My kids are bright enough to know when swearing’s not ok

The head-teacher of a primary school in East Sussex has written to parents asking them not to swear in front of their children, although reading between the lines I think swearing at them might be ok. Maybe if your kid is at this particular school you could ring up and clarify the matter. Anyway, according to research children hear their parents use six naughty words over the course of a week. I hope it means six different naughty words over the course of a week, rather than just six occasions in which the parents swore, because otherwise I’m seriously buggered. It’s just lucky that our daughter goes to bed before Channel Four News is on, otherwise she’d hear from me six different naughty words in as many seconds.

I’ve never worried much about swearing in front of the kids, so long as the kids are assured that these are very naughty words which mustn’t be used within earshot a) of their teachers or b) censorious other adults. It seems hypocritical to use the words oneself and then insist that the children never use them. I know I am in a minority on this.