Potty Mouth: Stop Kids from Cursing and Swearing

What She Says: "You smell like poop!"

What's Going On Although your preschooler may be out of diapers, all things bathroom are still pretty new -- and probably often on her mind. "Children this age have spent a lot of time dealing with potty training, so it makes sense that they are fascinated by bodily functions and thinking and talking about them," says Timothy Jay, Ph.D., author of What to Do When Kids Talk Dirty.

How to Respond First, keep your cool. You don't want your child to think these are bad words, because there will be times when you'll need to talk about bathroom behaviors, whether it's asking her about an irregular bowel movement or helping her with uncomfortable gas. But if she has a potty mouth at the dinner table while your mother-in-law is visiting, Dr. Boyd-Soisson suggests telling her that people don't like to hear these words, so she will have to go somewhere private if she wants to say them. "Saying poop over and over in your bedroom loses its magic pretty quickly."

Also watch how you deal with bathroom issues. If you act grossed out when changing your baby's super-messy diaper, your preschooler is going to pick up on it and make a big deal out of it too. Instead, be matter-of-fact about discussing these stinkier subjects and change the topic when she does choose words that belong in the washroom.

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