You know when you have a brain full of cluttered subjects and you just need to get them out … that is me today.
Let’s start with the most pressing issue that I’m hoping you can give some mommy-wisdom about.
Potty talk.
See this sweet four-year-old face? He looks innocent enough.
But each morning, without fail, I’ll say “Good morning #3!” and this is his response:
Seriously. If its not fart, its a phrase that includes some combination of poop, pee, head or eyeball.
He’s got a potty mouth.
I know it may be normal – especially for four-year-old boys – but I’m not a big fan. The older boys were never this bad and so we are at a loss for how to deal with it. Half the time we laugh {because he seriously is funny and just so cute} and half the time he sits in time out. But neither are very effective.
So, any tips for banishing potty talk? I’d love your advice. I wish there was a chapter in Mrs Piggle Wiggle about the topic and I would give her cure a try.
I’ve been wanting to make these apple chips for a while and finally gave them a try this weekend.
They were very easy to make, taste great and I would definitely make them again.
Are you a Bachelor watcher? I am. Pure smut, but I love it. I’m behind a week, so don’t tell me who is off.
Want to know how I justify my Bachelor enjoyment? I say it is Biblical. Have you read the story of Queen Esther? King Xerxes was the Bachelor and Queen Esther received the final rose after he dated lots and lots of eligible bachelorettes. Read the story for yourself here. And if you want a more in depth study of the story of Esther, the Beth Moore study is pretty much amazing.
P.S. I’m kidding … I don’t think dating 25 women at once is biblical. It just does sort of happen in the Bible. Not saying its how it should be done and clearly the results aren’t all that great since nearly every couple breaks up in the end.
Carnations were buy one get one free at the grocery store last week, so I grabbed two bunches.
Even carnations can be so beautiful when clustered tightly together. For $4.99 I have pretty flowers on my coffee table that will last at least a week {another benefit of cheap flowers – they last forever}.
The winner of the JANUARY GIVEAWAY is …
Congratulations! Please send me a note with your address and I’ll pop your package full of kiddie delights in the mail.
The February Giveaway is coming soon …
For those of you who use Mac computers and are not quite sure how to use the symbols on the new Fancy font or the Emily font, I have created a short video sharing how to find and use them.
I hope this is helpful.
If you need help installing the font to your computer, I did a short tutorial at the end of this post: 25 Favorite Fonts
And if you are using a PC, there is a photo tutorial for how to install fonts at the end of this post: My Handwriting Font
You know you need a new mattress when you willingly choose a queen size blow-up bed on the floor of the guest room over your own king size bed in your own room. Maybe we’re just getting old but our backs were hurting and my arms and hands were going numb which were not enjoyable ways to wake up each day. One night we decided to try out the airbed that was still inflated from Christmas house guests and we’ve been sleeping on it since. Its actually surprisingly comfortable. And no sore backs or numb limbs. However, it would be nice to move back into our room and sleep on our own big bed, so we’re now in the market for a new mattress. Any suggestions?
Are you bored of my randomness yet?
Hmmm … what else do I have for you …
I read this book and loved it. I mean, really loved it.
My best friend and I are starting this new bible study. Very excited about it.
I’ve been on a pin-fest. You can see my pinterest boards here.
This song is really good. Sometimes I just listen to it on repeat really loud. It drowns out the kids in the back. You should try it sometime.
My brain feels better. Thanks for letting me ramble about these very random tidbits.
Hi there
I have just downloaded & installed Bombshell Pro and am dying to use the glyphs but can’t figure it out! I can use the font in word (I don’t have illustrator) and have watched your tut on how to use the glyphs on a mac but they aren’t there! I don’t have the option to select Bombshell Pro in the font section of advanced symbols. Any thoughts?! I’m dying to try them out!!
Thanks
K
hi I’m really struggling with trying to make the bombshell font have the lines before and after the word – so i get that it has to be in lower case and also that you have to put == and ++ after the word all joined together but it is not working on my comp!!! I’m using word on a mac which i guess it should automatically work but its not!!!! which is infuriating me PLEASE help I’m tearing my hair out…. thank you in advance.
Unfortunately pop psychology has taught young parents that its best to ignore young childrens bad behavior and to redirect the behavior. As an older going back to college student and studying early childhood the same ideas are being taught to
young teachers to be. One has to ask the question, “Where did the child hear it to start with?” Young children need to be talk to about bad habits in a kind and loving manner but if it continues some of the ideas other parents had sounded pretty good. I do believe there needs to be a parental response if it continues. If not dealt with, the next four letter words may not be cute.
Ugh. The potty mouth! I had it with all three kids and here’s how we dealt with it. Every time you hear a “bathroom word” ask him to spend a few minutes in the bathroom because that’s where bathroom words belong. When he is done using all his bathroom words he can come out. At first they think it’s funny and spew bathroom words in the bathroom but it gets old quickly and they get tired of spending so much time in the bathroom. It’s how we got rid of our three potty mouths.
Good luck!
Great post! I have three boys and a baby on the way. All under 5 and it’s crazy around here!!!
My boys are the same way about what they say. Most of the time we are good at catching it but every once in a while they totally catch us off guard … Which results in laughter. ;)
The only thing that has worked for us is soap in the month. Mind you we only did it once and it was all natural/no harm if swallowed but it was enough to get their attention. I simply said, “if your mouth is dirty we should wash it out.” Now all it takes is the simple suggesting and the potty mouth stops. Kids are simple!
;) HAV
Hi Emily! My husband works at Sleep Country, and he’s found there is no best mattress- each person/couple will find different preferences that make one mattress more comfortable than another. And while a mattress topper will make the top layer more comfortable, if your current bed isn’t properly supporting your body, a mattress topper won’t add support. If you are ever in Issaquah, you should buy from my hubby- he is really good at finding the perfect bed for his customers!
Oh, and I watch The Bachelor shamelessly :)
Best potty talk remedy (from my pediatrician): Tell your child, “That’s bathroom talk. You can use those words in the bathroom as much as you want.” Every time he wants to use potty words he must go say them in the bathroom. It’s worked well for us!
I just had to laugh with your comparison of the Bachelor to the book of Esther!!! I absolutely LOVED Beth Moore’s study…I learned things that I never knew/noticed before. it’s amazing how we can read the Bible over and over and yet still get so much out of it every time we read it.
love your bachelor rationale! lol!!! and i also loved.. really loved.. unbroken. i recommend it to everyone!
My husband actually came up with the solution to Potty Mouth in our house. When I would be gone on an errand or out at girls night he and our sons would sit on the couch and it would be “Potty Talk Time!!” The rules were that they could say potty words (age appropriate…pee, poop, gas, toot, fart…and so on) for 5 minutes. They’d giggle and giggle but then it was done. The boys knew that the could only say the words only on the couch only with Daddy during “Potty Talk TIme”. IT WORKED! They needed an outlet and at least once a week they’d do this. If I caught the boys using potty words other times rather than appropriately they had to confess to their Dad and tell him where and when they could say the words. Good Luck ! P.S…love the boot socks! I can’t seem to find any around here and am going to get some!
I loved Unbroken, too. Definitely one of the best nonfiction books that I read last year.
My son from time to time has said some things that were along the strains of potty talk. Guess what he got? Potty Duty. Yep, he had to clean the bathroom. If your son is too young to do the bathroom – straight vinegar in the mouth. Works great and can’t hurt him but he might grow up with a aversion to oil and water :).
I meant to say oil and vinegar.
Emily, I can tell you are good parents I thought it was so cute and in comparison with the way kids talk today farty fart fart is nothing to worry about kids will let it go if you dont make a big deal out of it ,my kids didnt really do that but they did other things I have been a mom and now grandma for 29 years, as long as they respect you and others it will be a small hurdle. I think your blog and home are so amazing I am in awe of your imagination I really look up to you and I am 49 years old ha never too old to learn thank you for your honesty I know real christians and they dont judge others it really makes me sad when I read a negative comment on one of the blogs because you are using your god given talent to help others God bless you and your family. thanks ,Karen
Mattress: The Tempurpedic Mattress is the best. 20 year warranty… pricey but hey, 20 years is a long time to like a mattress!
Bachelor: I love Jesus too and I admit I like watching the Bachelor too!! Some people have BIG opinions about it but who cares. It’s fun to watch!!!
Farty Fart: Read ‘Loving Our Kids of Purpose’ by Danny Silk. Lots of great tools to help your kids choose great behavior!! Author also has a dvd or audio set and we did a parenting group at our church with it. It’s been AWESOME for all the families that went through it. It’s taken all the fear out of being a parent for me. And it’s really a great read/listen/watch. :-)
Could our 4 year old boys have been twins separated at birth? Mine does not have a “potty mouth” but he says some pretty naughty things all of the time. His favorite, “you’re stupid!” even though my 2 older boys have been taught that is a bad word. He talks back and LOVES to tell me NO all of the time! I think being the youngest of 3 boys he wants to be big like his brothers and so one way he can do that is to talk big. I think he sees his brothers going to school and doing all of these things he wants to do, but can’t, and so he finds ways to let me know that he’s feeling left out and that maybe he needs a little bit of attention. I must admit that I’ve babied him, but I’ve got to put a stop to this! He’s great when we are out and about or at church, but at home he’s sometimes pretty horrible. I think it’s a phase. When he says something nice, praise him, when he has a potty mouth, tell him you won’t listen to him when he talks like that and walk away. The more attention you give him the more he’ll want to do it. And just want to let you know my 3 boys share a room because I saw that yours did! I love it that they are all together and WANT to be together.
My suggestion on potty talk is to talk to your son about the type of person you want him to be. Focus on his good qualities. From early on we’ve stressed the importance of being a gentleman, especially when women (girls, mommies and sisters, too!) are around. Even at 4 my son was holding doors for strangers. Let him know how helpful he is at other times (being the perfect gentleman and part of the household), and explain in very certain terms that potty talk is not part of the gentleman’s bag of tricks. Get your older boys on-board with this one, and the trickle down effect may be what you want it to be. I think that our children have very little doubt about our expectations. Please know that I’m always still learning and have absolutely no authority on this, but I always find that focusing on the bad behavior is the wrong road ultimately…it just emphasizes it. Spend a lot of time talking about and praising the positive behavior, and hopefully that will come out on top. Good luck!
Funny enough; as a mother of four we never have had a problem with potty talk . I wonder if this is because we (adults) never use those words even close to, or is it because siblings never started, or is it because we read them a lot and they have wide vocabulary. I know they hear and learn them a lot from school and kindergarten; youngest, (without ability to pronounce ‘r’ )asked me this morning: ‘mommy, pelse (=ass) is a bad word isn’t it?’ ‘Yes it is a very bad word, please do not use it my ears and heart hurts!’. (It is Finnish so maybe you would not recognise the word anyway ;) )
Maybe we just did not get the kid with that character; as someone commented God loves variety.
Anyway; what I think would help is trust. Let them know you trust them and let them know they are trustworthy. F ex I always keep candies and money around the house. They know that, they know they can have if they ask, also they know candies will disappear if they eat them without asking. They feel like ‘big and responsible’. This may sound irrational and maybe it is, but worth trying more than sprays and soap…
On the mattress hunt… If you are willing to step out on faith that this is the best mattress ever made…then I recommend: the mattress that The Broadmoor Hotel uses and sells on their website. I know…crazy right. But absolutely fantastic. Of course, you could always use it as an excuse to go on vacation…just to try it before you buy it! :-)
This post was fantastic. The picture of your son with the words coming out of his mouth had me laughing so hard it hurt, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!! Love the randomness and the great book and song suggestion. LOVE IT! Tons of great info in your randomness. Thank you Emily!
So glad I checked in today. I had no idea Beth had a new Bible study! Looks perfect for a summer small group. Thanks for the encouragement this provided me today!
Great random post…My days seem like that alot!
Good luck on the potty mouth! lol I just know that it’s the reactions they crave. If there is no reaction then it’s no big deal…..but since it already got loads of giggles and time-outs its still a “reaction” thing. I think the advice some of the gals gave on doing it in the bathroom is a great idea.
On mattresses. Whatever you do…don’t get one of those mattresses where you adjust the controlls for the 2 of you ( sleep number type ones). unless it’s a king and the 2 of you never stray from your sides of the bed. The sides around the bed have one level your side has another, his side has a level and the middle section that seperates the individual “beds” in the mattress has it’s own level to keep it from sagging in the middle. We had one and hated it cause you can’t snuggle or anything without being at all different “levels”. Just my advice- don’t do it! lol
I did part of the Beth Morre’s Esther study and absolutely loved it ( with the workbook and videos). Had emergency surgery and couldn’t finish the rest ( they were someone elses videos). I hope to be able to finish it one day! She is just awesome and gifted!
Thanks for sharing the song!
You need to try out a temper medic bed. By far the best choice ever made when my boyfriend bought a new bed. He was waking up with an achy back and not sleeping well. He has had it for over a year now and no back aches. Also you don’t feel movement like with a traditional bed, I am a light sleeper and this has been amazing! I definitely suggest going to check them out. They also had the best life expectancy over a traditional mattress! My mom has a sleep number, and while it is a nice bed, I hate the two chamber bed, you can’t sleep in the middle because of the support down the middle which makes it uncomfortable. Good luck!
*temper pedic
also a Bach watcher and I do love it. I think Ben is super boring though and Courtney is the only thing keepng this season alive for me. Looking forward to the Emily season though… We bought a new mattress last year and it is a ridiculous business. Makes used cars look good. Here’s my post with the blow-by-blow…
http://www.houseography.net/2011/01/gift-of-sleep-lessons-in-mattress.html
I just found your blog via pintrest ( got to love pintrest and all of it’s randomness) :) I just love your blog it is so me:)
On the bed issue: I thought we were going to have to shell out for a new mattress about 2 years ago, but my wonderful mom surprised us with a new foam mattress topper from Costco (about $99.00) it is AMAZING!!! And the best part if it doesn’t work out for you Costco has a wonderful return policy!
Good luck!
I am saddened that you say you watch The Bachelor but admit that it is smut. I believe so many problems in our country/world could be fixed if children were raised properly in a home with one woman and one man that have built their marriage on The One True Foundation of Jesus Christ. Maybe you would benefit better from Beth Moore’s study When Godly People Do Ungodly Things. Such an eyeopener to all the sins that godly people commit and justify for one reason or another. God does not want us filling our hearts and minds with with filth and it saddens me that you hurt your witness by admitting to not just watching this show but watching it while you know it is wrong. Sad.
I appreciate your honesty. You have a good point and I will take it into consideration to be sure that I am not making poor choices voluntarily.
This does give me something to think about though … at what point do we stop reading magazines and books, watching movies, having conversations because they are ungodly or produce ungodly responses? I am often not living up to what is godly and most of the time it is not even as obvious as choosing to watch a show that is clearly not how God intended a relationship to be. How often do I have a conversation and say things that are unkind? Or read a magazine and covet? Or watch a movie with a swear word and still find it to be a moving and inspiring story? Can God still teach us things through ‘ungodly’ forms? I say, YES. Could my time be better spent reading his word or listening to a sermon than watching the Bachelor? Absolutely. I don’t think anyone could argue with that. Am I ungodly for watching the show – I certainly hope not. I’m not sure if God cares so much about that as the condition of our hearts.
It is a fine line and I don’t think there is a black and white answer. To live IN this world and remain relevant without being OF the world is probably the hardest challenge we face.
My hope is that my witness as a Christian goes beyond whether I watch the Bachelor or not. If you have read other posts of mine, I hope you can see more of my heart. I do want to live a life that is honoring to the Lord. I want others to see His love and grace through me. I hope that is evident throughout my entire life – not just what you see here on the blog or in the posts dedicated to my thoughts about faith.
I’d love to hear any other thoughts about this … it is a good conversation to have to figure out how to live as a follower of Christ …
My hubby and I were going to buy a Temperpedic Mattress ($4400) and started saving. We saw a memory foam mattress at Costco for $700 and one of our married friends bought it and LOVED it. We found the same one, on craigslist NEW, UNOPENED for $400 – It is WONDERFUL and after 5 years of a horrible mattress I wake up and tell my hubby “I love you…..and our matress” HAHA Its a steal at Costco for $700!
One thing that helped my son who was relentlessly using potty talk was sitting down and talking to him. I told him that what he said show others what he knows and who he is. I explained that he read a ton, but others cannot see it because instead of talking about his knowledge of good things he chose to talk about the bathroom. Also, I explained that if he was using those type of words that maybe he didn’t know enough good words so when he chose to use potty words that together we would look up some new words in the dictionary. He really got it and wanted to show others he was smart (and he got tired of grabbing the dictionary every time). I am sure you will be inspired as to what your boy needs. Good luck.
WOW What blessings have poured forth for you in the way of comments. God is good especially when we have the courage to be our authentic selves. Have a blessed day!
I HIGHLY recommend the wonderful memory foam mattress that Costco sells!! The best thing I have ever slept on. Seriously. To wake up every morning and not have a sore back is a great way to start your day, and the price was great too!! Michelle
Hi! With 3 boys I have my fair share of potty talk. I wish I could take credit for it but it was my mom who decided to start ” Inapporopriate Story Time.” When the language is getting rough during the day we remind them that they should save all their ideas for story time. At bed time or whatever time works, there is a topic decided on (farts, boogies, etc.) and each gets few minutes to tell a story. when my youngest could not piece it all together, he would add just a string of all the potty words he knows! I don’t get it but they do need to get it out! It is actually very funny to listen to their ideas! the best part is hearing my mom up there laughing hysterically when she is visiting just before bed time. another bonus…they love to get up to bed on Inappropriate Story Nights!
First of all, my son is five and totally loves to talk about farts, burps, etc…you name it…if it’s gross, he loves it and I hope it goes away. He also has crazy hyper outbursts over any good news…I hope he outgrows that too.
If you love sleeping on the airbed, get a sleep number. I’ve had one for 8 years and LOVE it! They are a great company too, totally stand behind their product. Now whenever I go to someone’s house and have to sleep on an airbed I’m so happy because it’s similar to what I have at home.
I too, love the Bachelor – even when I don’t really like it…love the Esther reference. I just did the Beth Moore Esther study last fall and loved it…doing the Daniel one now. Love your random posts, I think it’s great how you share the real instead of just a shiny happy blog.
Oh, the potty talk made me laugh! I have a four year old son and boy/girl 2 year old twins. I think my 2 year old daughter keeps the boys in line more than my husband and I. She always reminds them, “no potty talk at da table!” while they pretend to pass gas on each other…ai yi yi! Good luck!
My sister just told me to read Unbroken! She was going to send it to me, but her husband picked it up before she could get it in the mail. I will be ordering my book soon and I needed some inspiration for a new Bible study at our church…I love your random talks!
Hi Emily, we purchased a Tempurpedic Cloud 3 months ago and my core has been getting more sore with each passing week. So I went back to the store and had to exchange it for a Beauty Rest. It has been a week and so far so good. I was so angry that I couldn’t enjoy the Tempurpedic. People swear by that mattress and it would have been so much easier just to keep it but it just didn’t work for me. I sink into it and then every time I tossed and turned I had to really push myself to make the turn. I hope that makes sense. Good Luck
“the bachelor is biblical” the BEST excuse i’ve ever heard! i made sure my husband saw that comment so when he sees me watching it he’ll know why!
Love your random post!
*Holy cow, I am a diehard Bachelor fan. In fact . . . I’m watching it right now. I know you’re a week behind, but you’ll still understand this observation: what the heck is up with Courtney?! That girl is all kinds of trouble.
*Hands down the best mattress out there is the Heavenly Bed. You lay down and your body can’t help but say “ahhhhh.” We bought one almost 2 years ago and every night when I climb into bed I say, “I love my bed.” If you want to try one out, go stay in a Westin hotel. Looks like Pottery Barn is selling them now as well.
Weighing in on the mattress question.
After 12 years with the same king set by Sealy (traditional coil mattress with thick pillow top), DH & I were both waking up & limping around like we were in our 60s instead of 40s.
So for our 15th anniversary we went mattress shopping. Ended up choosing a Serta memory foam like the tempurpedic but cheaper. What got me was the 25yr warranty.
Been sleeping on this new set for 6 weeks and it’s the best choice we’ve made in years!!!
Glad to hear your recommendation on Unbroken. I received it for Christmas and am reading it in February!
RUN, don’t walk, to your nearest Temperpedic dealer for the best night’s sleep you’ve ever had! They’re pricey but worth every penny. We have had our Temperpedic Cloud Supreme for almost 2 years and still look forward to getting in bed every night. We’ve even had family come over and spend the night when we’ve been gone just to try it out. Sounds a little weird, but they all fell in love with our Temperpedic. Don’t mean to sound like a commercial, but this has been one of the best investments we have ever made! ( We saved about $500 by getting our mattress on line.)
Thanks for introducing me to that great song by Selah! I am really taken by forever reign from one sonic society :)
We also have the potty talk. The only thing that has nipped it in the behind is what we call sour juice, AKA apple cider vinegar. All you need is literally a pinch of it and you can tell by their sweet face that its not so sweet to have sour words come out of their mouths.
My husband and I recently went down the new mattress route and happily decided on a sleep number..LOVE IT and we didn’t even splurge for the fancy one!
Currently in the Beth Moore study at my church, haven’t done the Esther one, but would say the same thing…pretty much amazing.
Always looking for healthy snacks, will be trying these apple chips probably tomorrow!
Hey there! First, just want to say that I LOVE your blog! I just started reading it and subscribed to your emails and I’m addicted :o)
I’m a professional nanny and just have to say that whatever form of discipline/consequences you choose to try (lots of great suggestions on here! Though I personally don’t recommend ignoring it – but that’s just me!) be CONSISTENT! :o) That’ll make or break it!
Enjoy the study! I have friends doing it as well – I should do it too!
Emily I think your solution is in your statement.
“Half the time we laugh {because he seriously is funny and just so cute} and half the time he sits in time out.”
So half the time your son is winning your approval and half the time, time outs for exactly the same behavior. So how does he know when it’s ok and when it’s not? Sounds like a budding comedien with a willing audience working out his routine.
You as parents have to chose which side of the fence you are on and stay consistent, either you are totally ok with his fun/potty mouth or you are not and he is consistently ignored for behavior that isn’t acceptable. If he is funny laugh in private after he’s in bed asleep. It’s that simple.
Hi Emily,
I told my son that I didn’t like his words but that we could make up some words together that he could use. The words could not contain “eye”, “head”, “poo”, “pee”, etc. Some words he came up with were: popnoodle, broccoli, doodlemuss, booboomoo. Those are the ones I remember, but this became a fun game and something that we could all laugh at together and it didn’t make me crazy! Good luck!!!
Hi Emily,
Love your blog. Feel like we should sit down and have coffee sometime. We’re looking for a new mattress, too! So great to read other people’s comments and get some ideas. We just did a series on “Unbroken” at our church (Menlo Park Presbyterian) and had Louis Zamperini come and share his testimony on the last week. He is an fascinating man and even at 94 years old has an amazing memory and great sense of humor. Good luck with the potty mouth. I’ve got 3 boys and 1 girl and I figure the potty talk won’t last forever and I mostly ignore it.
We love our Tempurpedic mattress. As others have said, it was a big investment, but is expected to last 4-5 times as long as a conventional mattress. Another thing to consider on the sore arms and hips is to (gasp) switch sides of the bed occasionally with your hubs. For me that means a few minutes of relocating my essentials (tissue box, chapstick, cup of water etc) but it has helped us a lot. Although we both turn from side to side at night, we most often end of facing the edge of the mattress (versus in towards each other)… no reflection on our marriage I promise!! :) Just gives your legs, hips, arms and shoulders a little change of pace and might help with the soreness as well!
Thanks for posing the potty mouth question… the responses have been great and I’m “pinning” this for when our 2 YO turns 4!!
I have THE best mattress. I was having the exact same problems you’re describing. I woke up feeling heavy, overtired, and my limbs were going numb every night.
My very, very strong recommendation is to get an all natural memory foam. Mine is from ECO mattresses. It’s a completely different feel from an innerspring mattress and it took me about two weeks to get used to. But now, I sleep like a rock and I wake up feeling so good. No more numb limbs and waking up during the night. Also, the memory foam absorbs movement so you’ll be less aware of your husband’s/kid’s movement throughout the night.
One major complaint that people have about memory foam is that they “sleep hot”. That’s because regular memory foam mattresses are made from petroleum based products and so they heat up with your body temperature. All natural mattresses are soy based and so they don’t have the problem of sleeping hot.
I’m sure in your area there’s a retailer where you can buy all natural mattresses. After doing the research, I’ll never purchase another mattresses that’s laden with flame retardant chemicals.
Even if you don’t care about the mattresses chemicals, the other kicker is that the all natural memory foam mattresses are a half to a third of the price of all memory foam mattresses!
I know I sound like a commercial for Eco friendly memory foam mattresses, but it has totally changed the way I sleep and the quality of my sleep. Oh, and the warranty is outstanding!!! Way better than any innerspring. You can’t lose: cheaper, better for your health and environment, and better long term investment. (Sorry for the super long comment) :)
Latex mattress! You must find a store and go lie down on one. I have a $4,000 mattress (no lie) from my father b/c my husband’s back was so bad that my dad was desperate to help. My expensive mattress is NOT latex. I have two siblings with these much less expensive Latex mattresses and they are the very best mattresses I’ve ever slept on. You can get varying degrees of firmness, they are cool (as opposed to making you feel sweaty). I am ashamed to admit that I look forward to this expensive mattress dying so I can get a latex one. Blessings!
Re: potty talk. Let him know that those are unacceptable words to use in your home. Give him a consequence. Start with one reminder before enforcing it; then after 2 days, go straight to the consequence.
Re: mattress. Memory foam is AWESOME! (someone else already suggested this with all the details to keep in mind)
We are experiencing “potty talk” too with our four year old son. I just think some words tickle him and he enjoys the reaction (shock from us, lecture, etc.). I am also at a loss at how to extinguish this behavior. I do try to ignore it but that’s not always effective as I don’t want him to do it in public, at school, at church, or especially with elder family members. It is so embarrassing! I sure hope you get some good comments to help. I’ll be checking too!
I wished you lived closer! My husband owns a furniture and mattress store in Louisville. You would definitely qualify for the “friends & family” discount! :) I would suggest trying out an Icomfort mattress. That is what we have and I.love.it. It’s a combination of gel and memory foam.
In regards to the potty talk, I have three boys and they are very much into it as well. We have set boundaries as to when and where they can use it. The unacceptable times are at the table, out in public, and when we have guests over. If they use it around the house, I just ignore it but if it happens at one of these off limit times, that is disobeying and they are disciplined.
I have a daughter, so I’ve never experienced potty talk, but we did have a problem with baby talk recently. After a few weeks, I had had enough. So, every time she did it, she either owed me a quarter out of her piggy bank or a toy. Neither of which she ever gets back. I also do this when she gets in trouble at school, which stopped quickly after she had to give up 5 toys one week. So, find out what is most important to your son and take it away. This may sound harsh, but it worked for me.
Hi Emily! This one is about the potty talk. My 5 year old daughter loves it too, and it drives me bonkers… I recently read Dr. James Dobson’s “Raising the strong willed child” and he addresses something similar. He suggests that the next time #3 does this, you (and/or your husband) need to quietly but firmly tell him you don’t like this. And let him know that when he talks this way it is disrespectful to you (a good verse to go along with this is Colossians 3:20). Then he says to tell your son that if he does this again he is choosing to disobey, and clearly state what the consequence will be for doing it again.
I will say that my daughter still “relapses” occasionally, but for the most part she keeps it under control…and if she slips, she knows right away what’s going to happen.
Hopefully it helps for you!
I’m also a bachelor watcher, although I don’t admit it to many people. I actually started watching because my dad was! Go figure. But now we have something that we can talk about, just the two of us, so I figure it’s uplifting for something!
Also am doing the James study with my small group, so far really loving it. Amazing how God will put things into your day just as you needed to hear them.
I wish I had wisdom to share about the potty talk, but I’m in the same boat here with a a 6 yr old and 4 yr old, both boys! Ugh. I’m to the point where I’m thinking they just have to outgrow it.
Good luck with your mattress! I used to love our mattress but have noticed similar issues of late. Not fun!
I have been wanting to read that book but thought maybe I should read Devil at my Heels instead. It is the personal memoir of the main character. Have you read it?
It’s Tough Being A Woman!!!!!!! i love Beth Moore!!!! I did this study 3 yrs ago and have done one or 2 each year since. The Esther study is so amazing and i learned so much, and so will you!!! I have just started the James study and so far it is GREAT!!!!! Your son is adorable and good luck finding a new mattress. I am in the furniture indusrty in North Carolina and there are so many great ones out there. you just need to go out and shop and try them out! Have you ever been to the furniture market in High Point NC. I live here in the thick of it. A fun place to go to during the April and Oct Markets, and some pretty darn good deals on the off times as well. Some great fabric outlets around here as well as warehouse sales!! Love your blog!! Good luck with that adorable son, mine is 7 1/2 and still loves to talk about farts and such.
Hi Emily! Before running out and buying a new mattress try this first! Get the thickest memory foam mattress topper that you can… walmart and overstock have great prices on them. Depending on the thickness of your mattress you may want to consider the depth of your sheets with how thick you can actually go… plus keeping in mind the final step which is to get the most plush mattress pad you can find – the kind that have the sides that come around the mattress like a fitted sheet. I have a Tempur Pedic and put a plush mattress pad on top. It looks like overstock has thicker mattress pads than what I found at Marshall’s. My daughter has a memory foam *mattress topper* with the mattress pad over it and her set up feels the same as my expensive Tempur Pedic! I can’t explain it but the mattress pad is like icing on a cake – works well with the mem. foam. You may end up spending around $200 for both items but it is a fraction of what you would spend if it were an actual memory foam or super cozy mattress. Hope that helps! No more sore arms and hips at our house :)
I have a 6yo princess that has a potty mouth…she is obsessed with anything related to her booty. So the rule in our house is that all potty talk is done in the bathroom. You can shut the door and shout out all of your potty words at the top of your lungs if you like, but outside of the bathroom it is prohibited, punishable by taking a coin out of their piggy bank and dropped into the family coin jar. This is a big deal since they are always saving money for one toy or another.
We got a Kingsdown mattress from Mattress Giant two years ago. It was in the spring time and we got an incredible deal! I’m pretty sure you get the best sales in the spring. But we say every week how much we love our mattress. It’s more comfortable than the 5 star hotel we stayed at for our anniversary! DEFINITELY worth at least checking out.
Ok, so I hesitate to weigh in on this and normally wouldn’t but since I feel like we would be close friends if we actually knew each other, I’ll tell you like I would any other friend what we do. A wise friend with kids about 5 years older than mine told me about lying juice ie. apple cider vinegar. We have yet to have big probs with lying with our 3 but potty talk from my middle son was driving me nuts too so I thought, why not give it a try. So, we give him a little medicine dropper of vinegar each time he said a potty word, that isn’t actually associated with him going potty. It has been the most effective thing for us. It all but stopped in a week and we only needed to use it a handful of times. We talk through it with him, he’s 3, that we want to always try to use words that are glorifying to God and encouraging to others and potty talk is neither of those so the vinegar helps him to remember that gross words will lead to a gross taste in his mouth. We’ve begun using vinegar with other instances of unwholesome talk, things associated with sins of the mouth, and it’s been really helpful.
Take that for what you will! It’s been a really great way for us to get a handle on this area that drove me nuts, too!
Love the book Unbroken!! After reading it I was telling everyone that they should read it, and my husband said he felt like he had read it from all I shared.
We are in need of a new mattress as well. :)
I have three sons, all grown up (21 to 25), and the good news is that they no longer use those charming words! Try not to be too stressed…he’ll grow out of it, probably soon. I admit though that I once washed one of their mouths with soap, and the banished word never came out of his mouth again. On other subjects, I also just finished Unbroken (AWESOME), just started the new Beth Moore study on James, and would highly recommend a Tempur-pedic.. Love your blog!!!
I make my nine year old give me a dollar every time he uses a potty word. It only took about five times for him to realize he was on the fast track to poor town. I tried a quarter but he had plenty of those.
I never actually took his money, but he doesn’t know that.
About potty talk, I think whatever method you choose, the real “secret” is being consistent. Being consistent is also one of the HARDEST parts–it’s so easy to let it slide once or twice when they are so cute or when you are running late, or dinner is about to burn on the stovetop, etc. But a lack of consistency just sets them up for failure since they will be consistently “checking” to see if you really mean what you say each time. As the mom of two toddler boys, I find it challenging to be consistent on a daily basis but we are called to fight the good fight. “He who calls you is faithful, He will surely do it.” 1 Thess 5:24 :-)
I also think that 4 years old is not too early to learn to respect parents. When you say “Good Morning” and he responds with potty-talk instead of saying “hi” or “good morning” back to you, that is being disrespectful. I think when we train our children to respect us as parents as well as respect our authority as parents, we are also teaching them that we get our authority to be their parents from God. So when a child is disrespectful to his parents, he is really being disrespectful to God. By teaching our children to be respectful to those in authority (parents, grandparents, teachers, babysitters, etc) we are further cementing that we are to ultimately respect God in all that we do, think, or speak.
I did enjoy all the other comments! When my boys hit the potty stage, I love the idea of limiting it to the bathroom. My eldest hates going to the bathroom–I have a feeling the potty stage will be short lived with him ;-)
Our potty talked stopped when no one gave it any attention, even older brothers!
I am going to read Unbroken…someone else just suggested that to me. Another great read is “My Name is Mary Sutter” if you haven’t read it yet!
Good Luck with the PT!
My little brother did that and then taught it to my youngest sister… oi. My mom tried to be consistent with punishment, but as you discovered, it is funny on occasion. I really don’t think there is a sure fire way to put a stop to it! Hope the potty talk improves!
Sara
We make our kids sit in the bathroom for time out when they potty talk…for some reason it makes them especially mad, which = a good consequence :) but I like the taking out the bathroom garbage idea too!
I am reading Unbroken right now – it is amazing how simple and easy my life seems now!
My kids are grown so I’ll leave the potty mouth remedies to other, younger moms! But I do want to say something, so here goes….
I like you because you are REAL!
I highly recommend a Sleep Number mattress – pricey but great.
I watch the Bachelor show also – it is kind of trashy but I do like your comparison to Queen Esther – the way the king chose her was also trashy. And, while on the subject, what about Ruth sleeping at Boaz’ feet that night? God definitely has a sense of humor, amen?
I need to go on a pin-fest because all of these people keep following me and I am too pathetic to even pin any thing…..so – maybe tonight instead of watching the Bachelor, I will pin rather than watch the sin!
Love your emails and designs and outfits. Keep it up, girlfriend!!!!
When it comes to potty talk the only thing that works for my son is to ignore it. Its hard for me and almost impossible for my husband, but so far its the only thing that has been effective. If we laugh he does too and repeats it endlessly with the hope for more giggles. If we tell him to stop, or its not nice, it has zero effect. Still mad at my SIL for introducing this behavior to my sweet boy.
Emily, you’ve already received so many good comments re: the potty mouth — not sure my advice is new . . . but my 3 boys are in their 30’s and are wonderful men and daddys who love the Lord . . . no more potty mouth. lol I mostly ignored the “rude” words, as we called them, and if that didn’t work, their Daddy took each one aside to explain how to act around women (Mom) and girls. He talked about how strong men didn’t have to use words like that to feel important . . . or something like that. Man to boy conversations seemed to help quicker — and I liked that they were learning to respect women. I think a Dad to son talk helps with a lot of things like that.
Leslie, I think your advise is just perfect.
This may have been mentioned already, but I have 4 kids and this worked for us. Anytime they wanted to potty talk they had to go in the bathroom by themselves and do it with the door closed. They quickly got tired of not entertaining anyone with this, and because they were allowed to do it potty talk was not a big deal or fun anymore!
I am also doing this Bible study!
That is what we do as well. Works like a charm!
My girlfriends and I give our kids “choices” too. They can scream, whine, and complain, but need to do it in the timeout corner until they are done. They can pick up their toys *with* or *without* a spanking, and, sure, they can say mean and ugly words as long as they are in the bathroom with the door closed. I think Krista has it right: give them a choice, and don’t make it a big deal. If they think it’s important to you, it can become a power struggle.
Emily,
About the potty talk… we have 4 boys and each one is so different, so we have tried different discipline for each. With one, he got a time out in the bathroom… with a Lysol wipe or two (he had to actually “clean” the outside of the potty). Another one really enjoyed cleaning the toilet, but hated hot sauce, so we would stick a toothpick in the Tabasco and put a tiny drop on his tongue. A different boy liked hot sauce and cleaning (God loves variety!) so we would simply wash his mouth out with soap (ugh!). A friend told me about “Sassy Spray” and I have yet to use it, but it is tucked away in my mind… White Vinegar in a little spray bottle that you spray in their mouth for disrespectful words.
Flowers: White or Pink Carnations… love them! they actually smell lovely and last almost forever. Peonies are my fav, but only two weeks of joy a year!
Mattress: We switched to a Tempurpedic 4 years ago and LOVE it! So worth the $$$$$. It took the entire three months to get used to it, but as soon as I hit the bed, I’m out! I rarely feel my husband get out in the night. My back is completely better! No more charley-horses. We have a rule that if we are within 1 hour of home, we sleep at home.
The Bachelor: I am doing the James study and was so convicted to turn off the smut, that I actually QUIT watching The Bachelor this season. Although I enjoyed your loose reference to Esther. The difference is that Esther is a godly woman! :) and these women are clearly NOT. I encourage you to turn it off too!
Love your beautiful blog and your encouraging words! Thanks for sharing your life with us!
xo,
Emily of Eleven Gables
We’ve used the Sassy Spray with very positive results. I recommend keeping a small spray bottle (usually available at Target for $0.99) handy with it – I’ve even kept one in my diaper bag when out and about to conquer sassy mouths, potty talk or even screaming by the 18 month old who thinks it’s funny (trust me, even though she’s cute, other shoppers and her parents get quite annoyed by random, ear piercing screams!). So I would second the Sassy Spray suggestion, and couple it with a conversation about how if you wouldn’t put it in your mouth, we don’t talk about it. Works well for us – but each child is definitely different! Hope it works for you! :-)
Wow, condescending. Enjoying a certain tv show isn’t ‘t right or wrong – it just is. I’m sure you have plenty of things you should ‘turn off’ too, even if it’s not tv.
Get a Serta. Our backs suffered on a bad mattress for a few years. Now we are on our 2nd Serta in the last 22 years. No complaints here.
PISH POSH!
Looks like you have a lot of advice already on sailor-talkin’ four year olds, but we changed out the potty words…to the ULTIMATE in “terrible” words…’PISH POSH!’ We acted like it was a horrible word, really hammed it up, gasping and whispering it, and they caught on, and that was the “new” word instead.
It doesn’t make the potty words go away…having a 12 & 9 (and almost 2) yr old, I can guarantee it, but it changed the landscape a little while. And it was fun. :)
Trust your own instincts. You know what is best for your family. What works for one child does not necessarily work for another (even among siblings). Your philosophy of life will guide you. He sure is a cute little guy. I bet he could flash that smile at just about anything he did and it would be hard to be made at him.
Try a TempurPedic matress….we love ours.
I’m on week three of James! It’s pretty awesome
http://www.loveandlogic.com has great great advice on this topic. For free. In a hurry now, but I know that you will find an awesome way of handling it there. Good luck!
I wrote about a ‘potty-talk’ I had with my little guy not too long ago. Sometimes the simplest of explanations can hit the mini men in our lives the hardest. My best advice is that everyone is different. Meet him where he is at and he’ll hear you:)
Put the book on hold at the library – I’ve been wanting a good read. There was just something about ‘Survival, Resilience, and Redemption ‘ that drew me in. Those might three of my most favorite words.
And I love random. It makes me feel normal:)
temperpedic mattress for sure–memory foam–We each have our own mattress so we can adjust feet and head and it has massage feature! Or you may look into the Sleep Number if you both want to make different adjustments to your side in terms of softness or firmness. They have a video they will send you.
My son did not potty talk so cannot help you there but like the idea of sending to the bathroom. I would think that would get old.
Don’t know if this will help or not. I always told my kids that people that say things like that have nothing better to say. End of discussion, and end of trashy mouths.
Thanks for the book recommendation – I put Unbroken on hold at my library :)
I’ve got one book to read before that one – “Choosing To See” – Mary Beth Chapman’s book.
And James – I’ve got a love/hate relationship with that book! James really tells it like it is – ouch!
and this Mac user thanks you for the Mac tutorial :)
Emily~ I am going through the same thing with my 4yr old, nice to know I’m not alone…lol.
I love watching the Bachelor…a time to turn the brain off, it’s very interesting to watch and it just makes me so thankful to not be in the “dating world” :)
Aaaahh yes, the book of Esther…as you can see from my name that book must have struck a cord with my mother…lol!
Love your website!!!! <3
My son is almost 10. We went through that phase too. He knew what was allowed and what was not and I would threaten soap in the mouth. One day he said a really bad word, at about age 6 and I did it. He had to put a bar of Irish Spring on his tounge. It was the last time I had to do it, and now he and my 5 year old daughter are very clear on what is and is not acceptable.
I absolutley loved the book “Unbroken”!!!! What an amazing story.
I also love your blog – its a bright spot in my day :)
Potty mouth… I was a nanny for 7 years before becoming a mom, and in my observation, potty mouth is a kids way of seeking reassurance. It’s commonly accompanied by ‘baby talk’ and what I call ‘the alien’.. I have found that the best way to deal with potty mouth and any other form of alter ego is to just give a hug and a kiss and say “I love you so much! And I will ALWAYS love you, nothing can or will ever change that. I *especially love when you are YOU! And I love when you use nice words and act like a big boy/girl!” something along those lines. It gives that reassurance and the behavior always turns around to my sweet child. It also reminds me how much I really do love my little one and that even sometimes embarrassing behavior is not so bad that I will withhold my love. Hope this helps.
Jill
I do the same as many others, “potty talk is for the bathroom, so go in shut the door and say those potty words all you want in there.”
I will be trying many of these suggestions for potty talkers as my 3 year old princess has started potty talking A LOT!! What makes it worse is her 8 yo brother encourages her by laughing when she does it. SIGH!!
BTW – I tried to purchase the fancy font but my computer just clocked for a long time and then timed out. Anyone else have these issues? I don’t know if my card was charged but if it was, no biggie. You’ve given me so many free wonderful things I don’t mind donating 1.99 to you ;)
Emily, thank you for sending me the font so quickly!!! I honestly wasn’t complaining but knowing that you would take the time to send me the font really made my day!!
I did the “potty talk belongs in the bathroom” thing, too. (You get tired of spanking for every disobedience. It’s nice when there are other training tools). Instead of the bathroom being the time out, though, they closed the door and said all they wanted. They thought it was funny the first couple of times. After that, the trip just wasn’t worth it. Now that they’re older, I remind them that God isn’t pleased with crude words coming out of our mouths.
Blessings!
I’ve raised my own kids and helped raise others (mostly boys so I will tell you what worked best for me. I simply ignored it, and proceeded to go on as if nothing was said. Don’t give it fuel and it will die out. I promise.
As for the mattress, I’m experiencing the same thing. As soon as my tax refund hits, I’m heading for the mattress store. Still have no idea what to get though.
Good luck!
about potty talk…we had the same problem with my son! we tried everything, ignoring, time out, taking toys, and unfortunately sometimes yelling:( nothing worked and it actually seemed to get worse. after a particularly embarrassing bout of it at my moms one night, she suggested making him take out the bathroom (or any) garbage each time he used potty words and i have to say it worked wonders! he still will occasionally have a slip up, but those are few and far between! i would definitely recommend giving it a try! good luck;)
I agree with Christine (first comment). We told our son those were “potty words” and that he could only say them in the bathroom (but no swear words at all). So, he would go into the bathroom and say all the potty words he knew (in the bathroom) to get it out of his system and then he was done. The only problem I see with time out for every fpotty word, and this is purely my opinion only, is that he is going to be in time out all the time and you are going to get burnt out. It’s typical boy behavior. :) Maybe you could make it a blanket policy that he is allowed to say those words in the bathroom (AT HOME ONLY) but not anywhere else. One of the biggest things I have noticed with our son is the more attention you give it, the more he is going to do it. Good luck! :)
My four year-old has started the same thing. I’ve started sending him to the bathroom when he uses “potty-talk” because that kind of language belongs in the potty. It has made him more aware than just doing a regular time out because it removes him from normal activities to a place that is pretty isolated (and boring). After a couple of trips to the potty I usually just have to remind him that we don’t use that kind of language. Good luck!
Sleep number! It is awesome because I like to sleep basically on a pillow and the hubby likes a rock-like bed. We got a King sized and can make our own sides as firm or soft as we want. It is so awesome! You can also change the settings as you need them. So, for example, I have 2 herniated disks in my back and sometimes they flair up. I can make the mattress firmer or softer depending on what makes my back feel better.
A swipe of soap across his tongue will do the trick. It won’t kill him (really) but it works!!!
My husband and I are almost to the point of looking for a new bed and everyone we talk to says Tempurpedic.. I have also heard of getting a comfortable regular mattress (no pillow top, European top) and then getting either a feather mattress cover or a foam topper. One salesman said you end up spending less money and the mattress lasts longer.
On the potty talk, my son and daughter says gross things to each other about bodily functions to each other to crack each other up. I tell them that they are a lady and a gentleman and ladies and gentlemen do not talk like that. I let them know that if they continue with the behavior, that the privileges that they get (i.e. video game time, tv time, going to friends house) will be taken away until they earn it back with better behavior choices. Sometimes they mess up buy when they know there is a consequence that cuts into their fun or social time they will correct themselves and apologize. I grace them when that happens because I know that they are actively trying.
I really enjoyed reading through your random thoughts. I don’t have advice on potty talk, but I do have advice on a bed. We got a sleep number bed about 8 years ago and we still get into that bed and say, “this is the best bed EVER!”. It is so comfortable and well worth the investment.
Thanks for sharing your latest book too. Just downloaded it to my Kindle. :)
Randomness is awesome!! :] And, haha, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is so hilarious!!! When we were kids my mom would give us a heaping spoonful of mustard when we talked mean to each other or said nasty words.. :)
Beautiful carnations, too!! It just thrills me to find cheap flowers for my room or somewhere.. ;)
Carnations are some of my very favorite flowers. They’re pretty, simple, and cheap! There are others that I like better, but you can’t beat carnations for an instant boost on a budget :-)
My kids thoroughly enjoy throwing a few potty phrases out there and give themselves a good belly laugh which I happen to enjoy listening too. (not the words, the laughter). So I let them do it for a few minutes. They get to be silly, I get to enjoy them laughing and not fighting, and then they stop. If they try to continue they get a time out but that actually rarely happens.
Since you mention your air mattress as being comfortable, I would recommend a sleep number mattress. We have one and have a noted difference in our sleep. No more lower back pain, etc. The biggest advantage we have found is that you can custom adjust each side and it doesn’t transfer motion like regular mattresses.
We got ours from QVC at a huge discount over the store and they have a great guarantee and return policy.
Hope this helps!
i haven’t read the other comments, so i hope this isn’t redundant, but we kinda had this issue with our….daughter. {gasp} a girl. {shock} she just liked to throw around the word poop. gross. {it is funny, though, when children say those gross words. why?} we told her that if she used potty talk, she had to do so in the bathroom. by herself. so we would walk her in there, shut the door, and stand by to hear the repetition of the word poop. over and over and over again. yes, my husband and i would stand on on the other side of the door and giggle like 5 year old children. but then, when she got it all out of her system, she’d come out and say “okay. i’m done.” it only lasted a while. once she realized that we weren’t going to react to it, and she had to be alone to say it, it wasn’t all that much fun. good luck. potty talk is so unattractive. no matter how funny i think it is when my own kids do it. :)
Echoing others, we got a Tempurpedic a few years ago. The cost made me a little queasy, but there is no going back now. Worth every penny. We miss it every time we go away.
And glad I’m not the only one with a potty-mouth four-year-old boy. Where do they get this? I guess the same place as the ability to transform anything into a weapon. I like the “keep it in the bathroom” advice…a really concrete solution for them to understand and an easy consequence to follow through consistently on. Good luck!
now is the time to buy a mattress! go now! it’s the beginning of the year so they are getting rid of all of last years models and floor models. we just got a memory foam mattress for half off. and we love it.
Hope this isn’t redundant, as I didn’t read prior comments! Oh potty talk… ultimately its the boy nature, we are struggling with the same situation. And this is how we are attempting to curb this habit: Explained in my 4 1/2 relate-able voice… Even though our intentions may be innocent (silly in this case), our words sound mean, gross, ugly. If you choose to use potty words, you can head to the potty room. Its just you, the john, and God… and you can decide if that’s what you want God to hear when its just the two of you. Outside of the bathroom, not happening. If it does, you pay a dime to the potty jar; have a seat on top of the toilet until you are ready to apologize and come clean.
I’m certain some will find it gross to have your child sit in timeout on the potty, but if you choose to talk dirty… you sit with dirty until you are ready to talk forgiveness. :)
We also have three boys and potty talk is so “normal”. They have all went through the phase and we used a similar tactic as others …potty talk belongs in the bathroom. The timeout lasted until they could come out and choose not use those words. Worked for us…good luck.
Potty talk – we have a spray bottle with vinegar in it – you have a dirty mouth, let’s clean it. Prob not for everyone but works for us.
Mattresses – we went to a local mattress place that makes their own mattresses. WAY better then any chain place and great prices. What kind you get totally depends on how you sleep (back/stomach/side).
We used the spray bottle of vinegar also, it worked pretty good until we got to the boy that likes the taste of vinegar : (
I’m sure someone out there will chastise me for this, but if the vinegar doesn’t work…try a tiny dab of tabasco on the tongue….it’s definitely not a taste that most kids like.
We use the spray bottle with vinegar as well…call it “Rude sauce.” We discuss how in 1 Cor 13:5 it says that “love is not rude” and speaking in potty launguage is rude and unloving. Also, by this angle the rude sauce can be used with other general rudeness in addition to the potty talk. My son did the potty talk thing right about when he was 4 as well…must be some new discovery they make about that time?! Good luck!
We love our Sleep Number bed! My Hubby’s bad back has never felt better. And…you’re in luck because it’s just a big air mattress! You don’t have to go crazy with prices, either. We got their classic in queen-size and spent the same as a normal mattress. But this one happens to have a 20-year warranty! Woot woot!
I have three boys and lots of potty talk. The rule in our house is “potty words are used in the bathroom ONLY”. If they want to say “fart” 20 times in a row, they are free to do so in the bathroom with the door closed. When they come out, potty words are done. Time out or loss of privileges (computer/Wii time) if rules are not obeyed. Good luck!
In the middle of the potty talk thing too. Every other word is poop followed by loud, fake burp, followed by a loud, drawn out “excuse me.” I’m trying to ignore it but it’s hard.
I have a Tempurpedic mattress. I LOVE IT!!! Bonus, it’s no fun to jump on. That is a big help for the 2 yr old who loves to jump on everything. Also, I don’t wake up when the 2 yr old sneaks into my bed during the night.
Tempurpedic! Best bed ever. Pricey but will last so long. Best night sleep ever. Warning: if you visit a hotel you will wake up sore. You will be so spoiled. It’s heavenly.
I have a Stearns & Foster mattress and love it! We bought it during my third pregnancy when my back, shoulders and sides hurt from sleeping on our mattress. It’s been wonderful and when I was pregnant for the fourth time it was still wonderful! As far as the potty talk, my three sweet girls don’t really do it that much but I”m sure I’ll be referring back to this page when my little boy enters that stage. I’ve heard it’s much more a boy thing, not that girls don’t do it too. I love randomness, thanks for sharing! PS I’d love an update on this bible study when you are done and what you thought of it. I love Beth Moore.
Potty talk:
My four year old boy is the same, and we also say that kind of talk belongs in the bathroom.
Took several times of being sent to the bathroom for it to sink in, and a lot of reminders since then, but it works!
Good luck!
Enjoyed your randomness this morning. I have three boys as well & my 6 year old thinks the “potty talk” is so funny. Ignore it usally works, but sometimes we have to step in and say something to him.
Best of luck! :)
Yup, been there with potty talk. My advice: ignore it. He probably likes the attention, so don’t give him any and he should stop… Have a great Monday!
Hmmm…I’ll give you my potty talk advice if you can give me potty training advice. I have a 4 1/2 year old that knows how to go on the toilet (and has for oh, 1 1/2 or 2 years), but doesn’t mind wet pants, so she doesn’t. It’s fab. (sarcasm). Now my second is 2, almost 2 1/2 and I can’t even stomach the idea of starting because I still haven’t figured out the first! I’ve tried with him some but he just doesn’t want to sit that long or often. which I think means he’s just not ready? Ok…potty talk. I don’t have an older boy, so no personal experience. BUT I just spoke with a mom I totally respect and who has older kids. They practice something they call “truth and grace” parenting. Which is….they respect their kids preferences, differences, etc. So absolutely no swearing, or taking the Lord’s name in vain in their home. And they tell their kids they don’t like the potty words, or darn it, etc. But they also don’t make a big deal about it, and because their kids are older and love and respect their parents, they say them, especially around their friends, but not their parents. Don’t know if this helps, especially if that’s all he says, but hey, I think potty humor is hilarious and I’m a 31 year old woman. I would try talking to him about how that’s a work that you don’t like, but it’s his choice to use it, maybe just not at church or on formal occasions :) As for mattresses….we got a Simmons Beautyrest World Class mattress maybe 3 or 4 years ago, and it’s awesome! I would buy one again tommorrow…and it was not cheap (Maybe $1500?) I never want to sleep in a hotel or at anyone else’s house, it’s that comfy.
I am on week 2 of the James study and am loving it!! Such great insight into the New Testament and into the life of Jesus’s brother!!
We, too, are in need of a new mattress. I wake up sore every morning. We have been shopping around for about a month now. We always ask our salesperson what type of mattress they sleep on, and every single one has said a Tempurpedic! (even when the store they work for does not sell tempurpedic!) They are expensive, but I think we are about to pull the trigger.
When mine were little, I loved these character training materials, especially “For Instruction in Righteousness”. It was a parenting book based on the book of Proverbs that attached natural consequences to bad behavior. It was one of the most helpful books for raising my kids and it helped me as well to take a look at my own heart and behavior. Can’t recommend it enough.
http://www.doorposts.com/
we haven’t been through the potty talk thing, so no wisdom.
loved hearing your tidbits!
Okay so I have to admit I don’t have any advice on the potty mouth problem…we haven’t gotten their (yet) with our kids, but I’m excited to see what works for you guys (and good luck!). I did have a suggestion on the bed though. We thought we had to get a new bed about a few months back and started the shopping process (and HOLY CRAP those things aren’t cheap – and we just wanted the mattress – not the box springs). We went to a local furniture/bed store and the sales guy was so nice (and not pushy – yaaa!) and he told us to buy 2 4ft x 8ft pieces of plywood from our local hardware store and put those under the mattress (our mattress was only 4 years old and we could not believe we had to replace it already). We kind of thought he was loony…I mean how can that make a difference – we already had the boxsprings and those couldn’t go bad…right? We gave it a shot though (way cheaper and figured we could use the extra wood for projects if it didn’t work) and I am SOOO happy to report it totally fixed the problem. No more saggy mattress, no more sore backs, no more unhappy thoughts about spending thousands on a new mattress! I’m not sure if that’s the same thing with yours, but I thought I would pass it on. Good luck!
I knew someone who, whenever their son used potty language, made him go to the potty. Most little boys hate having to use the bathroom, so every time he talked about things that belong in the bathroom, they told him he must need to go. Apparently it worked. Just a thought!
My kids (three boys) are a quite a bit older that yours but, they thought it was so funny to make bodily sounds (if you know what I mean) at the dinner table. I would correct them and say “that’s inappropriate behavior, especially at the dinner table.” They just thought it was the funniest thing. Finally, I said that if anyone made that particular body sound again, they will clean up the kitchen all by themselves. This includes unloading/loading the dishwasher, handwashing pots and pans, wiping off counters and table, and sweeping the floor. Well, one of them decided to test me and was so surprised that I was actually serious about the consequence. Needless to say, we have not had to endure the melodious body sounds at dinner time anymore.
My point is, instead of placing him in time out, perhaps assigning a not so pleasant chore that he has to complete for the “potty talk”, like cleaning the toilet, or cleaning out the trash cans. I mean, who likes those chores? I bet after a couple of toilet cleanings you won’t be hearing quite as much potty talk. Best wishes.
I have exactly the same problem with my 4 year old boy. After having 3 girls, I found his humour both slightly amusing (especially when he has a real hearty laugh at himself) and disgusting but know that it is just a boy thing and that he is actually pretty normal. I do ignore him but he just keeps going. His sisters think he is totally gross, which makes him try extra hard to be disgusting!
A wise friend once advised me that ignoring disobedience is never a good option. Children do not discipline themselves. (Proverbs 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.) This friend raised four strong, respectful men and i cherish many pieces of advice she has given through the years. for filthy talking we have modified her method. A foul speaking child stands in the bathroom with a bar of (natural) soap in their mouth while they hear the scriptures and correction from mom or dad about coarse language. we rarely have incidents of ugliness since we have begun doing this. as in all areas of discipline, the key is consistency. Either all crude speech must be corrected, or you must be resigned to have a son/child whose speak dishonors Our Heavenly Father. (1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. )
My best advice for “potty talk” like that is to ignore it! It sounds like he loves the attention he gets from you laughing at him, so the best way to counteract that is to just pretend like he didn’t say anything. He’ll probably realize really quickly that it’s no fun if no one cares!
Of course, this doesn’t work on every kid – some don’t care about the attention, but it’s worth a shot! :)
We simply told our kids that potty talk belongs in the bathroom. So… they would get a time out IN THE BATHROOM. At first they thought it was funny, but eventually, they discovered it just isn’t fun to sit on the closed toliet lid and repeat “potty words” over and over without an audience. Is the potty talk completely gone, no, but it is 100x better! I hope that helps.
I was getting on here to comment the exact same thing! Potty talk belongs in the bathroom so you MUST be in there to talk that way. Now, bath time is often filled w/a lot of poo talk and I am often reminded “Mom, I’m IN the bathroom!” But it’s way better than the constant flow of it! My four year old boy finds nothing more funny than farting and pooping!! He will fart and I will say “Ezra! Say excuse me!” and his response is, “Mom, it’s a love fart!” Yep! Life w/boys! :)
This is exactly what we do too. My kids do not enjoy sitting in the bathroom for long periods of time :)
That’s kind of what we did! My son was making a silly, “goat”-sounding voice. We told him that goats live outside so if he wanted to make that sound it needed to be outside. Worked like a charm. Never happened again.