Not Even if You Were...

So we watched Home Alone last Sunday (and everyday since then). It's a safe family friendly kids movie, right?

Simon loves it. He just can't get enough of Kevin McCalister running hog wild through his house---sliding down the stairs on a sled, jumping on the beds, and foiling the bad guys. What a fun movie for a crazy 5 year old boy. Or so we thought.

Now, knowing that most of you know my son I'll take this moment to answer the thoughts I can read in your minds---No, Simon didn't ice down the porch, swing paint cans down the stairs, or smash anyone's face with an iron. He simply picked out a movie line that he just LOVED to use.

The first time he used it, it went something like this:
Simon: Mom, can I watch Duck Tales in my bedroom.
Me: No, we need to find something else for you to do for awhile.
Simon: Please?
Me: No way.
Simon: "Not even if you were growing on my ass?"
Me: Not even.

I chose not to make a big deal out of it at the time knowing that he would relish the thoughts of having learned a really bad word. Later however, I had to confront the problem head on.

The next day Simon was complaining that the baby follows him around everywhere. "It's like she's growing on my ass!" he said. That's when I knew it's time. We talked about what the word means and why we don't use it. I even explained that it's worse than the word "stupid" (a fact that he found to be completely mind blowing).

My little talked seemed to have worked. The only time I've heard him utter the word since is to inform others that it is a bad word and so they should try not to say it. Life's weird. I always figured Simon would pick up a bad word from me and not a movie from my childhood. Hum. Who knew?

I guess it could have been worse though, my little brother picked up the "F" word at age 4 from "Adventures in Babysitting". Boy was my mother ever mortified at church! Man, just thinking about that day makes me laugh.