CUSSING

Freaking.

I use often use 'freaking' as a substitute for words like really, unbelievably, and of course the obvious swear word. Examples:

"That movie was so freakin' long! The last 5 scenes were unecessary!"
"What the freak is happening here?!"
"That dance was freaking amazing!!"

In class (6 year old hip hop) I made the GROSS error of using the word freaking when talking about how awesome their dance was. Your language must be beyond reproach at all times whilst teaching kids - mine usually is! As soon as I had said it, the feelings of regret and paranoia filled my mind, only to be met by the shrill voice of a little girl, "Miss Sara! That is CUSSING." Short, red head, widest eyes known to man, hands held wide to the sides, look of distress, surprise and discomfort, and the strong possible emphasis on the "c" sound of cussing.

"You're right, Natalie, that is not a good word to say. Miss Sara should not have said it at all, and I'm very sorry for using that word. Sometimes I say that word at home, and that is not ok," I responded to her in front of the class. No sooner did I finish my apology, than a boisterous 6 year old JUMPS right in and yells,

"Natalie, that is NOT cussing! B****, S***, and D*** - THAT'S cussing!"

No joke! She just up and says it in front of the class! Natalie's jaw drops right open, and another girl (who is soft-spoken and always proper) throws her palms to her ears and starts crying. (I had to do one of those really slow blinks, where you almost press your eye lids together then open them really far apart in order to absorb the reverberating shock of what you've just witnessed.)

Needless to say, I immediately explain to the girl that we absolutely cannot use that language in class, and the consequence is not earning the prized sicker at the end of the hour. After some discussion and a good session of freeze dance, the girls moved on and we had a cuss-free zone, and a really great class I might add.

Teaching dance: never a dull moment.