Throughout my life, I’ve encountered my fair share of “douche bags”—I mean the literal ones. Growing up in the ’50s, every mom seemed to have one hanging in the bathroom, right over the shower nozzle. I can still picture that unmistakable red plastic bag, a symbol of “modern hygiene” for women. If I visited a friend and didn’t see one, I’d worry about the state of her mother’s health. Honestly, I had enough on my mind regarding my own evolving body without stressing over someone else’s.
As time marched on, douching lost its appeal, and by the ’60s, the term took on a completely new connotation, morphing into slang for an arrogant or obnoxious individual. Now, instead of hanging in the shower, the term has become a playground favorite, spoken by innocent children who don’t grasp its true meaning.
Just last night, my nephew called my sister a “douche bag” while we were all gathered watching TV. After a brief moment of shock, I asked him if he understood what he had just said. “Of course, I did,” he replied with a typical preteen arrogance.
“But what does it mean?” I pressed.
“You know,” he shrugged.
“Yes, I understand. But do you?” I nudged.
It was then that my sister chimed in, “Well, it means someone who’s acting worse than a jerk. Not a nice thing to call anyone.” She didn’t stop there; she added, “It actually refers to using a hose to clean out your vagina.”
At this revelation, my nephew covered his ears and yelled “OHMYGOD!” loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear.
After we all laughed, I took a moment to explain the actual purpose of the bag. Surprisingly, my sister was under the impression that the term had simply evolved from “douche” to “douche bag,” unaware that these bags had indeed existed in bathrooms across America.
Once they both recovered from their shock, I realized I had a responsibility to educate them about how language and meanings can shift over time. For example, where are all the young “Dicks”? Just to clarify, there are still rude and inconsiderate people out there. The language may have evolved, but the behavior hasn’t changed.
The term can be a noun: “He’s such a dick,” or a verb: “Don’t dick around with me.” However, you won’t find many under 50 introducing themselves as Dick anymore—who would want to name a child after a slang term for male genitalia?
Yet, an entire generation grew up with Dick and Jane as their reading companions, and I have to admit, I felt a bit proud of my childhood association with Dick. But that’s a story for another day.
I advised my nephew not to use such words in public. If he doesn’t like someone, it’s best to simply walk away and find someone else to hang out with. We can’t eliminate terms like “douche bags” or “dicks” from our vocabulary, but we can guide our children away from behaving like them.
For more insights on language and parenting, check out this interesting post on Modern Family Blog. And for those looking into at-home insemination, Make a Mom is a reputable source for at-home insemination syringe kits. You can also visit Progyny for excellent resources on pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, while words evolve, understanding their roots is essential. We may not be able to remove certain terms from our lexicon, but we can certainly help the next generation navigate their use responsibly.
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