The F Word

Over the holidays, Emma mentioned that her friend Serena had gotten in trouble in class for saying the F word. We were a bit surprised because we know Serena and her parents and she wouldn't necessarily have expected her to be the one among Emma's classmates to drop the F bomb in class.

Emma proceeded to ask me what the F word was.

Pause.

I told her that there were words that we were allowed to say and words that we're not allowed to say. I then recounted that, when I was 5 or 6, I had overheard someone in the schoolyard use that word, and then had tried it out on Auntie Laura and Uncle John as we walked home for lunch. They hustled me home and put me in front of Grandpa, (no doubt with rabid anticipation of my punishment), for me to tell him what I had said.

I also remembered that I hadn't really gotten in trouble, but that Grandpa had told me that I would get in trouble if I used that word again in the future.

I gave Emma the same admonition and we moved on to another subject.

Fast forward to last night. Annick mentioned that something stank (probably Mao) and Emma replied, "you stink." She was trying to be funny but it didn't go over well. Annick told her that she had hurt her feelings and that what she had said was offensive.

Emma replied, "Was that the F word?"

I guess she still as innocent as ever, despite what she's learning at school.