Americans believe in the freedom of speech but rare is the household that practices it entirely. If children were really to speak freely at all times, there would be fewer of them and I would be writing this from jail. Most families come up with rules and taboos beyond the usual banning of expletives and “shut up.” I once knew a woman who forbade her children from saying “fat” for fear it would give them distorted images of their own bodies. Her children were naturally slim, but I suppose one cannot be too careful.
Bathroom talk has made startling inroads into the youthful lexicon, despite the efforts of many parents. I suppose it’s hard to hold the line in a culture that gleefully embraces children’s books such as “Chicken Butt” and “Walter the Farting Dog.”
