I'll try not to say that word

About 6 months ago Graeme picked up on a 3-year-old curse word....poop. I don't know where he got it. It's not like the adults in our lives go around calling each other Mr. Poop or Poopie head, or I'm going to poop on you. I can come up with a long list of words I wish I hadn't used around my kids, but poop-head isn't one of them. Anyway, I've kept a poker face when he (daily) uses these words, only mildly reprimanding him when he uses them towards someone directly, like the sweet neighborhood girl on Halloween night ("Bye, poop head.").

I finally decided that this wasn't working and it was grating on me. So, yesterday I sat him down calmly and explained that we don't use those words unless we are referring to our own need to poop. So, you may say, "mommy, I have to poop," but you don't call anyone a poop. It isn't nice and makes people feel bad. He seemed to get it. Or, maybe he understood too well.

However, the rest of the evening went like this.

"Sorry, Mommy, I said poop. I won't say poop again."

"Oops, I said poop."

"I won't use that word, poop."

"I won't say poop again."

"It's not nice to say poop."

"I won't call anyone poop."

"Tomorrow I won't say poop."

"Bloop. I can say bloop, right."

"You're a bloop."

"I have to bloop. Oh, I can say poop then, right. I have to poop. I won't say poop again."

You get the point. ALL NIGHT LONG we talked about not talking about poop. I wasn't sure if he was seeking reassurance about the rules of the game, or pulling one over on me. I'm beginning to think it may have been the latter.....again. Poop, I mean shit.