Not what you usually hear scouts say...

Jordan and Nathan are in a scouts group (part of a larger organization) that meets at the Catholic Middle/High School where Andrew and Cameron go to school. Yesterday Jordan was telling me about the game they played where his age group (10-11 year olds) was split into 2 groups. One group went out on the grounds to "hide" while the other group waited inside. Then the "seekers" went out to find the other group, while the hiding group tried to sneak back to the building without being seen. If the seeking group saw the other group before they could sneak back to the building, then they were to yell "What the F***" and both groups would race back to the building - the first group with all it's members back wins that round. Can't believe they used that for calling out the other team! And they played this game a bunch of times.

It's always surprised us how much the "F-word" and "S-word" are used here, especially when they're used by younger kids. My kids hear these words on the playground all the time, even by kindergarden-aged kids! I know when I was a kid we'd say "caca" for the s-word, it wasn't as bad as the s-word and was used more regularly. But we didn't use it all the time. The words don't have as much meaning to the kids here, but I know most teachers at the school dole out punishments if they hear a kid using one of the English swear words.

So, Jordan thought it was pretty funny they got to yell what they got to yell for the game, though he told me he didn't say it - he nudged whoever he was with if he saw the other group and the other kid would yell "WTF". From what I know of Jordan, I believe him. I even told him he can use the phrase everyone else if using if that's the game, but he needs to know it's not license to use the word anywhere else since the words have a different meaning for us English speakers. Of course, as the boys grow up they'll all have their time experimenting with certain words. It's natural. But, hopefully our years here won't create a bunch of "potty mouths"!