ANSWERS: 31
  • NEVER EVER. Child abuse in my opinion.
  • I wouldn't do it. Eating soap is not good for you, and with a child that young it is very likely that some soap will be swallowed. (Not that I'd do it for an older child either - I think there are better ways of teaching that lesson - but it's less of a problem with a child who knows how to now swallow.)
  • In my opinion I would say not. Maybe a time out or no dessert but not physical punishment. To me that seems to be morally wrong. But like I said it's only my opinion.
  • I would think that's a quick road to child traumitization. The child is three. He's learning to speak and will (and is wired to) repeat everything he hears. Punishing him for learning -- when he obviously picked the word(s) up from someone else -- is counterproductive and damaging.
  • I don't think so.
  • They need to learn the harsh consequences of using those kind of words, it's not going to scar themfor life, it's not a savage beating, its simply teaching them at a very impressionable age that swearing is wrong and has consequences. I really disagree with the above answers and feel that parents these days are losing ontrol of their kids because they fear being child abusers and having that scarlet letter follow them forever.
  • Nah, too young, he's just a toddler and doesn't even know what he's saying.
  • It's probably considered child abuse, now, so you probably SHOULDN'T. I had it done to me when I was about 2 or 3. But back then, there were a LOT fewer chemicals in the soaps. Now, there's all KINDS of stuff in there that can cause a lot more damage physically than emotionally/mentally. IF you do decide to do it anyway, make sure it's something like Ivory with no other additives. It's supposed to be one of the most pure. But again, it's PROBABLY child abuse.
  • I sure hope so! I had a bar in my mouth by 7 or 8 ;)
  • You might find it more productive to work out which person the 3 year old is copying and give it to them instead.
  • NO~ soap is not the answer,the child is only three. Children at this age are sponges they say what they hear. They don't understand the context of half of what they are repeating. They over hear something or observe something then they repeat it or act it out.Two suggestions~ 1} be very careful what you say or do {as well as other people} when the child is present. 2} Ignore the cursing, the more you make of it the more "important" it becomes to the child.Say something to the effect...that is not a nice word to say so don't say it again... in a calm voice. If the child curses again tell them ....I won't talk to you until you can talk nicely... and don't talk to them until they cease doing it. The less you make of it the less the child will make of it.
  • There are other ways to punish a child for swearing without traumatizing them.
  • I know my Mom sure thought it was! Can't tell you many bars of soap I was fortunate enough to be able to taste! lol Yuck!! Don't use liquid soap though, that will enduce vomiting.
  • You know your self that this is a reaction type question. To abuse any child red green orange blue black and white. Kids are not born with swearwords. This is some things learned. And they are apeing what they hear, what is being said by the caregivers around them. If you put that soap into that childs mouth you are going to mess that kids mind up. If you are the father you are that childs king, If the king does something mean to its child the child will not know how to take this abuse and will have mistrust of all people, in their mind you were every thing now the child will think if my king can hurt me, then any one close to me, any one that could love, will hurt me at some time. For the kids sake they need to know why it is bad to say swear words. The days of strapping and mouths being washed, and violence are no longer acceptable, children are protected by laws that prohibit even spanking hitting. I was exposed to that violent form of child discipline and I was expected of me to do the same things to other children, And I called bullshit no way i was ever to hit a child. Ok I will go. But the first thing to learn is 3 year olds have no way of expressing themselves other than crying, and to lash out and get some sort of attention they will swear to get any form of attention. Iam not talking about you in any way shape or form. Please this is not about you it is about my expeiriences throught my life. I don't know you and I would never ever say any thing about you or your kids never. I wish you all the best and I am glad that you brought up the question for it has allowed me to take a second look at my relationship with the children around me. for I have a niece 4 years old and she is prone to things that do not go her way, It is a tempertantrum times 3 cubed she can fucking whale ahhh I get so angry I could scream right back, and I brought this up to a counselour post girlfriend counselour and he said that children have no way of expressing them selves out side of crying outbursts.
  • It would be much more effective to simply remove the source. Determine where the child learned swear words and put a stop to it. That's where your real problem is.
  • I think that is child abuse. Where did this child learn these words? In the home? Who are his/her role models? If these are the words the parents used in the home, then why not wash the parents mouth out with soap? :(
  • Yes, I prefer to spank their butt, or put them in the bad chair in the corner.
  • A child learns from what he hears or sees, thus I would explain and tell the child it is wrong and that I expect it will never happen again. I am totally against child punishment. Regards.
  • We read about parent and babysitter damage and killings quite often in our area. (Nebraska not Ohio or points east.)
  • No, there are other better ways to "reform" a child, like taking away privileges or rewarding him/her for "catching" others swearing and acknowledging that that is a bad thing. Children like to please adults if you just give them a chance, and building their self-esteem by rewarding or praising them for "actively" watching out for other people's bad behavior is more constructive than putting them down, which only serves to chip away their self-esteem.
  • My parents only said they would do that to me as a form of discouragement- they never physically stuck a bar of soap in my mouth. But then, I was always a nice kid. You ever meet those nasty teenagers who talk at you? Those are the ones who lack discipline. Soap's too good for them.
  • no never.
  • Not at 3, not at 13, not at 30. No. Just no.
  • No I would go find who taught him to swear in the first place and give them a mouthful! jeez, I can't believe you would even need to ask - go pick on someone your own size!
  • Not a good idea, no. Children at this age are just mimicking what they hear, and it is best to make sure they understand that these words are not something they should be saying, through telling them calmly that they shouldn't say that, and to ask maybe if they know where they heard it. My 3 year old keeps saying things like Stupid and poopy, so I tell him that he shouldn't say it because it is naughty and will get him into trouble. I also say he should be a good boy and not say those things. He immediately apologizes and stops saying them for a while until he forgets, at which time I remind him again. Three year olds don't always know just what they are saying, they just know someone else got a reaction for certain words, so they want to find out what the reaction will be if they say it.
  • Seems pretty concrete & senseless to me. ;-)
  • Seems pretty 'concrete' & senseless to me. ;-)
  • They learn the words from somewhere its those people who are in the wrong your kid is just doing what kids do be a kid!
  • No. You want to discourage swearing in a child don't overreact. I swear like a sailor but my children don't. I never blinked when they did it. They got no reaction and were soon bored with the whole thing.
  • No This might change the behavior, but it will leave an emotional scar or charge. There are gentler, more effective ways to teach little ones.
  • PERSONALLY, I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AT ALL. I WOULD RATHER BE PHYSICALLY ABUSED AND JUST HAVE A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH THAN TO BE EMOTIONALLY ABUSED AND SCARRED FOR LIFE. NOT ALL WOUNDS ARE VISIBLE. GO FOR IT. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD WASH MY MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP FOR CUSSING!

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