# Parents, how do you deal with the issue of farting with your children? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426 "2016-03-28T02:36:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/1 "2016-03-28T02:36:41Z")
Convention has it that you scold them for farting and tell them it’s not polite or appreciated to fart. But we all know farts are funny as hell and are just a normal bodily function. How do you deal with trying to teach them the correct balance between societal rules and reality of existence? These are big lessons. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/2 "2016-03-28T05:03:03Z")
You start, when they’re young, with the social myth-making. “That’s rude, and we don’t do that.” Then, when they’re older, you include them in the adult world. “Yeah, it’s actually funny, and we laugh when it happens.” Little kids need the discipline of an orderly set of rules. Adults get to make up their own minds. They need to know the rules of manners and etiquette, before they can know when it is appropriate to break those rules. Since we’re all adults here…hey, pull my finger! ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/3 "2016-03-28T05:29:12Z")
My kids don’t fart. I raised 'em right. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/4 "2016-03-28T05:31:58Z")
You teach them its rude and anti social to pass gas in front of other people. Kids should be taught to leave the room; just like they do when needing to use the restroom. We all try to sneak a stealth fart without getting caught. Kids don’t understand that concept. Its better that they go to any empty room or even the restroom to expel that gas. I can recall doing that at school. I’d leave class and go to the restroom. Usually it was a good opportunity to pee and fart. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/5 "2016-03-28T05:34:01Z")
It’s never even crossed my mind that I should have scolded my child when he farted. That’s just beyond ridiculous to me. Besides, he embarrasses easily. So that was never an issue anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/6 "2016-03-28T05:35:02Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > My kids don’t fart. I raised 'em right. Just like my pretty wife doesn’t poop. 'Cause she’s a _lady_ 💘 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/7 "2016-03-28T12:47:03Z")
Eh, my dad generally followed Franklin’s advice to “Fart Proudly”. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/8 "2016-03-28T13:10:36Z")
My fart speech to my kids was thus: “Hey … pull my finger.” ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/9 "2016-03-28T15:18:50Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > You teach them its rude and anti social to pass gas in front of other people. Kids should be taught to leave the room; just like they do when needing to use the restroom. > > We all try to sneak a stealth fart without getting caught. Kids don’t understand that concept. Its better that they go to any empty room or even the restroom to expel that gas. I can recall doing that at school. I’d leave class and go to the restroom. Usually it was a good opportunity to pee and fart. Are you serious? I have never heard or seen another person do this. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/10 "2016-03-28T15:29:31Z")
Maybe kids should be discouraged from farting because they don’t have the skill and experience that adults do. Fine line between fart and shart. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/11 "2016-03-28T15:39:52Z")
I’ve always tried to fart separately from my children. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/12 "2016-03-28T15:43:14Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > I’ve always tried to fart separately from my children. 😉 You’re missing out on “Family Together” time. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/13 "2016-03-28T16:22:45Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Are you serious? I have never heard or seen another person do this. That’s because its a bathroom break. No one raises their hand in class to request a fart break. But what they do in the bathroom or walking down the hallway, to the bathroom is their private business. I’ve stunk up many a hallway in my day. 😉 Even as adults people leave the room. I’ve never been in a business meeting at work when somebody cut one. It wouldn’t do anyone’s career much good if the dept head, Dean or Provost is sitting there. I doubt they’d fire anyone for farting. But I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a promotion. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/14 "2016-03-28T16:35:11Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > My kids don’t fart. I raised 'em right. Don’t they eventually explode, then? ---
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/15 "2016-03-28T20:45:46Z")
My mother always said the same thing: “Go to the bathroom to do that!” Well, I tried. But by the time I got to the bathroom, I didn’t need to anymore. So, I’d go back to where we were all watching TV and let one loose. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/16 "2016-03-28T21:16:32Z")
The family that all farts together, Wal-Marts together! ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/17 "2016-03-28T21:38:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Even as adults people leave the room. I’ve never been in a business meeting at work when somebody cut one. Isn’t that because they hold them in? I have never once seen an adult leave a room to fart, nor have I ever done so myself. I just wait until I’m alone. I don’t recall my parents ever saying anything about farting and rules thereof. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/18 "2016-03-28T21:54:56Z")
In my family, we just automatically blamed a convenient dog (we always had several). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/19 "2016-03-28T22:49:46Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > My fart speech to my kids was thus: “Hey … pull my finger.” **Jack Batty** you should be ashamed of yourself; teaching kids incorrect things like farts come from fingers when they _really_ come from the purple elephant that just snuck under the sofa / bed / dining room hutch. > [@aceplace57](#): > > TI doubt they’d fire anyone for farting. But I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a promotion. 😃 But you might hold your breath for other reasons. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426/20 "2016-03-28T22:55:56Z")
> [@spamforbrains](#): > > Isn’t that because they hold them in? I have never once seen an adult leave a room to fart, nor have I ever done so myself. I just wait until I’m alone. > > I don’t recall my parents ever saying anything about farting and rules thereof. I don’t know anything about the “rules,” but what **aceplace** describes is not unusual behavior, in my experience. If I really need to fart and can’t hold it in, of course I try to retire to an unused room or something. Or go cropdusting down an empty aisle in the store. I’ve done this hundreds of times. I guess I could be unusual in this regard, but it just struck me as fairly normal. I guess I don’t really know what other people do, but I must have picked it up from _somewhere_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-how-do-you-deal-with-the-issue-of-farting-with-your-children/750426.md?page=2)