Poop. Pee. Butt. Burp. Fart. These words can make your forty-year old spouse smirk, so just imagine the reaction they produce for your toddler. “Potty talk” isn’t a new trend. This “time honored tradition” dates back for centuries. I bet somewhere, on some pyramid a witty little Egyptian boy got in trouble for chiseling the word poop in hieroglyphics.
Let’s face it. Bathroom blab is humorous to your preschooler. Why? In a word, attention. Your toddler gets a reaction when they test these phrases. Their new dialect is sure to get a response from you, teachers, grandparents, friends and strangers alike. Your tyke knows that throwing out these words warrants a reaction from you. So, why are we surprised when they can’t stop putting the word “pee” into a sentence? Simply put, these words produce results.
When dealing with potty talk, learn to develop a poker face. If the words coming out of your kiddies mouth make you want to laugh, don’t. The more you react, the more powerful the words will become. Calmly explain to your tot that bathroom words are unacceptable. Don’t make a major deal of this new topic of conversation because the more taboo these words become, the more tempting they will be to use.
Let’s face it, poop makes us giggle. Bathroom humor is the basis for almost all juvenile jokes. Will Ferrell has made millions of dollars by farting. Kids are natural comedians so don’t be surprised if your children think this behavior is utterly amusing. It is, to them. To us it is frustrating, embarrassing, and annoying.
If refusing to laugh doesn’t work, try sending them to the bathroom (alone) and give them permission to use as many “potty words” as they want. I bet the amusement wears off pronto. In the meantime, you will have earned yourself a few moments of “stinking silence”!
For more scoop on poop talk and other potty words, check out this “fabulously frank” article from parents.com:
http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/discipline/improper-behavior/potty-mouth/
