covers all the angles of frustration. Love and Pete, it cannot get any better.
Matthew is now speaking very clearly, and builds perfect sentences. He also understands everything, but has very selective hearing. He picks up everything we say. He uses later. He even sometimes repeats our conversation - a technical one. But then I also wonder - when children pick up those bad sayings, how do they know when to use it?
I knew that For Love of the Pete will become his one day, and it did. When first time he was saying it, we were not impressed. We did not even know what is was, but is sounded bad, very close to Italian swearing. I asked my husband - have you been swearing in Italian around him? Slowly we figured out, and now whenever Matthew sees someone acting funny, doing something that is funny he has his own saying.
For love of Pete this lady is crazy! Or for love of Pete this man is crazy! - and he laughs out loud. Never mind he told me once 'For love of Pete, mommy is crazy'. What's next? The 'oh my Goodness' is slowly creeping in.
By the way, to follow up with the Santa Mommy post. I ended up dressing up as the Santa. Matthew enjoyed it very much. Wasn't even scared and he took a picture with me - but I know why. I forgot and started to speak normal to him. He kept looking back, thinking I was in the room. May be next year I hire Santa to do the job - I can only see him laughing at me, and he may think for a long time that all Mommies are Santas.
hehe that's so cute... children pick up every little detail and you'll be surprised to hear them say it all! :D
ReplyDeleteGreat phrase, I'll have to start using it as my 2 wee parrots only have to hear a word once!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie, he's growing so fast!
ReplyDeleteSanta Mommy, lol.
My youngest daughter, 37, now lives with us and her daughter, our granddaughter is 10. She is a great student, with straight A's. She can and does say things at the dinner table that would surprise anybody. She has a vocabulary much greater than most adults and knows how to insert the perfect word in sentences that makes us stop eating, smile, or even laugh out loud. They do grow up fast. And Matthew gets it somewhere?
ReplyDeleteIndeed, He growing up very fast !
ReplyDeleteGoodness was my word of choice. I always made sure I never said "I hate" instead I said I don't like this or I dislike the way someone acts. It is a tightrope we Mums walk.
Even if we don't all dress up like Santa, we Mum's are usually the Santa. From the buying, making, wrapping and cooking we make sure Santa is around the home.
cheers, parsnip
Hey,Anna! Nice blog you have here.
ReplyDeleteAnd btw, your son is so cute!!!
I have had my share of incidents in which I used bad words and my lil cousin tried to use it. Thank God I managed to talk her through out of using them.
P.S: stumbled upon your blog while I was surfing Jeevan's.
A female Santa - the present to all Males around :-9
ReplyDeleteBut seriously - a wonderful gift to your son.
My usual phrase is, "Oh for goodness sakes!" I wish more parents were able to raise their children with the love, care and responsibility that you show with your sweet Matthew. Children are blank pages we write our own values upon, little wonder Matthew is blossoming into such a wonderful little boy!
ReplyDelete"For the love of Pete".
ReplyDeleteIt could be worse Anna. {:)
Hello Dear Anna,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you children do learn fast and they have really sharp memory, they pick up stuff so quickly that sometime i can wish i can be child again.
How's everything with you?
Give my love to Mathew!
Love
Sabi Sunshine
Hi Anna
ReplyDeleteThere's an old saying: "monkey see, monkey do" Kids are a lot like monkeys. We must watch what we say and do around them. You are a very wise mother :-)
Take care and have a great week :-)
~Ron
*******
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteI suppose with 5 children of our own, three of them past 50 years of age, that I would know what to say but I am not one to give advice on things that seem miraculous to me. The kids are secrets waiting to explode like the big blossoms and when they do they are beautiful - more so than when babies.
LOL
ReplyDeleteYou don’t fool me…There are no Italian swear words…right?
;)
Who is Pete?
That was a twist :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute story, how clever to come up with something the child can use and not get himself into trouble for saying a bad word. It is so hard to not let a bad word slip now and then and it seems it only needs to happen one time and the child picks it up right away. I know, we had five children and believe me, there were lots of times I would get so frustrated and forget. LOL Also thanks for your visit.
ReplyDeletehaha... the concision was so sweet. that's true, kids don't know where to use some words and even it cause funny sometime it has its part of dislike later.
ReplyDelete