Thank you Wall-E for showing my two young boys how funny it is to wear a bra on your forehead. I had to chase them down this morning and snatch away one of my most intimate clothing articles before I could get dressed.
Actually, they probably didn’t need a Disney movie to show them that was funny. They’ve been living in a world where farts, poop, burps, underwear, butts, butt cracks and other potty talk is hilarious, for awhile now. There isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t hear a poopy knock-knock joke or see one of their “moons.”
The problem with it is I am supposed to be a mature, respectful adult, yet sometimes I can’t help but bust up laughing at their potty language – especially when my 2-year-old screams something like “poop” during a reverent church meeting. It catches me off guard and I can’t help but chuckle.
Don’t get me wrong, I refuse to let them burp or fart without saying, “excuse me.” I actually hate those bodily functions. But there are times when they say something very random that makes me giggle.
The bad part about laughing when they are crude is then they think I like when they talk that way. So they do it more. It’s funny once. It’s not funny time after time -especially when it goes on for five minutes. That’s when I get mad and then they look at me like, “I thought you laughed at this kind of stuff.”
I don’t know the solution. I figure boys will be boys. They’re going to run around in their birthday suits when I’m trying to dress them screaming, “I’m naked.” They’re going to tell “hilarious” stories about ghosts who fart and burp. They are going to draw elaborate penciled sketches of the “poop monster.” That stuff is seriously funny to them.
I need to find a gentle way to teach them manners and what is appropriate without stifling their humorous creative minds. When I figure out how to do that I’ll let you know.
For now I’m going to look on the bright side, at least we don’t use cuss words at our house. There are lot of worse things that could be spouting from out of their potty mouths.
Boogers on the Wall 
Mar 03, 2011 @ 14:49:25
Is it something inately ingrained in kids to think bodily functions are hilarious? Asher and Abbie think it is funny too. I completely agree about the cuss words. I have relatives how don’t care what they say around the kids, then wonder why their child would shout a very naughty word in the middle of Sacrament Meeting.
Mar 03, 2011 @ 21:11:21
I’m glad it’s not just my kids!
Mar 03, 2011 @ 18:17:03
My former roommate used to be delighted that deep inside me, in a place I don’t like to talk about, there’s a 12-year-old boy who thinks potty humor is funny. I don’t like to admit it, but sometimes it comes out. And although I don’t have kids, I know what you mean about kids liking bodily functions. I see it all the time with my nephews. Sometimes it really is funny, but you can’t laugh because it does encourage them.
So how do you go about teaching them it’s not okay to be obsessed with bodily functions? Frankly, I have no idea. And I don’t know that I’m the best example anyway since secretly I might think it’s funny too, sometimes.
Mar 03, 2011 @ 21:08:04
I agree with you Tammy! It’s hard to keep a straight face as an adult when you watch kids doing crazy stuff.
Mar 03, 2011 @ 19:03:17
Wall-E was good, though! But I know what you mean. There is a delicate balance between being a friend to your kids, and being the “parent.” Of course, I don’t have it all down, either. It’s good to laugh with them sometimes. I don’t want to always be giving my daughter a bad time about every behavior. Kids will be kids, and always getting on them it just going to push them away in the future, if that makes sense.
Mar 03, 2011 @ 21:06:27
There is a delicate balance! If you figure it out let me know. I am the same way about not wanting to push my kids away. I want them to feel comfortable interacting with me so when they need to talk about something really important they can and will.
Mar 11, 2011 @ 03:27:01
Natalie! this is hilarious! im sorry about the ghost stories..but i think about the ghost farting story almost everyday with my China kids. i dont dare tell them because they know so little English, can you imagine if they starting saying potty words? that would be bad karma on my shoulders.
Mar 11, 2011 @ 08:24:27
Alissa! This made me laugh. I have a love/hate relationship with the poop ghost stories. But I agree, you probably shouldn’t teach them to the Chinese students.