Why Is That Funny?
Know That It's Normal
If your kids think “stinky armpit” is a hysterical phrase, then they’re completely normal. Even if you decide you don’t approve of potty talk, you don’t need to worry that something’s wrong if your children guffaw at body humor. And admit it: Isn’t it funny sometimes to you, as well? I couldn’t help but crack up recently when my boys and husband were dying laughing about a library book about the planet Uranus. (Did you know that Uranus is made up of rocks and dust, and that people on Earth can’t see Uranus without a telescope?)
What's Really Important
Think about what actually matters to you. Do you find the word “butthead” patently offensive, or is the problem that it’s hard to use in a kind and respectful way? In my own home, with my kids, our rule is that all speech needs to be respectful. I don’t happen to mind potty words if my kids are being silly or playful. It can get annoying, sure, but I don’t necessarily see those words as worse than other childish phrases and songs. But words that hurt someone’s feelings or show disrespect—whether they have anything to do with the body or the bathroom or not—are off-limits.
Why Words Matter
Help your kids understand that they should consider the words they use not because certain words are inherently bad, but because words are powerful. They can hurt, heal, please, build up or tear down. Explain that you have a reason for teaching them about the terms they choose.
RELATED: Teaching Kids Not to Hurt Others
Don't Demonize Words
You may decide that you don’t want to hear potty language. Even (and especially) if you don’t, it’s probably not a good strategy to outlaw them completely. Making them taboo will only increase their power. So instead, explain to your kids, in a matter-of-fact tone, that "Potty words are for the bathroom, so it's totally fine to talk about poopy butts, but go talk about them in the bathroom."
Set Boundaries
Even if you don’t mind some giggling about bathroom humor, chances are that you’ll get tired of it at some point. You don’t have to listen to jokes about bodily functions 24-7, any more than you have to listen to the playlist of kids songs any time you’re in the car.
RELATED: Should I Leash My Child?
Redirect
Try leading your kids in a different direction. When they say “butt,” you say “earlobe.” Find other body parts (“nosehair”) and silly phrases (“shamma-lamma-ding-dong”) that can incrementally lead the conversation elsewhere. Or simply offer a completely different activity that can give them positive attention in another domain: "Let's get out the frisbee!"
