It wasn’t me but my son (12 yr. old).  While playing in a tennis tournament his opponent kept using the Lord’s name in vain.  He went up to him during side change and told him that he’s glad he has a personal relationship with Christ but unless he’s praying to knock it off!  I was laughing so hard.  It wasn’t the last time he ran into it that weekend.  His final comment to me as we were driving home was “Well….it’s nice to know there are a lot of Christians in tennis!”  It was classic.

I don’t often “correct” anyone in front of my children as I’m not sure it’s any more polite than using the poor language in the first place. If the language is consistent or bothering me, we simply leave the scene.

However, we have taught our kids that there are ‘adult’ words and ‘kids’ words.  They simply aren’t allowed to use or repeat ‘adult’ words.  End of discussion.  This also keeps our kiddos from “correcting” adults (think - a husband’s boss or other important person who you really don’t want your kids to publicly scold)

I don’t say anything - but later we talk about “rude” words. It’s rude, just like burping or cutting in line or any other rude behaviors.

It depends on the relationship.  If it’s a stranger I don’t say anything to them, but my kids usually say something like, “That person said a bad word.”  And with family I just ask them to please be mindful of what they’re saying around our kids because we don’t use those words in our house.  It’s worked ok so far.

I will advise my children to avoid that person. I will also advise that person about the effect of using such bad words especially when childrten are around. If that person disagrees, my contact will come down

It depends on the situation.  If our kids’ friends get a little potty-mouthed in our home (which seldom happens, thankfully), I simply say, “We don’t use that language in our home.”  Or, if they misuse our Lord’s name, I (and my kids) sometimes say, “gosh” as a quick reminder of an appropriate substitute. If we encounter particularly loud & obnoxious swearing while out & about, I, and my husband, have been known to say to older strangers, we simply say, “Watch your language.”  We may get some glares, but the swearing stops.

I don’t say anything to the other person, I just tell my children that we can’t control what other people say or do we can just control our selves. They know what words are bad so they know better not to say them.

If I corrected everyone who took the Lord’s name in vain I would correcting just about everyone I come in contact with including all of extended family.  So no, I don’t attempt that.  With swearing I will just take my kids away if it is an adult doing it.  If it’s a kid I ask them to watch their language.  At least in my area, taking the Lord’s name is so completely ubiquitous that you can’t stop it but swearing by other adults around kids is rare.  Because I homeschool I don’t encounter much swearing by other kids.  It’s mostly when my kids do city-sponsored sports teams but then I am not in earshot so there isn’t much I am able to do.

I also usually do not say something to the person unless they are consisitantly using inappropriate words and are in my house.
I will tell my children after, did you remember what they said? We dont like to use those words because they are bad words and hurt God when you use them. Even if Dad or I were to use them. So no matter how old you are, you shouldnt be saying that. What we can do is pray to Jesus that this person will realize the same thing and try to stop saying bad hurtful words. We can also use our nice words as examples of how people can use their words for good.” We go through this a lot with our children. It seems like even ten year old children are all just as bad as adults! yikes

Usually they apologize after they see the look on my face!

We often have neighbor children over who either take the Lord’s name in vane or us language I don’t like. I simply tell them that we don’t talk like that.  They always straighten out their language and sometimes apologize. They seem to know that it’s not nice. Sometimes we remind them because they have a habit of talking that way but lots of different children clean up their act, at least around us. Now my older children do this simple too.

I hear it most from the older teens at the park, the guys playing basketball.  I feign shock, and then I laugh and tell them that if they teach that word to my kids, I’m coming after them!  Then I grin real big and usually hear a “Yes, ma’am!” back.

i want to respect that even though it’s bad language, they have a right to use it, and I acknowledge that all I want to control is what *my* kids pick up.  That seems to be non-threatening enough not to provoke a nasty response.

“You know, we try to discourage our children from using those words and would appreciate that you find another way of expressing yourself.” (I’ve said this very politely and quietly to relatives that we don’t see often and it was taken well.)

For children and teens:  “What grade are you in?”  with a big smile and follow their answer with “Have they taught you english yet?” with another big smile…