Cussing at the crag

Just thought I'd throw this out there. I've been climbing for 25 some odd years now. Recently, over the past few months I've been teaching my kids how to climb. 10, 8, and 8 years old. Being that they are kids I've been taking them to the local crag and the gym. These places are both popular places to climb. Each time we go, nearby climbers are tossing out profanity like it's going out of style. I'm not even close to a prude but come on man, they're little kids. I'd love to remedy this by going somewhere more isolated or remote, but they're kids, so we're stuck for now at the easy, crappy, close places.

Does anybody else have this problem? Was I that bad when I was young?

I tend to toss out choice words on falls or cruxes, but I also try to be mindful of who's around me, so I personally feel others should be considerate enough to notice there are young kids around.

Choice words on a fall or a crux or even when you top out something cool, I can understand. I'm more talking about the F-bomb being used as an adjective, verb, and a noun in the same sentence because you just can't describe that route you just sent without blowing it up.

were there children at the crag 25 years ago? it may be a change of audience more than a change of culture.

I have 3 1/2 year old twins now. But I know in my 20s into my young 30s I did not really notice kids were around until probably a few un-choice words slipped out. I think when kids are not remotely part of your personal equation that recognizing the need to modify language is not there. Not a judgment, just how it is.
I was skiing at A-Basin a couple weeks back and a beach party of 18-20 somethings were there and were complete A-holes. I thought to myself, "Was I that bad." Sadly the answer is almost certainly yes.
I don't think there is an easy solution except to re-locate when you get a crew that has no clue. Not fair perhaps, but so often seems like the only way to control the environment.
Good luck brother.

Chalk it up as one of the hazards to climbing.

Just throwing my perspective out there for whatever it's worth, it's certainly not necessarily more right or valid than yours.

I would never swear at a child or during a conversation with a child; and if I was visiting a home where there are children, or an elementary school or the like, I would certainly censor my language accordingly. I'm not really willing to do that however every moment that I am anywhere in public. I am probably least willing to make an effort to censor my word choices when I am leading a tough climb and my mental energies are all focused on more important things.

It is natural for you to want to protect your children from things you'd rather they didn't see or hear, and probably frustrating that you don't have the power to do so in public as you certainly don't want to avoid all public places with your kids. But unfortunately, as they are spending more time out in the world they definitely are going to see and hear those kind of things. How do you deal with other things your kids see adults doing that you'd rather they not emulate, like drinking adult beverages, or smoking, or dressing in a way that wouldn't be appropriate for them to dress? Maybe you can deal with adults using language that wouldn't be appropriate for your kids to emulate similarly?

Not really a good solution, use it as a teachable moment the best you can, or leave the area, or ask them to tone down their language and hope for good results. I guess to some extent we all have to accept that the benefit of having a public space where we are free to go comes with the potential downside of other people we'd rather not be around being equally free to be there.

Ask them to watch their language? I always respected the dads I saw do that.

I always feel really weird and self-conscious swearing in front of kids, stuff comes out when I whip but I do try to censor my casual conversation. I've even gone as far as to ask my friends to do likewise when there are kids around but they generally tell me they don't give a shit. I'm actually starting to find it pretty distasteful when every third word out of someone's mouth is fuck, whether there are kids around or not it's just a dumb, unoriginal, way to talk.
Point being, I get it, looks like other people do to, and for the record I don't have kids and crags and climbing gyms are basically the only time I'm around them.
I do get pissed when parents expect everyone else to change their behavior because there is a kid around but this one seems pretty simple, and something that's worth doing anyways.

I tend to let out an F bomb once and awhile while whipping on a move I shouldent have. But then again I am a sailor, so I am pretty sure I am required by law to use a minimum of 10 cuss words per day. If there were young kids around I would try to keep it chill, but my memory sucks so I might forget once I hit the crux.

Great thoughts guys,

And I know I can't, nor would want to control all aspects of the environments my kids are in, it just gets old sometimes. Whether my kids are around or not, maybe I'm just getting old. In any case, it is a good teaching moment. My kids all know how to spot a total douche bag.

Nick Turtura wrote:In any case, it is a good teaching moment. My kids all know how to spot a total douche bag.

Yes, but how will they know what they are called, unless they learn some profanity? ;)

Oy vey...the kids today

I hate it when kids are at the crag running around and pissing on people's gear. Don't their owners know how disrespectful this is? How hard can it be to just keep them on a leash, or leave them in the backyard at home? There are too many kids out there right now, and no, I don't think yours is cute. Always remember to spay and neuter your children!

Nick Turtura wrote: I'm more talking about the F-bomb being used as an adjective, verb, and a noun in the same sentence...

It has been proposed that it is the most versatile word in the English language...

Twenty years ago, in a reader poll, it was was shown to be a standard part of every climber's vocabulary. Consider the following response when asked about what gear to take on Generator Crack...

Profanity is about the best pro you'll get until the crack starts to narrow. Include doubles of profanity in the #6 to #8 range on your rack for this lead. - Bruce Bindner, aka 'Brutus of Wyde'

go find empty crags.... not all that hard to do. And if your upset by someones language, go over an ask them to respect your kids....Most don't even know that every other word out of their pie hole is the F word.

Locker, my shoes don't even need a resole yet, but I want to give you business just for the hell of it.

I take my kids climbing all the time and just accept that it's part of climbing and don't worry about it. I'm proud to have them as part of the climbing culture.
And when I flail on a route they can hear me say "fuck, this fuckin fucker is fuckin fucked!"

Tim Lutz wrote:So now we need to curb our langauge at the crags because the soccer parents dont like it?! Wow. Mother fucking wow.

Jesus f*cking ch*st. Don't cry so hard. Most of the time I swear worse than a drunk sailor in Bangkok, but when there are kids around, guess what, I do my best to watch my damn mouth. Why? Because kids of a certain age are like sponges and will repeat ad-nauseum stuff they hear and won't necessarily know when its appropriate or not. And no, you can't call me a wuss soccer parent type, because when my kids are old enough to know when and where its okay to swear, I will have no problem with the little monkeys swearing up a storm. Seriously though, for f*ck sake people, is it really that f*cking hard to watch your mouth a bit around little kids? Try not being such a narcissistic wad.

I find the music played at gyms to be totally inappropriate for younger people. Profanity and topics such as sex, drug use and violence seem a little out of place at what is essentially now just high end day care facilities.

Outdoors people seem pretty clueless about all of their behaviors and how they affect their surroundings. From shitty parking jobs to hogging routes to bringing dogs to swearing people these days are too focused on how awesomely rad they appear to others.

I have enjoyed reading the MP forums for years but have never felt the need to sign up for an account and join in the discussions until I read this thread.
I am a woman in my early 30s and admittedly I do not use the cleanest language. But "Freedom of Speech" is still the #1 right given to all of us. My questions to the parents who oppose this language at the crags is this: Why is the language your child is exposed to MY responsibility?
You are the parent and therefore in ultimate control of the environments your children are placed in. If you disagree with that environment or elements of that environment, it is your right to remove your kids from such behavior.
Climbing is one of the last truly free and unhindered sports/activities that exist. If we start trying to control any or all aspects of it, we will all lose!