Wen Hao

The Daughter at age 3 could cuss like the best of them sailors. I was amazed and slightly goggle-eyed at the stream of filth delivered in her childish sing-song voice interspersed with melodious tralalas.

I wasn't sure that I had heard what I had heard, and there were some words of which the meanings I was unsure. I requested The Husband's opinion. Like any Singaporean male, somewhere in his school career, there had been a compulsory course on "How to Curse in 4 Languages". He was even more goggle-eyed than I when he nodded his head in confirmation of my hunch.

It really was a somewhat surreal experience to hear such filthy words dance daintily out of The Daughter's rosebud mouth sung to the tune of the famous alphabet song.

I asked "Where did you learn these words?!"

The Daughter said "Wen Hao taught me. He says them all the time in the playground."

Quite visibly upset, I told her that she was never to say such words again... and for good measure, I told her never to play with Wen Hao again. Of course, The Daughter had no idea why those words weren't acceptable and I found it difficult to explain because at 4 years old, the various parts of the human body (male or female) were exactly that. Nothing wrong. And what's with mommy anyway?

"First, I can't play with Sebastian and then now I can't play with Wen Hao. I can't play with anybody!!" She whipped her head around, ran to her bed, threw herself on it and sobbed inconsolably into the pillow, like a Rapunzel with no hair - "But we are only just frieeeeeeeeends!" she wailed. "I only want to be his frieeeeeeend!"

The Husband being her own very special parent and possessing of parental charms that I do not, stepped in at this point. He calmed her down and managed (I dunno how) to explain the whys and wherefores of those cuss words. I was left bemused and wondering... and dreading that the scene presaged her teenage years.

Thank goodness they did not. She has grown up alright... and hasn't yet brought home a boyfriend in leather pants on a Harley. But I don't suppose I should speak too soon, huh? I may have to eat my words.

But REALLY! What IS wrong with little boys?!