OT - is this a "bad" word?

[StephMK]

I don't necessarily think it is a bad word -- it is definitely more commonly accepted than many other curse words. However, I do think it is one of those words that makes the user sound uneducated -- even though I've been known to use it -- and I'm working on my doctorate. BTW, my educational psychology class really sucks this semester.

Seriously, I actually cringe when I hear myself saying it.... My aunt used to say that people who use curse words are too uneducated to think of a better word to use and I have to agree with her. Although, I have to admit, I am often guilt of worse words than sucks too.... As I type this, I am vowing to clean up my language.

ITA! That's the way I was taught too. LOL, my Remedial Reading class sucks too. I do think it's one of those words that was a huge no-no back in my day growing up but has evolved to be pretty typical and not as bad as some others. I still get surprised by some words I hear on TV today.

 

[StephMK]

I am a little surprised to see so many people where "stupid" and "shut up" is not allowed...I always though that was my own little pet peeve I always say I would rather hear my child "swear" than use those words

My kids have picked that up without my direct teaching. Last year, DS wouldn't read a book because he didn't think he was allowed to say the word stupid. This was 3rd grade! I don't mind, I like that they still think those words are "bad". Thankfully, they haven't picked up some of my bad word habits!

 

[crisi]

It certainly has "naughty word" connotations.

We don't forbid words in our household as long as they are used appropriately. They are words, not magic utterances - and we believe strongly you should have a full and complete vocabulary. You should also be familiar enough with the naughty words that the first time someone starts swearing at you in a meeting, you take it like any yelling and don't run out of the room in tears. We talk about their origin, what they mean, why they are offensive, and what appropriate context for us is.

But appropriate does not include swearing in front of grandma or at school or even at home.

Surprisingly, my kids don't swear.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I don't like the words but it really depends on who is saying them and what they are talking about. I don't have a problem with my teenager saying after three hours of homework that "homework sucks". I also don't mind when our dog decides to poop on the floor for no reason that "the dog is stupid". However, these words can NEVER be said to or about a person. I also would freak out if they were said by my five year old!

There are a few exceptions to my people are never stupid rule. When I see teenagers standing at the bus stop on a negative degree day without a coat I tell my kids they are stupid. When we talk about texting while driving, drinking while driving and smoking, I use the word stupid!

This is how I feel. It's not something I would punish them for, but I don't want to hear them say it about people and it would bother me to hear my younger kids say it.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I think it's a nasty word ~ my kids better not use it around me and hopefully when they're not around me

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I am a little surprised to see so many people where "stupid" and "shut up" is not allowed...I always though that was my own little pet peeve I always say I would rather hear my child "swear" than use those words

My ds was taught in kindergarten last year that those are "angry" words and was discouraged from saying them, I really like that description. In my house those are "quarter" words, as in if you say them to or about another person you owe Mom a quarter. Money talks apparently because that has seriously diminished how much I hear them.

 

[tinkmom2]

This is really OT, but I lurk here the most...
I'm curious - Do you think "sucks" a bad word???

My oldest DD is 11 for us "sucks" along with stupid are bad words. The other day she said "fricken" and I almost flipped my lid.

 

[POPCITY]

Absolutely not a "bad word"! I have a problem with that whole phrase. They are just words, they have as much or as little power as you let them have. If you say stinks instead of sucks, aren't you actually saying the same thing? What makes it "bad"?

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Absolutely not a "bad word"! I have a problem with that whole phrase. They are just words, they have as much or as little power as you let them have. If you say stinks instead of sucks, aren't you actually saying the same thing? What makes it "bad"?

I have to agree with this. I do teach my kids not to say bad words, and I don't say them myself, but I have always thought why does it really matter. If we say darn it instead of the other phrase we really mean the same thing.

I know a mom who won't let her kids say "I don't like..." The kids aren't allowed to say they don't like something. She says they don't use that kind of language in their house. I was tempted to say oh really, is that because you don't like it?

 

[mhsjax]

I don't know if it is a bad word really. Depending on the age, I may or may not let my kids say it. DS13 says it, DD11 doesn't say it, and I am not sure that I would let her. DS 9 doesn't say it.

I was allowed to say it growing up, I was also allowed to say PO'd in its full form. My mom was the queen of choosing her battles and this was one that she really didn't care about.

 

[mhsjax]

I have to agree with this. I do teach my kids not to say bad words, and I don't say them myself, but I have always thought why does it really matter. If we say darn it instead of the other phrase we really mean the same thing.

I know a mom who won't let her kids say "I don't like..." The kids aren't allowed to say they don't like something. She says they don't use that kind of language in their house. I was tempted to say oh really, is that because you don't like it?

Boy, she and I wouldn't get alone at all. these are the moms who have kids that go off the deep end and do really stupid stuff cause mommy was so strict.

 

[thebeesknees]

We don't use it in our house, either. I am trying to get DS to drop the word "idiot" from his vocabulary. He uses it way too frequently for my liking. Maybe charging him a quarter like a PP does would help encourage hime to drop it!

On another note, my friend said that her 3-year-old's preschool teacher told her that the little girl used bad language in school yesterday. When asked what she was going to be for Halloween, the child replied, "An A**"! Mommy quickly corrected the teacher that her daughter is going as ALICE this year!!

 

[Donnask8pro]

I didnt read al the posts but.. I think sucks is a bad word.. jmo
we also dont use stupid, idiot or ********.

Being the mother of a handicapped child and one is mentaly ********, we dont allow our younger son to say that one at all. He did say it 1x and I explained it to him and he started crying. Most kids dont understand what alot of those words mean.

Someone gave my son (10yr old) the finger the other day while he was riding the bus (from the car beside him). He came home and told me saying "can they go to jail for that?" lol. I guess it has sunk in how we feel about things like that.. lol

 

[Gigi22]

I think of 'sucks' as a Bart Simpson-ism, as in, "I didn't know a thing could both suck and blow at the same time." Most of the applications of that phrase apply to my former (I'm retired) workplace--and, so true!!!

 

[MomToOne]

Wow - I'm amazed at the long lists of banned words in many houses!

In my house, I try to keep the out-and-out profanity down, and try to keep my child from using any words to insult a person - there are LOTS of words that are OK in most situations, but not when used to insult a person ("cow" for example). By teaching my child the more general rule of not insulting people, she's able to decide for herself what words are OK and what ones aren't and she doesn't need a specific list from me. Because as soon as you ban one word, they come up with another.

I also think you just need to allow kids some words that allow them to express their frustration.

So, "homework sucks" would generally be OK in our house since it is clearly a dig at the situation not a specific person, "dinner sucks" may or may not be depending on intent (is she trying to get a dig in and insult me? or just truly expressing the fact that she doesn't like spinach?), "you suck" is definitely out.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

IMO "stupid" and "sucks" are both in the same category. If you think one is a "bad" word you should think the other is as well.

I have no issue with either one though

 

[speedyf]

I don't think sucks is a bad word either. I agree that it means the same thing as stinks and why is one a bad word and the other one isn't?

Just as some posters are saying that they do occasionally curse, but not in front of the kids...I'm sure kids do the same thing. They may curse or say disrespectful words while hanging out with friends, but won't do it in front of their parents. I know I certainly did.

I'm sure a good many of you did the same thing when you were kids (maybe teens?).

To change the subject a bit, I DJ for parties and weddings as a side job on weekends (for extra money to spend at Disney). Well, I also DJ for my son's (10 years old) elementary dance for free once per month. The school is K thru 5th. I'm always amazed at how I'll have kids as young as 1st graders come up to request a "Lil Wayne" song. I don't know if Lil Wayne has ever made a song that didn't have a curse word in it, yet all these kids know all the lyrics to his songs. Since the school is K-5, my playlist is limited to mostly Disney and age-appropriate music. I was always amazed at how parents allow their kids to listen to songs like Flo-Rida's "Low"....the song starts "Apple Bottom Jeans...Boots With The Fur..."etc. While the song has no bad words in it, the whole song is about a stripper in a strip club. I have 5 and 6 year olds that can sing the whole song to me asking me to play it.

Heck (is that a curse word?) I didn't start listening to rap with curse words until I was a sophomore in High School Of course, I never listened to it in front of my parents...

Speed

 

[FireDancer]

No, sucks is not a bad word. Neither is stupid. No words are bad and all have a place in language, even the ones you can't say on TV. People get way too up in arms when it comes to language, going as far as trying to "ban" certain words.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

My 90 year old grandma thinks sucks is a bad word, but no one else in my experience has ever batted an eye. Bad words go in and out of style and their meanings change. Look up 'dork' in a dictionary.

There will be no bad words list in my household. However, there will be a "words not to be used in front of teachers and other kids' parents" list.

 

[ChrizJen]

I've never really had an issue with the word "sucks". It's just not one of those words that strike a chord in me.
I never really thought about it I suppose. Because the word "stupid" is definitely one of my "cringe-worthy" words.

Our go to bad word is "Oh crudmuffins". I guess we are quite square, actually!!

That's hilarious....We say "Crud in a Bucket!!"
My 3 yr old said it this morning...I had to laugh.