Resp.: Well, Nancy, somehow you lucked out with your older boy, who did not pick up “bad words.” In general, young children are great copycats. They frequently pick up swear words and other bad words at day care and preschool. Don’t be surprised if, once the word “stupid” disappears from his vocabulary, your 3-year-old will pick up on another inappropriate word. This is not a terrible problem for parents, but it is a challenging one. If you make too much of a fuss over the word, your child feels encouraged by all the attention to use the word again. I suggest you explain to your 3-year-old that some words are bad words because they hurt people’s feelings. You will probably have to repeat this explanation at different times. Continue by saying that the word “stupid” is not a nice word and that neither daddy nor mommy uses this word. Then, throughout the day reward him with hugs for not using it. This is called catching a child when he is good. You might have to use a mild consequence if he insists on using the word. You can tell your son that he will not have his story at night. Another strategy is to withdraw your attention. Explain that you don’t feel like playing when he uses bad words. Later, encourage your son to say he is sorry and then give him your attention.