The OMG Bomb

[KingstonMom]

As I am sure all of us do, I edit my language and vocabulary due to the listening ears among us. Since having 3 kids of my own I cant rememeber I used any sort of curse word, not only around them, but anyone.

However... is "oh my God" considered a curse word? I'd like to think that I say "oh my gosh" but the two can be interchangeable at times!!

Long story short, I have a daycare boy who went home and said "oh my god mom, hear that loud train?". She says she was "Less than impressed". This mom is an overreactor and has almost had a termination letter just due to our clash of personality types/parenting styles etc. She wasnt saying that it came from here, nor did she accuse anyone of anything, she was just saying what he said. Now I have been extra observant and between my husband, myself, and at least 2 of our daycare kids, we all drop the OMG bomb at some point most days.

Is it so terrible and should be considered a 'curse word'?
TIA!

[sierra]

Hi Kingston Mom!
I don't consider it to be in the bad word circle but I know many people do find it offensive, so during day home hours "oh my gosh" bombs are the order of the day around here.

[Dreamalittledream]

It does raise an interesting debate for sure. In our home, it is not said. My 7 year old will, the rare time say it instead of 'Oh my Gosh' and he is corrected immediately. Now, if he ever let a swear word slip it would be an entirely more severe reaction than simply an immediate correction/reminder. Now, when he does the odd slip to OMG, would I write a note to his teacher...absolutely not. I definitely think Mom has overreacted here.

[sunnydays]

It's funny because I used to say this a lot and when my oldest was abotu 18 months he started saying it all the time...and I felt kind of emabrassed...so when I had the next child, I stopped saying it and made a huge effort to make sure he didn't say it...then, when he was 2, he went to a new daycare for a month and obviously that caregiver said it all the time because he started saying it all the time...LOL. I just thought it was funny actually because I had worked so hard to avoid it and in the end, it happened anyway. I don't find it offensive, but I know some people do, so I do avoid saying it in front of the dck's. But, it is tricky because there are words that I wouldn't have thought to be offensive that others do find offensive. I sometimes say "shoot" and I never thought of it as a bad word...until the other day my 3 year old dcg said it (learned it from me) and then immediately corrected herself "Oh, I shouldn't say that, that's a bad word"...which made me realize that her parents must have told her that! Then I felt bad! Would others think "shoot" is bad? Now I am paranoid about everything I say!

[Momof4]

My grandson told me last year that I should never say the S word. I looked at him in astonishment and he told me I said the word stupid and that's the S word. Oy! Yes, we have to be really careful with our language around little children, but come on, show me one parent who never says OMG once in a while!

[gcj]

If kids say it, I ask them what God means to them...who is God? Usually at that age, they don't know. I explain that if they don't know God, they needn't use his name. If they throw in your face that "you said it" ....(I try not to, but as you said sometimes we may not realize) I explain that "God" means something to me and sometimes things are appropriate for grown ups and not kids (within reason, of course!) There's nothing wrong with kids learning that!

[mom-in-alberta]

I ask my kids not to use "oh my God", use "gosh" or "goodness" instead. We also don't say "stupid" or "dumb". I have a 5 year old that we call the language police, because if we let anything slip out, she is ON IT. LoL
I know it doesn't seem like a big deal to most, but they will pick it up soon enough away from home. It just sounds wrong from a little 2 yr old, you know?

[ladyjbug]

This thread reminds me of a conversation one of my drop ins, who just happens to be quite a precocious and religious 4 year old.
DCB: Miss ****, Did you know that we are not allowed to say Oh my (whispers) *God*?
Me: Why yes I did!
DCB: But Miss ****, did you also know that we are not allowed to say Oh my (whispers) *Goodness*?
Me: Oh, I didn't know that! Well, what can we say then?
DCB: *Big dramatic pause* Oh my. That's it. Oh my.

So that's my guideline. LOL.

[mlle.coccinelle]

AHaha that's very cute Ladyjbug!

I try not to say Oh my gosh as much as I can.... But I guess that its better to say that than an actual ''curse word'' . I do think the mom over reacted on it though..

[daycaremom9]

I didn't realize "oh my gosh" was bad; now I'll be rethinking that! I've caught myself saying holy smokes, now I imagine I got that from my mother. A lot of the sayings that she used to say are inappropriate for children. Not swearing but sort of negative when dealing with kids.