When I was just a glint in my father’s eye and a look of fear in my mother’s, to be told to wash your mouth out with soap meant you’d probably just sworn or said something rude.
I guess if you say it now it might have completely different connotations.
[This is one of the Mitchell brothers from a long running soap here in the UK which is set in the East End of London ……. it is hardly edifying]
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Match of the Day
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Stumble It!
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Looks like a bit of Kunst des Fechtens in the Match of the Day……
Ooooo …… I’ve just had to have a ‘google’ ….. did they have matches then?
Good point – when do you start your ‘Flint of the Day’ series…..?
I could start a whole family and call them the ….. oh I don’t know ….. The Flintrocks or something …or perhaps The Sparkstones …..
Even though I never heard of a single person actually getting their mouth washed out with soap, as a child the threat of it seemed very real indeed and it was a great deterrent… doubt if it would hold much water these days. Your kids would probably sue you if you tried it…
Indeed it was a great deterrent as was detergent …..
On the contrary, they loved it. Especially Penfold, who always had a bit of a sadomasochistic streak.
Oh yes, I remember, it used to make him swear a lot didn’t?
oh god – my mother washed my mouth out with soap one day for saying “damn”. I was only about 6 and I didn’t even know what it was I’d done wrong
Oh ….. that isn’t nice at all …… I bet it didn’t stop you swearing later on in life either ……. or did it?
I was threatened with the soapy mouth thing – so I learnt never to say bad words in front of adults. My early training stuck. I still don’t say bad words in front of adults but children and llamas need to beware!
Gertrude will get very upset …… he’s very sensitive you know ……..
I once used Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint soap to brush my teeth after reading on the label (which if you ever seen it, is covered with homilies and exhortations in tiny print, interspersed with ways to use the soap). The experience actually made me swear. Clearly an ineffective deterrent.
I’ve just had a ‘Google’ – does it actually say in the small print that it can be used as toothpaste? …… or were you being a tad inventive? …… just askin’
No, seriously, one of those myriad uses listed in the tiny print was “a few drops of soap on your toothbrush.”
http://www.drbronner.com/faqs_main.html#faq10
The first time anyone gave me any kind of massage (it was a college guy on the make) he was using the directions on the Dr. Bronner’s label, which instructed you to wring out a towel in hot water, put a few drops of the soap on it and massage the extremities with it, moving toward the heart. It was actually quite nice although the guy was not a keeper.
…… and I see from that it’s handy as a douche and a pest spray as well ….. gosh.
Your heart wasn’t moved? *wistful sigh*
No, but I would have liked him to keep on with the feet for a good while.
Of course I have never had it done to me … being such a goody two-shoes … however, having drank out of a cup washed by daughters fair hands when she was a wee one [mummy let me wash up!!] gave me that experience [fairy liquid and earl grey are not a great combo]
p.s. that did make me swear!!
A goody goody two-shoes twit apparently …… but a kind mother of course ….. arrrrrr
You have to have faith in your kids every so often ….
Of course you do ….. and a stomach pump handy helps ……. oh, and some wet wipes, ear defenders,a peg for the nose and valium …….
ah the joys of parenthood …
my brother (8 years older than me) thought it funny to teach his littlest sister a brilliant response the next time Mom threatened to wash my mouth out with soap… unfortunately, i learned what Lifebuoy tasted like after telling Mom “I’ll blow bubbles out my arse…”
My brother [7 years older than me] didn’t teach me that! …… I knew he was rotten to the core …..