Help with a word that makes me uncomfortable, need suggestions

[MissKNG]

I grew up with an alternate word to that (my parents called it "whopper"). I don't like that word and it's got to be due to my upbringing. We call it "toot".

 

I am 35.

[SweetandSimple]

I'm another one who doesn't like that word. I also really think that saying "excuse me" draws more attention than necessary, so we don't say that at home.

 

I've told my kids, though, that if they are out in public, they should say "excuse me" because that is generally considered the polite thing to do.

 

We actually use the term "air stinky" with the little ones, to differentiate between an air stinky and an actual stinky diaper!

[Hot Lava Mama]

We say "Please don't burp in your pants! It's gross!"

:)

Hot Lava Mama

[nmoira]

We say "Please don't burp in your pants! It's gross!"

:)

Hot Lava Mama

 

I don't get using "burp" but not "fart." And where is one supposed to "burp" if not in one's pants? The alternatives I envision are far higher on the gross-meter. :001_smile:

[justLisa]

We say "Please don't burp in your pants! It's gross!"

:)

Hot Lava Mama

 

I don't mean to pick on you but that grosses me out even more than the f word

[Carrie12345]

I can't decide whether I'm older or younger!

 

It doesn't bother me at home, but such things are not to be discussed in public!

[jenangelcat]

I'm 32 and don't have a problem with it. We don't often say it though. Dh is English and we use trump or toot, which frankly is even weirder sounding.

[Elizabeth in MN]

Often I find that knowing the history of a word helps me understand it. Color me shocked when I found out the word in question is ancient and in many Indo-European languages - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fart

 

I'll be forty in a few weeks and I don't mind the word.

[Arcadia]

And then what if it happens? Do you say 'excuse me' and draw attention to yourself, or do you stay quiet and hope no one calls you out on it?

 

I'm turning 40 and we were brought up to say nothing. Our elders told us it is not polite to say someone else is letting out gas and neither is it polite to call attention on oneself.

 

We say "excuse me" in a conversation if we need to leave the conversation/discussion to go to the restroom or we are leaving and need to interrupt to say our goodbyes. (That is just how my extended family was brought up)

[Halftime Hope]

I've wiped away tears of laughter on this thread: thank you!

 

I'll fess up. Dh and I taught our kids to say "beep," and they apparently liked the idea. It was funny in a clean way when they were littles.

 

They rarely speak of bodily functions b/c they are, surprisingly, much more sqeamish than I am. They'll get over it when they hit parenthood, I'm sure.

 

Keep the good ideas coming, please!

 

Thanks!

[PIE!]

I don't like that word. To my kids I say "toot." If the subject must be breached in polite company I say "flatulate" or "flatulence".

[medawyn]

It was a forbidden word in our house growing up! We used "toot" or "fluff".

 

After a nannying job in college, I seem to have adopted "popper" for little ones.

[mom4him]

It seems like no one but me, and people in generations older than me (I hit the mid-century mark this year), are bothered by the word f_ _ t for passing gas.

 

I was raised to believe that it was a rather gauche word for a natural bodily function. Please excuse me if you don't see it my way; I'm not judging you. I fully understand that it is a personal preference.

 

I'm not shy at all about discussing body parts and bodily functions--I grew up in a family that was very much into health and healthcare--as long as it doesn't degenerate into potty humor or crudeness.

 

The problem is that there doesn't seem to be a better, contemporary substitute. "Passing gas" or "breaking wind" feel hopelessly outdated to me.

 

Poll below, as a reality check for me, and if you have a "let your speech be seasoned with grace" suggestion, I'd appreciate hearing how you handle this.

 

I am grateful for thoughtful input; please no bashing.

 

I have taught my kids to use the term 'passing gas'. It worked pretty good until just the last few month when my dd(almost 13) seems to get special enjoyment out of using f@#t. :tongue_smilie: I also have taught the kids to say, "Excuse me." quietly and respectfully but........ again it seems that as of late instead of this there is a round of hilarious laughter. Hopefully it is a passing stage.

[UnsinkableKristen]

The "f" word always makes me cringe and I don't let the kids say it. It sounds so...gross! We are a rather casual family so I don't know why it bothers me so much. We always say "toot" or "make a hoo-hoo". Hoo-hoo came about when it was all my 2 yo dd (now 3) would say. It absolutely cracks me up. :D

[hollyh]

Oh my. I am ROFL. I LOVE the butt burp! LOL. Jupiter is pretty cool too! F**T just seems crude. Poot makes me cringe... I can't stand that word.

[ms3mama]

Well, I'm 39 so am I older or middle? It has gone by so fast, remember that young mothers :)

I don't like that word at all and my husband uses it at times in place of swear words and it really gets on my nerves and our daughters (14, 12, and 10) can't stand it either. But I also dont care for butt, shut-up, stupid and hate. I think hate is thrown around much too casually. I get really sad if my 2 year gets mad at says shut-up to me cause he has heard others say the word. I know he doesn't understand but it still makes me sad. My other children never say it to my husband or me but may say it at times to each other. I guess I really just try to stress not using words that I dont want to hear a little one repeating.

[LibraryLover]

Where would one have such a discussion, except at home with their giggling young children? :tongue_smilie:

Edited October 26, 2012 by LibraryLover

[Mommy22alyns]

No, I'm not fond of it. The girls say "stink," so that's stuck.

[UnsinkableKristen]

I don't like that word at all and my husband uses it at times in place of swear words and it really gets on my nerves

 

Funny enough, I use it in place of swear words all the time and it doesn't bother me at all, but use it for its original meaning? Blech!!

[LittleIzumi]

It's not my favorite. We use "toot" with the kids.

[chicagoshannon]

I'm younger and I don't like the word so much.

[blondeviolin]

We don't do that here. We "rumble." LOL :D

[ladydusk]

My brother "stepped on a duck"

 

almost 40 --don't like the word.

[Serenade]

We use out-gassing here.

[Serenade]

"fluff".

 

Fluff was often used in our house growing up. LOL, I can't stand that word for that purpose today. There is nothing fluffy about that bodily function. I'd rather hear the f_ _ t word any day.

[Shamzanne]

I am 31 and I don't like it either. We used "toot" growing up but it sounds so ridiculous to me now. I usually say "ripped one" if I need to refer to it out loud - which I usually don't!

 

As a side note, my family called people "stinker" if they were being ornery or annoying. It took me a long time to realize that in Kentucky people thought I was calling others the equivelent of a "fart". :tongue_smilie:

[cin]

I distinctly remember riding in a friend's car one day and saying the word. The mother was aghast! She told me, "We don't say that word!!! We say, 'cut the cheese.'" Yeah, that's wayyyyyy better. :lol: We seem to alternate between f**t and toot. I really don't care as long as someone isn't doing it AT another person, it's all good. ;) And I guess I would classify myself as 'in the middle'. Not young, but not 'older'.

 

I HATE that one. Once I heard that one, I could never look at a block of cheese without giggling.

 

We vacillate between toot and f**t here also. Our house is funny though. We prefer b**bs as opposed to br**st, too.

[OrganicAnn]

Growing up we said it was a "windy" or gas. Then there was the old stand by "cut the cheese".

 

When my DD was about 2 she f--ted while getting a diaper changed and said "that's my bottom talking". My mom was changing her and was laughing so hard she could hardly finish putting on the diaper.

[Hedgehogs4]

I am younger than you are, but I am bothered by the word f--t. My mother was very proper and thought that was word was "just awful." There are plenty of more appropriate substitutes--passing gas is not one of the terms in my opinion. I hate that term. Too technical, and I find technical names for things to be stuffy and gross. I like the more casual, even childish names for things.

 

I had a friend / mentor in CA who was completely offended by sarcasm. She hated it and could not relate to it at all--didn't realize that here on the east coast (where I am from) sarcasm can be a form of endearment. I had to quickly learn that I could not show affection for her that way! This is someone who totally impacted my life with her wisdom and Godliness, and yet, she called her kids "little f--ts," which shocked and offended me! I could not imagine calling my kids that!

[mamajag]

As a result of this poll, our new word is cropdusting. My DH and kids are endlessly entertained by this.

[Chelli]

I am 34 and we don't say f*rt in our house either. We use the word "toot", but I don't like it much either.

 

However, I did want to add three more "terms" that all come from my family.

 

1. About a year ago my oldest was getting ready to hop in the bathtub so she was naked. She turns around so her backside is toward me, shouts, "Fire in the hole!", then lets one rip. I was so stunned at first I couldn't say anything. Then I laughed and laughed and laughed because that is so unlike her!

 

2. My grandfather used to call it stepping on a frog. I remember being at his house when I was little and he'd say, "There sure are a lot of frogs in here today." I would look and look and never could see any frogs! It took me a few years to catch on to what he was talking about.

 

3. My mother has two older sisters and when they were teenagers just beginning to date my mom used to love to torment them. Before going out on dates one night (my mother was going as a "chaperone"), she informed them that her stomach had been upset all day, so she might be a little gassy. So they would know that she had f*rted, she told them she would use the code phrase, "Bon Voyage" to say good bye to her toots. All night long she kept saying bon voyage while her sisters kept shooting her dirty looks. Of course she didn't really have gas, but it definitely drove her sisters crazy!

[CanaryMelody]

I dislike the word as well and I'm 42. In our house, we say "pooty" instead. :001_smile:

[Joshin]

I'm only a bit younger, and I don't mind it at all. We can have pretty crude humor around here, though. Growing up, my dad was a bit proper and my mom got a kick out of using potty humor to make him blush. Now, my DH is a bit proper and the boys and I get a kick out of making HIM blush, too. :D He'll eventually break down and join in, usually topping all of us to much laughter. We're much more polite in public!

 

My youngest coined the term "Pootsniggle." When he was little he would come up to you, looking so sweet and loving. He crawl up in your lap and wrap his arms around your neck and kiss your cheek, just the sweetest little boy. Then he would whisper softly in your ear, "Mommy, I just pootsniggled you," followed by letting one rip right on your lap. Then he would jump down and run off laughing hysterically. I believe a pootsniggle was his combination of poot and snuggle. :lol:

 

My grandma always called them tree frogs. DH's dad calls them barking spiders, which I had never heard before.

[AndyJoy]

I really dislike fart. DS was just bumped up to the 3-6 year old gymnastics class and on the first night a 4 1/2 year old boy welcomed him by putting his bottom in DS's face and saying, "I fart in your face." DS giggled and said, "My fart in your face!" but fortunately he has no idea what fart means and just thought it was silly fun and hasn't repeated it :D.

 

When I was a child my family said "toot" or "stinky" if it had to be mentioned. When I was older, we continued using "toot" and added "passing gas"

 

When DS has told me at various times that his bottom has talked, burped, or hiccuped :lol:. When he was in the early stages of potty training I'd ask him if he had pooped or if it was just gas. Now he will turn to me and say, "It's just gas, Mommy."

[Pink Fairy]

I don't like the word fart. We say toot around here, but some friends of my parents who are in their mid 60's say "fluff." :lol: I don't know why but it cracks me up.

[DarlaS]

Parp?

 

That's a place with swings and stuff to play on.

 

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/09/party.html

[ktgrok]

I don't like it, we were not supposed to say it growing up, and I'm in my 30s. But I don't have a better suggestion. other than what we kids called it growing up, which was to "step on a frog". NO IDEA where that came from.

[Marylou]

I am 34 and we don't say f*rt in our house either. We use the word "toot", but I don't like it much either.

 

However, I did want to add three more "terms" that all come from my family.

 

1. About a year ago my oldest was getting ready to hop in the bathtub so she was naked. She turns around so her backside is toward me, shouts, "Fire in the hole!", then lets one rip. I was so stunned at first I couldn't say anything. Then I laughed and laughed and laughed because that is so unlike her!

 

2. My grandfather used to call it stepping on a frog. I remember being at his house when I was little and he'd say, "There sure are a lot of frogs in here today." I would look and look and never could see any frogs! It took me a few years to catch on to what he was talking about.

 

3. My mother has two older sisters and when they were teenagers just beginning to date my mom used to love to torment them. Before going out on dates one night (my mother was going as a "chaperone"), she informed them that her stomach had been upset all day, so she might be a little gassy. So they would know that she had f*rted, she told them she would use the code phrase, "Bon Voyage" to say good bye to her toots. All night long she kept saying bon voyage while her sisters kept shooting her dirty looks. Of course she didn't really have gas, but it definitely drove her sisters crazy!

 

I was about to give up on this thread until I got here. Tears came out by point #3! Thanks for the laughs.

 

In our house we say traf, you know, a certain word backwards :D

 

No, no, we really don't--I just wanted to join in on the ridiculousness of it all.

[Kel & the Kids]

This is a pet peeve of mine. I'm 43 and I've ALWAYS hated that word and potty humour in general.

 

My oldest didn't know the word until he was about 10, lol. We've always called them "scuses" (because you say "excuse me") and they think that's the most natural word in the world. My dh's brothers think it's hilarious and a little sad. But in our house, that other word is a swear word. :D

 

My Mom used to say "let one slide", as in "Did you let one slide?", lol. That still cracks my dh up, I just rolled my eyes.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Kel & the Kids

[gaillardia]

I'm "older.":lol::glare:

I mind it. IMO, it opens the door to using crude words that are worse.

Do you laugh when someone has that bodily function occur? Why do people laugh over that? We don't laugh over most sneezes, coughs, sniffs, etc. I'm bad. Sometimes I laugh, other times it just makes me say or think, "can we move on, please?"

My dh calls it "barking spiders" and I really mind that more.

That's strange that "toot" is so commonly used but largely unpopular to say.

Hearing someone say, "breaking wind," makes me laugh.

[JenC3]

My dd called it *bumping* when she was little and it stuck around here and we love it.

[jewellsmommy]

I always said pass gas. My mother raised me on the f**T word though. I always disliked it. Dd morphed the word into "stinky gas" as in daddy just stinky gassed. I will say "I have the vapors," usually in a deep southern accent because that makes everything classier :lol:.

 

The funny thing is that I don't care about the action or even the unpleasant side effect of maybe needing to open a window (especially in the car :001_huh:) but I just hate that word. People can let 'em rip all day long in my house, and I won't bat an eye. Just don't say that word and we're good.

[ebrindam]

We say "fluff." *blush*

[TranquilMind]

It seems like no one but me, and people in generations older than me (I hit the mid-century mark this year), are bothered by the word f_ _ t for passing gas.

 

I was raised to believe that it was a rather gauche word for a natural bodily function. Please excuse me if you don't see it my way; I'm not judging you. I fully understand that it is a personal preference.

 

I'm not shy at all about discussing body parts and bodily functions--I grew up in a family that was very much into health and healthcare--as long as it doesn't degenerate into potty humor or crudeness.

 

The problem is that there doesn't seem to be a better, contemporary substitute. "Passing gas" or "breaking wind" feel hopelessly outdated to me.

 

Poll below, as a reality check for me, and if you have a "let your speech be seasoned with grace" suggestion, I'd appreciate hearing how you handle this.

 

I am grateful for thoughtful input; please no bashing.

I don't like it either. It certainly isn't a word I just spout out in front of anyone.

[fraidycat]

I am 31 and I don't like it either. We used "toot" growing up but it sounds so ridiculous to me now. I usually say "ripped one" if I need to refer to it out loud - which I usually don't!

 

As a side note, my family called people "stinker" if they were being ornery or annoying. It took me a long time to realize that in Kentucky people thought I was calling others the equivelent of a "fart". :tongue_smilie:

 

When kids are little and up to mischief, "little fart" or "little stinker" is what they get called in my family.

 

I am younger than you are, but I am bothered by the word f--t. My mother was very proper and thought that was word was "just awful." There are plenty of more appropriate substitutes--passing gas is not one of the terms in my opinion. I hate that term. Too technical, and I find technical names for things to be stuffy and gross. I like the more casual, even childish names for things.

 

I had a friend / mentor in CA who was completely offended by sarcasm. She hated it and could not relate to it at all--didn't realize that here on the east coast (where I am from) sarcasm can be a form of endearment. I had to quickly learn that I could not show affection for her that way! This is someone who totally impacted my life with her wisdom and Godliness, and yet, she called her kids "little f--ts," which shocked and offended me! I could not imagine calling my kids that!

 

:D

 

 

As a result of this poll, our new word is cropdusting. My DH and kids are endlessly entertained by this.

 

We use that around here. But cropdusting is quite specific for us, meant only for those lingering smelly ones that get dragged around past everyone for all to um, enjoy. DH is BAD for those ones. :glare::glare: I call him bad names when he cropdusts.

 

 

Another term I've heard is "carpet frogs".

[Another Lynn]

I hate f@rt, but I hate the word b^tt even more.

 

A few alternatives for f@rt (some worse, some better)....

 

burp

 

talkin' out your tail-end (I hate this one more!)

 

a t^rd honkin' for the right of way (yuck!)

 

Honey, was that YOU AGAIN?

 

Or replace words with the military hand motion for GAS MASK!

[Joker]

I've never liked the word and we don't say it here. We don't really have a word for it though. Usually dds will just ignore what happened or say excuse me. Sometimes they blame it on the dog. :tongue_smilie:

 

Growing up, I don't really remember using one word but my dad was a fan of the "pull my finger". :D We had fun and I miss him.

[laundrycrisis]

At home, the original word is fine. I instruct our boys not to talk about it at all outside of our home, or when we have guests. However, we do sometimes use an alternative word at home (pootytoot). There is even a little song for that word - remember the Adam Ant song "Goody Goody Two-shoes" ? Yeah :D

[swellmomma]

Personally I would rather no one was using any term for that bodily function and just said "excuse me" but I have sons. The word F_ _ t gets said entirely too often in my house, especially in the threat to do just that on each other.

 

ETA my dd will say "duck" and point thanks to her father if she does that.

Edited October 26, 2012 by swellmomma

[EmilyK]

We used to say "toot" for that when my kids were younger.