Would you be upset if i said this to your 12 year old?
 

We just won a hockey game 15-6. We have a long history between the two teams. I told me kids in private after the game "We just kicked their asses" to pump them up for our playoff game againist the same team.

Would that bug you ? That i said the word asses?

Hocque

LOL no but my kids have heard it. I accidentally told my kid..."Man, you kicked some serious ass today." after a particularily awesome well played soccer game.


Do I think it's a good idea to curse in front of kids? No. Will they live? Sure.

This may not count since I don't have children, but...

Perhaps I would see the term as slightly inappropriate but not enough to get upset over.

Considering the word in question is pretty much all over TV I would say that they have likely heard it before unless they lead a sheltered life. I'm not sure that it is good to be using it, but I do not think it is too bad. Of course "we just kicked their f'n asses" would certainly be over the line.

(disclaimer) I do not have kids, so this would be the opinon of one that does not have to deal with the repercussions of saying it :)

I really dont' see anything wrong with that....


Now if you said "we just kicked their FUCKING asses"...then ya might have a probelm..LOL

<-- Would say this to her kid, but is not a parent.

Why were they kicking donkeys? Isn't that cruelty to animals?

All seriousness aside, I've said it to my kids, but I'm guessing you're getting some flack from other parents...

If the kids in question are allowed to watch 'The Simpsons' then they've already heard the word 'Ass' plenty of times.

The important thing, in my opinion, is that you teach your children when it is appropriate to use such language and when it is not.

Honest to god, any tiny problem I'd have with what you said has more to do with the competetiveness than the swearing. I think, if it were my kids, I'd rather you emphasize how well they played than that they demolished some other team. Still, that's the squooshy liberal in me talking....I get that when trying to build up the egos of 12 year old boys, you gotta speak their language ;).

Any child of mine is gonna learn curse etiquette quick, when to do it and when not....it's not just me, it's my family....so it's gotta be done. That said, I understand that not all families are like mine, and kids from some of those families (ones that may not let 12 year olds watch the Simpsons etc.....it happens) may be on your team. Because you're in loco parentis, the standard is higher....you can't just make the choice you'd make for your own kids. You're the coach, they look up to you, they are likely to try to emulate you. ESPECIALLY if the word (and the intense emotion that went with it) is novel.

I guess I'm trying to say that you wouldn't have a problem with me, and I don't think you'd have damaged the boys in any way. But I can see why some parents are getting on your case.

Hey Hocque - I'm also a coach and I do at times use those sort of words. I would normally censor myself without thinking to say "butt" instead of arse though. It just kinda comes naturally to me when I'm in "Coaching Mode".

However, I suspect there may be a degree of culture here - Australians are a tad more relaxed when it comes to language.

ANd GingerV you hit the nail on the head - the actual word itself isn't a problem to me. But as a coach (especially in my case with an individual sport, not a team sport) you have GOT to encourage kids to focus on HOW they played rather than the result. A win can be wonderful, but it's worthless if the kids don't know how they achieved it.
Better to say "Billly, you were dynamite in defense today - that's how you've gotta play. I want you to be on top of the puck all the time when it's in your half, never let up. Well done." instead of "Great kids, we kicked ass and we've gotta keep on kickin' ass, and then we can win the Championship!!"

Just my 2 cents on Coaching Philosophy. [NOT a criticism in any way! Just food for thought!]

Have fun and good luck with the coaching!
CasperTG

That wouldn't bother me at all. A news item in a recent paper told the story of Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Reardon (Republican) recently appointed by Gov.ARRRNOULD to a seat on the LA USD as meeting a young girl who told him,her name was ISIS.She asked Reardon if he knew what the name meant.His reply to her was,"Yes,it means stupid dirty little girl doesn't it?" No,the girl replied,ISIS is an Egyptian Queen." I think a remark like the one from our former Mayor would do far more damage to a child than Kicking Ass.....Come to think of it,a good ass kicking woud have been an approprate response to Reardons remark.

The whole censorship thing is just an excuse to be a bunch of hypocrites in front of the children.

If something upsets an individual person (regardelss of age), the way to deal with it is to deal with it, not to suppress it.

The answer to the whole concept of free speech is more speech, not more oppression.

Or, as afriend of mine so succintly put it:
"Censorship? I don't my child exsposed to *that*!"

Not a parent here but I would have no problem with it. It's not going to hurt the kid. At worst it's going to cause the parent some uncomfortable questions, but that's their problem with reality, not the speaker's problem.

"Wow, you guys kicked their asses" in the car on the way home is ok in my book. With opposing team members and parents around isn't. No reason to disrespect them.

I think you were caught up in the excitement and you let it be shown. Totally understandable and no outrageous at all. You displayed enthusiasm without disrepect.