Walking the dogs one afternoon as giant fluffy snowflakes drifted to join their cousins in blanketing the city, I noticed some kids practicing their spelling and penmanship with some snow cussing play in the fresh blanket of flakes as they walked home from school.

They were a few blocks ahead of me forming letters with mittened hands as I walked into the wake of their writing: “BUTT HEAD”, “FUK YOU”, “U R A ASHOLE”, “SCHOOL SUCKS”. 

I flashed back 40-plus years to when I walked home from that school misspelling cuss words in the snow with friends. I smiled at the memory of learning to correctly spell all kinds of naughty and dangerous words from older kids by the time I was in second grade, although I don’t think I passed a single spelling test from third grade on.

A muffled yell from blocks away snapped me back to the present, “It ends in CK, not K! Spell it right next time, butthead.”

Snow Cussing Wrap Up

Like weapons play and rough and tumble play, snow cussing is Play many adults tend not to approve of. This seems hypocritical since they likely engaged in cussing play–at least once–when they were young. And why not? Words are loose parts, and the taboo words are the most exhilarating and risky ones with which to play. I probably would have passed more spelling tests if I’d been pressured and scolded not to learn that list of words handed out each Monday morning in preparation for Friday’s test.

I’m not suggesting such language should be deemed acceptable at home, while visiting Grandma, or in the grocery store’s produce section. I’m simply pointing out that such language exists, and when kids become aware of it, they are likely to play with it. Like you probably did, at least once. Instead of being judgmental about it, accept snow cussing for what it is: play.

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