Children are using to use profanity at an earlier age, and are often swearing more than children did just a few decades ago, new research suggests.
But before you blame television and/or rap music for their potty-mouths, the study shows that a similar rise in cursing among adults in the past thirty years is likely the most important factor. While nearly two-thirds of the parents surveyed did have rules about their children swearing at home, the parents often broke their own rules, sending a mixed message to their kids.
The frequency of swearing generally peaks during the terrible teens, yet this new data suggests that swearing is beginning at a younger age, meaning that the peak could move to younger children over time.
“As soon as kids can speak, they’re using swear words,” says Timothy Jay, a psychology professor at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. “That doesn’t mean they know what adults know, but they do repeat the words they hear.”
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