12 — Wednesday, December 17, 1997 — North Shore News Dirty mouths and clean consciences | ONE of the best par- ties I go to during the holiday season is a big family reunion. It’s a great time to catch up with the siblings and cousins I don't see during the rest of the year. Most of us have our own children now, so the conversation inevitably comes around to how we are raising them. One of my cousins com- plained to me at this year’s party that she has been hav- ing troubie with her lite boy. Scems the kid has devel- oped a nasty habit of swear- ing. She reads all the child psychology books, but has cen unable to stop him from using foul language. “Have you tried washing his mouth out with soap?” | ask, trying to be helpful. he is fied. * band and I don’t that kind of discipline.” explains. “It borders on chiid abuse.” “7 hardly think making a kid eat a litdle soap consti- tutes child abuse,” I sav. “Besides, it works.” In fact I have only tried washing a kid’s mouth out with soap for swearing once. That was alt it took to leave a lasting impression on ali three of my children. My oldest son was the recipient of the soapy mouthwash. He was adorable as a toddler, but I knew he was going to be a problem when one day at the grocery store a little old lady came up to him, tickled him under the chin and asked him how old he was, “Pooh-Pooh,” he answered, and collapsed onto the floor in fits of cheeky laughter. I was mortified. “Sweetheart,” PE coaxed, “tell the nice lady how old you are.” “Pooh-Pooh,” he repe: even louder, beside hiraself with giggles. The woman clucked her tongue, wagged her finger at him and said, “You should have your mouth washed out with soap young man.” He was two at the time, Now *Pooh-Poaoh” hardly gross enough language to warrant washing a ki mouth out with soap, an wes still just a taby so 1 ignored the lady's advice. When three years later the same kid came home from kindergarten one day and said, “Hi Bitch, what’s for snack?” | felt it was time to act. “Listen Buddy,” J said sternly. “Do not use swear words or Pll wash your mouth out with soap.” “OK f*** face,” he answered, and burst into laughter as he ran out of the room. { chased him down, hauled him into the bath- room and lifted him up to the sink where I gave his mouth a little swish with a bar of Javender guest soap. I don’t think he had any idea what was going to hap because he laughed as was a big game until the moment the soap met his Nips. He went off to his room in a huff, spitting and tum- i is younger siblings cd so mouths out with soap. I related this story to my cousin, who listened wide- eyed, “T would never do that to my child,” she said. “It might leave deep psychological scars.” Just then, her six-year-old son marched up to us and, with mischief in his ¢ a string of particularly cffen- sive swear words “Too had you feel that way abour the soap,” I said, and walked away. aay cousin's response to my old swearing remedy got me to thinking. Had I per- manently damaged the kid who ate soap? Were there deep psychological sears 1 was unaware of? Come to think of it, he had shown a reluc- tance to use soap. I decided to ask him about it. “Remember the time | washed your mouth out with soap?” T said to him the next morning at breakfast. “You washed my mouth out with soap?” he asked, obviously not remembering. “For swearing,” I explained. “Oh,” he said. “Gross. Can I have a ride to Joe's house?” 1 guess his psychological scars are buried so deep he doesn’t know he has them. Panasonic. It’s Panasonic’s 30th Anniversary in Canada and there’s a lot io celebrate: Up to COLLISION SPECIALISTS 7 B.C.AA. - A.R.A. APPROVED CENTRE ALL MAKE COLLISION REPAIRS | SE=aeaee S : in mail-in rebates on select items! “LIFETIME GUARANTEE” B Alternative transpertation crranged TALKING Estimates * B YELLOW PAGES > | ¥71299-90c0 Consultation “oN TAYLOR (7141515. 985-7455 174 Pemberton, N. Van (5 biks south of Marine) “RACK ATTACK" © Ski & Luggage boxes ¢ Multi-User Roof Racks © Fold-Down Hitch Racks TV VCR FM Combo! 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