Parenting Magazine

Language and Your Kids

First I read an interesting post by a friend of mine on MyLot about his distaste for “text speak” i.e. LOL, ROLF, XMAS 2MRO. Then I heard a very interesting bit on NPR this morning about kids and cursing and it got me to wondering about how I am going to deal with the subject of language when the baby is older. After pondering the situation for a while I came to the conclusion I speak a lot more languages than I give myself credit for. I have my everyday vernacular, I have the high etiquette I use in the necessary social situations, and I am semi fluent in “text speak” While all of them are based in English, they are distinctive languages each with their appropriate forum.

I agree that everyone needs to learn the high etiquette of social speak. I disagree with the notion that it is the only language that matters. I also disagree with the notion of censuring kids who use any other version of English when high etiquette social speak isn’t necessary. Just because an adult can’t make heads or tails of “text speak” or forgotten they were once kids who had their own vulgar vernacular that included controversial words like neat, damn, awesome, suck, fly, groovy, rad, and cool. While “Biatch” and “Ho” are words I could do without hearing, this generation has however given up most of the derogatory terms used for race that I don’t think I need to list. Read more of this Parenting Magazine Article