Young children, unlike newborns, infants, or premature infants, and toddlers, especially around between the ages of 6 weeks - 2 1/2 years of age, and especially around between the preschooler ages of 18 months - 5 years old can quickly pick up words they hear (even accidentally) and repeat them without knowing their full meaning. If your child seems to be swearing to get attention or provoke a response, ignore it to avoid reinforcing that behavior.[1] Your reaction will significantly influence whether your child swears over again. Staying calm and not overreacting will go a long way towards preventing swearing in the future. Offer a correction and an alternative. You could say, for example, “We don’t say that. We say ‘shoot’ instead.” The younger your child is, the more appropriate it is for you to ignore their initial swearing. If your child is getting older (especially around between the school ages of 6 and 15 years or older), it’s more likely they know the full implication of their swearing. In that case, you may need to respond with more discipline. tunnel rush