My 6-year-old was traumatized

Friday, August 18^th, 2006.
Issue 33, Volume 10.

On Tuesday, August 8, I took my family out to Daniel’s for groceries. I have a 6-year-old daughter who learned how to read from the Barney and Friends book series. As we stepped out of the family van, she was very excited to see a Barney movie being advertised on the Daniel’s Market lit sign. She said, "Look, Daddy, a Barney movie!" I couldn’t see it, so she guided my eyes to the vulgar obscenity arranged there on the sign. "Look! Up there! Barney’s p***s!" I was shocked when I saw the words arranged on the sign. I quickly averted her eyes and escorted her into the store.

Since then, she has not stopped mentioning Barney’s p***s. This has shaken the bedrock of our family. I made an emergency call to our church’s pastor about this bombshell in my daughter’s life and he is unsure how it will affect her future.

This sort of sick joke is typical of unlawful teenagers across the country, but I just didn’t think the little town of Fallbrook was home to such hoodlums. I am frightened for my daughter’s future; she won’t stop bringing up this horrible movie title! I would like Daniel’s Market to apologize for traumatizing my daughter, and I would like the pranksters to know just how vile their criminal act was.

65 comments for "My 6-year-old was traumatized"

1. Vicki Taylor says :

Perhaps your response is the problem. Wouldn't it have been better to just say "oops, guess someone doesn't know how to spell" and move on? If this "prank" has shaken the bedrock of your family, you are in for many years of shaking. How you handle situations like this, will determine how your children handle them.

2. Karen Cotton says :

Decades of little girls have heard the word "penis" - they have little brothers, and at some point they all say, "Mommy, what is that?" An awareness of anatomy will not traumatize a child. However, if your response to this event is any indication, you and your wife will probably warp her for life with your own out-of-proportion prudish shock. C'mon, all little kids get stuck on a "bad" word at one time or another. The bigger fuss you make, the more she'll keep saying it just to get attention. Stop blowing it up into some allegedly life-shattering experience, and she'll drop it soon enough. And get some competent counseling and parenting training before you screw up your daughter completely.

3. Kim says :

Please stop overreacting. Like Karen said, the bigger deal you make out of it, the more she'll say it. It's not the end of the world because your daughter keeps talking about male genitalia on an imaginary purple dinosaur. If this is the worst thing you could think of happening, you're in for quite a shock for the rest of your parenting lives. Get over it.

4. Buckler says :

Really, count your blessings. You should be relieved that your six-year-old is able to read so well. If you continue to make a big deal out of what is essentially a non-issue, so will your child.

5. Reality check says :

people give words power. not the other way around. the problem isn't words like penis. The problem is religion making you think words are a problem. Shame on you for making your child ashamed of her reading. The information of the world is at your finger tips. Use it for something other than bigotry.

6. Emma says :

Honey, she's going to be traumatized, but not by learning the word "penis." If you teach that little girl that sex is evil, penises, vaginas, etc are bad and dirty, she's going to be one of those girls with low self-esteem who cry after sex, but give it up to anyone, just so they'll like her.

(Besides, if she's in public school, she'd have undoubtedly learned it sooner or later from a classmate with older siblings.)

7. Alaskan says :

You live in California and you're traumatized by the word "penis"? Do you have no awareness of the world around you at all? Welcome to 2007. Sheesh.

8. Julia says :

Oh, get over it already. Your 6 year old wasn't traumatized, you were.You're a fundamentalist, aren't you?

9. Zoe says :

It doesn't sound like your daughter was traumatized at all. But clearly you were. Why are you so ashamed of human anatomy? And why are you making your daughter so ashamed? She will quickly get over the situation once she finds something else to ruminate on (maybe the word "poop"). You also need to get over it. Be the grown-up here, and move on.

10. morgan says :

Honestly??? It's not like it is slang or is in any way promoting something scandalous. You need a hobby that doesn't make you seem like a psychotic parent.

11. David says :

Seriously. Your daughter was not traumatized. In fact it seems quite the opposite; she's getting a kick out of the rise she's getting out of you. And come on, if this "shakes the bedrock of your family" then you need to find a new rock to bed on because that one's inevitably going to shatter. And if that is such a big issue, it is no doubt a cover for bigger issues. Writing to the paper, "Look at us, we freak out when our daughter says naughty words that she doesn't even know the meaning of! This is clearly the biggest problem we have, seeing as we wrote to the paper to complain! Not to mention we're fighting the noble fight against technical terms for parts of the anatomy, thus proving to the community that we are the model perfect Christian fundie sexophobic parents! Give us our Jesus stickers!" This would be incredibly funny if it weren't for the sad fact that you're actually raising a child. Poor thing...

12. Nixe says :

Can anyone say trolling?

13. Conn says :

Wow. Given your reaction to the mere word penis I'm somewhat astounded that you have a child at all. I'd suggest following the, uhm, consensus here, and just getting over something that's clearly your own issue, and relax about your kid; she's fine.

14. DR says :

Wow, that's great. Some mook gets butt-hurt about something inane and seeks support from the web. Web gives him the finger and tells him to quit being a baby.

'Bout freakin' time. Kudos to you, fine readers. Don't let guys like that think they're the majority. Stop the fear of useless things.

Penis- noun, a man's phallus, used for urination and sexual intercourse.

If that offends you, sir, then perhaps you're offended by the very thing that helped to create your daughter. Does that mean you're offended by your daughter as well?

Take a deep breath and think before you go off...-snickers-

half-cocked.

15. Anonymous says :

*laughs so hard, my sides hurt* Wow, and my parent's thought it was bad when I learned to say F**k from my older brother.

16. Hilarious says :

OMG I think that by "p***s," he's trying to say "penis." That's so awesome! Penis is such a dirty word! NOBODY gets away with saying "penis!"

17. Al says :

"I made an emergency call to our church’s pastor about this bombshell in my daughter’s life and he is unsure how it will affect her future."
Looks like you're the one who was traumatized.

18. George says :

Get real!

19. David Adams says :

Lol omg!!!! penis!!!!!

20. ken says :

wow wow wow ... is this what religion does? or is it just you?
I suggest you pick up some parenting books... your pastor is not the answer.

21. barrytown says :

This is a joke, right? This is like the Onion or something, right? Are you seriously that upset by the word penis? It's not even like a bad word. It's the actual name of a part of the body! Like the for-real medical name! Does the word spleen bother you? Or rectum? Or brain?

22. Astounded says :

Your daughter doesn't watch much TV then does she? I know by the time I was 6, I had know what a penis was, what it was used for, and why it was different from a vagina. And look at me now! I am a successful college student with a great GPA, a wonderful support group of friends and family and you know what, I'm not, nor have never been pregnant! Gee, who would have thought that a little bit of education would be good for a child. Just be happy she isn't spouting off much worse and offensive language, and if you keep her on the track she is going, she will be, just to make you mad.

23. Holly says :

my god. your attitude is straight out of some overtly moral 1950's series. If you continue living in this imaginary past, your child will be psychologically damaged....not by what surrounds them, but by YOU!

24. Karen says :

"I just didn’t think the little town of Fallbrook was home to such hoodlums"

Oh god- the horror. Not only 'penis', but 'hoodlums' too? What IS this world coming to?

Relax...breathe....come out from the rock you've been living under.

25. Nueo says :

is this fake?

26. Mom2-6 says :

Calm yourself Chicken Little, the sky is not falling. A penis is just one of many things designed by God for the most worthy of purposes. Her awareness of God's creation can't hurt her, but as others have said hystrionics will.

27. Tim says :

Wow! Now that is what I call an over reaction. I get that you are a religous person and I totally respect that but do you really think mearly looking at the word has forever altered and damned your daughters future? Why don't you try the age old parental phrase "We don't say that word" or the ever popular "That's a bad word".

Just in my own opinion though, it's only a word. People are way too uptight and PC now a days. Honestly, what can a word do to you? Nothing. The only damaging effect a word can have is the reaction you CHOOSE to give it.

28. Oneoldman says :

I hate to be the one to tell you but YOU need mental help.
If this shook your bedrock it is a marshmallow get a new one.

29. Nevets says :

There are better tongue-in-cheek articles than this; it sort of lies there. You need to be a little more plausible to be truly get to people. Using an easy target like religion to make your point is really tired and old.

30. dave says :

you have serious problems and you're passing them to your children. Get well soon.

31. Nicky says :

This is why we'd be better off without religion.

Your kid says 'penis' and the first thing you do is run to your pastor in the hope that "God" can save her from this horrible, horrible, completely natural "trauma."

Listen to yourself...
Did you even think before you typed that?

32. Zach says :

This is a joke obviously, either that or this guy is just a dick. Pun intended.

33. Terry says :

Thank you for the laugh.

I don't know what is more amusing the author's "problem" or the readers responses.

34. karl says :

just writing in from maine to say penis

35. Lo says :

No way, this has got to be a joke. Wow. That's all I've got to say, wow.

36. aura says :

ROFLMAO!!!! is that it?! that's the problem?? he he he......and, here, i'm worried for my children's safty from kidnappers, drugs, violence......OH! i get it.....this is synonimous with porn to you? he he he....you really should learn to laugh it off. it's a kid, for cripes sake. don't the say the darndest things? lol. wait till puberty hits and see what they say then. ;)

37. Haha says :

You stupid fool.

38. Joy Fielding says :

You have overreacted. Give it a rest.

39. Kala says :

wow, this is so funny! The comments are great as well. When I first started reading it I was trying to think of a bad word that starts with p lol penis? come on. This can't be serious. Shaken the bedrock of your family because your 6 year old says "penis". Have you read the Bible? about Tamar or David or the guy who pulled out early so the girl couldn't get pregnant. Seriously dude!

40. Ro says :

Hahahaha you are insane beyond reason. I feel sorry for your child having to grow up with you as a parent.

41. Sarah says :

You need to relax, honestly. Children will always wonder about human anatomy, and honestly? You did a worse favor for yourself by even posting this online. I hope you take the SERIOUS comments on here as advice on how to work out the situation with your daughter. Soon she'll be asking you what murder, lesbian, sex, gay, serial killer, pregnancy, and mental health all mean. She'll ask why a woman is wearing a bikini at the beach and why a man's speedo has a bulge in the front. She'll wonder about why you and dad are always kissing and hugging and why mom and mom's best girl-friend aren't doing the same thing.

You need to get over the fact that the vulgar writing was a sinful act and use it as a learning experience that "Hey, this is a bad thing to do, so don't you ever do it" rather than throw a baby fit over it ok? It's not the end of the world, so get over yourself, suck it up, and teach your kid right and wrong, and not geek out about a sentence on a Barney movie.

42. Peter Stocks says :

Godless despots!!!!! How can you all so casually sit back and watch as our country is penetrated by the malacious phalice of sin. I say you track down the hooligans who are responsible for this and have them flogged at the town square. That will teach them a thing or two about decency.

43. Amazed says :

I'm amazed that the author of this post is so uncomfortable with the word, it had to be written as "p***s." I mean, it's not even a slang word. Did you know I wear shoes on my f**t and can type with both h**ds? I see with my e*es and listen with my e*rs, too!

44. Ania says :

I'm Christain. But I have to admit. Why would you bother your pastor with such non-sense. He I'm sure has a penis. You over reacted and sound like you can't raise your own child up to know what the word means. With out running to your Pastor. Give the Man of God a break and get a life. Read the word and know how to bring your child up in the admiration of the Lord. How in the world would she be scared by the word Penis. If anything Barney is going to scar her. By telling here a Big Purple Dinosaur helped here read. You already went against the word of God. To believe in such as DInosaur.

45. Sparta says :

At least it was written in English....Praise the Lord!

46. Hannah says :

I'd hate to break it to you, and sound so rude, but your going to end up messing up the rest of her life by constantly making a big deal out of that.
Don't you at all know how to raise kids in this time and age? It's not how it was 100 years ago. Not at all.
Teenagers are going to do stuff, wherever you are. Theres not "safe town" that isn't going to have prankster teenagers.
I knew what a penis was when i was a little kid. I also knew what a vagina was.
IT DIDNT RUIN MY LIFE.
Think about getting some professional help for YOUR problems. Your daughter doesn't have anything wrong with her. You have something wrong in your head. Your crazy.
Your making it alot more embarrassing for her because your making it more noticable to others. You should know that when kids do stuff like that, say dont say that, then dont pay any attention to it again.

If it made that big of a deal in your family, then prepare yourself for worse. You guys need help. really. i feel bad for that little girl.

P.S. : saying penis isnt on the sin list, last i checked.

47. Emergefit says :

Someone has been hoodwinked! Such tomfoolery has no place in this community. We are overun with poltroons and rapscallions. When will it end???

48. Robert Young says :

I want to say "Thanks" to Fallbrookers for responding like they did! It makes me feel like there's hope after years of living under the thumb of psuedo-Christian repressionistas.

49. tiffany says :

What is it with people always criticizing Christians for believing their way? There are many religions that could be criticized if you need to attack someones faith, why only christianity? I just don't get it, maybe it is just not "cool" to be a Christian; I guess a religion different and less heard about is okay to let be because they are not the majority? what is with Christian haters?? This reminds me of high school when everyone makes fun of those who dress in the trend and say it is cool to be different when every one that is "different" is the same too. Let Christians alone, at least we have good intentions and we are not blowing up others in the name of "Allah". It is okay to dissagree, but give the attacks a break.

Now on the the post, this is silly, I know that we are concerned about our children and want to keep them innocent as long as we can but "penis" is just that, nothing else. You make a big deal, she thinks this is a bad word. It is always better to use proper terminoligy with kids, this will ensure a healthy sexuality in the future. Not a big deal, relax. God does not have a problem with us using the word penis.

Also, my daughter loves Barney, give it a rest about Barney. Every show that is clean and educational is made fun of. People have forgotten how to look at the world through kids eyes. It is a little corny for adults up but it is not made for adults!

just need to condem someone for having faith, what is wrong with faith.

50. Bryan T. says :

While I hate to divert this offtopic into the arena of religious debate, I did want to make one note.

"why only christianity" ?

Because no other religion, religious group, or religions followers, ever, in my lifetime, has ever yelled at me on the street telling me what a horrible person I am for not being christian. I have been approached by a variety of people who simply ask "would you be interested to learn about..". My response is "no thank you", they nod, and wish me a good day. Bigotry and christianity are found together often enough. That is why.

As far as the topic at hand, this letter is a year or two old and all the comments that needed to be said have already been posted.

51. SF Fallbrook says :

Buwahahahahahahaaaa!... I agree w/ poster #1, just tell her it was a joke...

emergency call to pastor... Ok Ned Flanders!....

52. Just a mom says :

OK can we take THIS one down? It's embarrassing. This parent clearly overreacted BUT the readers did too. The readers are basically right, but took too much glee in dressing this parent down. It's like Lord of the Flies the way everyone feels they have the right to be rude and mean, throwing stones at this parent's silliness. Really! I am not impressed at all with most of these comments. Most are simply cruel. Shame on you Fallbrook readers, show some class AND compassion for those weaker than yourselves. Poster #1 said it best and with restraint.

53. Biblical says :

I want to commend this father for even
writing about this situation online it isn't
easy to "air your dirty laundry" in public
especially when you have made an error
in judgement as a jew I want to let this man know that he should be thankful
Barney wasn't being circumised I promise
you that is far more traumatic.

54. Elizabeth says :

There is anatomically correct language for body parts, and many educators feel it is to the child's advantage to be able to communicate in a biologically correct manner.

55. vinegar and water says :

Don't knock it, it was a good movie.

56. L McGrath says :

As unfortunate as it is that your young daughter witnessed this prank, I have to say it is just the beginning. You can't shelter her from birth as much as you may want to. The real world is out there and will keep coming and she will eventually see, witness, or be involved in things you may not like. The most important thing is to prepare your child for what the world is going to throw at her and the proper way to respond or deal with it. You can't censor life just deal with what it throws at you.

57. tanya says :

Just a little side note... it's not just people in Fallbrook commenting on this letter - it's people from all over the world. When something as odd as this gets posted on the web, it doesn't stay hidden forever!

8:33 am Mon, Jun 15^th, 2009

58. Mimi says :

Makes me wonder about the writer's parents. I definitely think he's been traumatized and not his daughter. Pastors don't fix that...psychiatrists do.

4:13 pm Sun, Aug 9^th, 2009

59. jay says :

heh heh....hahahahahahahahaha, dont worry sooner or later she was goign to have to know what the word meant

2:51 pm Mon, Aug 31^st, 2009

60. BillE says :

Tell her the truth... that hoodlums posted a word in a vulgar way to try to make people upset.

9:51 am Tue, Jan 26^th, 2010

61. Fallbrook Transplant says :

sounds like the parents were traumatized. Behaving like they will pose many future problems for this child.

11:37 am Wed, Jan 27^th, 2010

62. Wow says :

Seriously?
They really put this in the newspaper?

I think you should find a new pastor..

Your six year old is 6!! What a thought..sounds like she doesn't have any brothers.

Sounds like you need to grow up.
There's more to come, it's called LIFE.

Hope you're ready for it..

3:35 pm Wed, Jan 27^th, 2010

63. Danny R says :

No comment, lol

10:48 pm Thu, Jan 28^th, 2010

64. Ash. says :

...and, once again, all non-Christians have a reason to hate Jesus freaks.

6:40 am Mon, Feb 1^st, 2010

65. keegan's mommy says :

I think I would have said to my six year old "That's the part of Barney's body he uses to pee. Someone must have changed this sign because they thought it would be funny. I don't think it's funny."

My 6-year-old was traumatized

65 comments for "My 6-year-old was traumatized"

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