We have an epidemic on our hands. It's a disease that has been in our society for a long time. It seems impossible to get rid of and looks like it might be here to stay. I'm talking about SWEARING or CURSING.

Today's topic for Episode 103 is "How to Handle Your Kid Cursing - Your Guide To Minimizing Swearing"

Was it always this bad? Did our parents talk like this? Where did we (and our kids) learn to talk like this?

1) From Us - The way we talk. How many of us have had a word come out of our mouth only to realize the child heard it. Even worse, the child reacting to it. Whether you have said something while you are angry, got hurt, or just to describe something, you realize you made a mistake and can't take it back.

2) Family Members - While you may have a clean mouth, your wife or another family member may talk like a drunken sailor. "At holiday time, you put a few drinks in Aunt Edna and she is bound to start throwing F bombs.

3) Friends - Whether out in the street or at the playground at school, kids are certainly going to hear (and say) words that they wouldn't dare repeat at home.

4) Media - TV, movies, and especially the internet all have a huge assortment of colorful language. It's hard to police everything.

As soon as kids are able to talk, they are able to learn new and exciting words. How do we make sure they learn the right words rather than the wrong ones. Some might argue that the soap or hotsauce in the mouth are good methods. I don't agree with those. The key is catching it early. Here are a few ways:

1) Zip it - Monkey see, monkey do. Assuming you don't want them to do it, don't curse when you are around the kids. It's that simple. Be mindful of what comes out of your mouth.

2) Ask others to zip it - While you probably will not have much luck with those around you, let Aunt Edna know her F bombs are not welcomed around the kids. Say it in a nice way or I'm sure she will say F U.

3) No big deal - Do not draw attention to it. When they are really young and say a word, it may not even be worth pointing out. Even as they get older, the more you react, the more attention it gets. Stay calm.

4) Apologize when you slip - Like burping at the dinner table, it should be known that swearing is not welcome in the house. If you happen to slip, be sure to apologize so they can follow suit if they do the same thing.

5) Come Up with an Alternative - We did this with our son when he was really young per my mother's suggestion. I think my wife dropped something and said a bad word. He then repeated it on different occasions. So we came up with the word "DRATZ" and said it quite often when something didn't go well. It became a nice substitute.

6) Let them know the time and place - When they are in the home, at school, or anywhere other than playing with friends, they need to be mindful. While you can't control how they talk around friends, they should learn that using bad language isn't desirable.

7) Limit exposure - In addition to you watching what you say, watch the exposure they get to media and other people. While you may not be able to conrol Aunt Edna, you can have a little more control on the media they watch and the games they play.

8) Play the Curse Game - My parents would give us 30 seconds to say all of the curse words we could think of. It was really funny to see my sisters and I probably around 7-12 years old spewing out all kinds of filth. I did this with my kids not too long ago and it was interesting to hear what they knew. I was glad they didn't know too many words.

Are you ok with your kids cursing? Send us your comments.