Welcome to Episode 17 of On the Ground Parenting! This week, hosts Sandy, Sam, and Kelly dive into a topic many parents grapple with: profanity, or "four-letter words". The conversation explores the challenges of kids testing out "bad words", handling public outbursts, and the power of connection when navigating big emotions.

The hosts share personal, often hilarious, stories:

• Sam discusses her older son's enjoyment of profanity and her younger son (turning 15) deciding he's now old enough to swear "at will".
• Kelly recounts her child's first use of a swear word to describe "sh***y gutters".
• Sandy recalls a memorable moment when her daughter excitedly pointed out "little bastards" (bass fish) on a dock.

The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying need behind a child’s language or behavior. The hosts strongly advocate for "Connection Before Correction" , which means staying connected to hear the whole story before shutting down the expression of feelings. The hosts also discuss co-regulating, and Sam shares how she draws strength from trying to remain calm externally to help co-regulate her children.

The episode concludes with reflections on co-regulation and the importance of using humor and calmness to build lifelong relationship skills that extend far beyond parenting.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to sponsor or support the show, or even ask a question of our hosts, visit the Central Hub at [https://linktr.ee/onthegroundparenting]  On the Ground Parenting is a production of Muskoka Family Focus Parent Education Program. The podcast is produced, engineered, and published by Red Juice Studio. [https://redjuicestudio.com/]