Dad Learns Hard Way Why You Never Curse in Front of Toddlers: 'Guilty'

A mom has gone viral after sharing the unfortunate new phrase her daughter learned from her dad, and the young girl was so proud of herself that she couldn't help but say it repeatedly.

Every parent dreads the moment they accidentally use a profanity without realizing their child is in earshot. All they can do is hope they didn't really hear the word, or they know not to use that kind of fruity language, but that certainly wasn't the case for Poppy Owen.

The mom, from the United Kingdom, captured the hilarious moment her daughter Effie walked into the room uttering the rude expletive she had just heard her dad use. The parents were horrified when young Effie started repeating "f****** hell," and then adding, "that's what daddy says." The clip contains swearwords.

As much as Owen tried to warn her daughter that they "don't say that word," the 3-year-old was adamant that she had heard her dad say it so obviously they do say it. It is the nightmare situation that any parent fears, and now Owen has to try to discourage her daughter from repeating it before she teaches it to her younger sister, Indie.

Effie's parents certainly weren't happy about the new phrase she learned, but the scenario has left many social-media users in hysterics. Since the video was shared (@effiesmummy) on January 9, it has already been viewed more than 1.4 million times and gained over 34,700 likes on TikTok.

For the most part, parents cheer and praise their child for learning a new word, but not so much when that involves swearing. Unfortunately, it happens more than parents would like. Harvard Health says that imitation is a fundamental part of a child's development. Children will try to emulate what they see parents or siblings are doing, and sometimes they do it if they know it gets a reaction.

For that reason, Harvard Health says parents should not pay too much attention to any unwanted behaviors, and they can simply ask their child why they used such language instead. Asking them how they felt when using the expletive and teaching them alternative words they could use in lieu of such a profanity is a positive way to problem solve together.

For younger children, parents should be clear that swearing is bad, and teach them to be empathetic about how it could make those around them feel. Of course, children are bound to make mistakes (just as their parents do), but being consistent when discouraging expletives or foul language and help them to model appropriate behavior.

Owen might still be discouraging her oldest daughter from swearing, but Effie has become quite the viral sensation since the video was shared. The post has already gained almost 800 comments on social media, as many people lauded her for being so unashamed of the new phrase she had mastered.

One comment reads: "The reenactment is definitely selling the story!"

Another person wrote: "Why is it so funny when they say it?!"

A third TikTok user posted: "Daddy is definitely guilty."

Newsweek reached out to @effiesmummy via Instagram for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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