What's wrong with 'pissing off the fairies'?

Jalima

Yes, I thought the meaning was 'tossing something away' and have said it a few times
DH explained it to me.

I prefer my interpretation of it.

Aaaah but only "real men wear pink" Bluebelle

No problem with that I have two grandsons same age ( Teens ) one happily wears pink built like a brick s h other wouldn't even carry a surf board that had pink on it when we went to the beach haha

I wouldn't think its a suitable phrase for a child so well done to your son in law for taking a stand.
It was quite funny though, does that make me hypocritical?

Ha, ha, didn't expect Jalima to have such a mouth on her! Just canvassed DGS, 5, on fairies. He doesn't like them and neither to his male class mates. However, Oakley, male, likes Barbies and Peter likes pink.

I said 'I don't give a toss' about something to DH and he was horrified that I would say such a thing. Is that swearing or not?

Oh dear. My dad almost shouted that in a quiet pub in Northumberland Jalima! The entire pub turned around and looked at us and a few young 'uns burst out laughing. My dad didn't think he had said anything out of place and looked around quite astonished making it look like my DH had said it !!

I think my dad says it to mean "a throw away remark" (toss away) whereas most younger people take it to mean the ruder version . Dare I say it? "I don't give a masturbation"

Well I laughed Anya

I wouldn't like to hear my grandchildren saying it but I'm happy to say it. I do find myself saying things that I am quite shocked about!

I never ever say the f word or the c word - well I do use them about the Idiot but normal rules don't apply for him!

I use the expression and I wouldn't be terribly shocked if a teen or young teen accidently came out with it but would I encourage it, no would I put a sign up in my garden, no would I think it funny for a 10 year old to use it No so I m with your sil here Not suitable at all
I don't think there is any problem with a ten year old boy being into fairies but Alina is right it's unusual but nothing wrong with unusual ....good for him

Think so Jalima . Young people now use the F word as a general expressive word, not necessarily a swear word to use when they're annoyed. I cannot criticise. I can swear for Britain when the mood takes me, especially when driving and I've even made up my own swear words by amalgamating several well known ones together! Fortunately I work alone most of the time so I can F and blind to my heart's content! But I don't swear where children could hear me.

No, I think I've become more tolerant and I took note of something a friend whose first language was not English, and who was aware thst he made mistakes, who said: Listen to the meaning not the words. So now I do that.

I don't think "don't piss off the fairies" is in the least bit coarse, whereas angrily shouting Piss Off! at someone could be.

I may say it occasionally but not in the presence of my DGC as I wouldn't like to think that they were repeating it at school or anywhere in fact.
However, I would probably use it to DH if he really really annoyed me.

Twenty+ years ago I was more prudish about the phrase but I'm not any more.
is everyday language becoming coarser?

If one told someone to piss off in an irritated manner, that would be different. How an expression is used matters as well as what it is.

I like it, anya. Piss off just means annoy in my book. Twenty+ years ago I was more prudish about the phrase but I'm not any more.

I think I'm with SIL! Is it swearing or not?
I said 'I don't give a toss' about something to DH and he was horrified that I would say such a thing. Is that swearing or not?

And don't forget that Mrs Tiggy Winkle, Squirrel Nutkin, Benjamin Bunny et al can all READ!!
Although I think that naughty Benjamin Bunny may quite like the sign.

Homebase are advertising 'a garden wonderland ' for children and it looks wonderful.

Anya....there's nothing wrong with the sign "per sa". It's just not suitable for a 10 year old boy or a 10 year old girl!. IMO

Didn't say they shouldn't Chewbacca. Said I didn't realise they did. Also said it must be me. I never did fairies either. When I was at infant school a teacher said that if I didn't believe in fairies it would make them cry. That has stuck with me for nearly 60 years, a very odd thing to say. I would prefer a sign that said "fairies are crap" though I wouldn't give it house room or want my DGS/D to have one.

Why shouldn't a 10 years old boy like fairies Alima? Don't see what age or gender has to do with it to be honest. My granddaughter is obsessed with Superman, Spiderman and Ben Ten, she has no interest at all in dolls or fairies. So what?

Have to agree with other posters. It's not really a term that a child should consider normal. I have no doubt that in future years he may use it but at his age I think his father is right.

I think it must be me. Didn't realise that boys "did" fairies, and as for that sign for a 10 year old, well, words fail me. Is this a wind up?

My view on anything like this is - would I want my GS to say PO in any form - the answer is no so it wouldn't be going in my garden or anywhere else.

I would find it mildly amusing for an adult but definitely not for where children could see it. I swear like a stevedore myself, but never, ever, in front of, or in earshot of children.

Doesn't really go with the nice ambiance of a fairy grotto, Anya, Perhaps you could create your own fairy grotty Ohhps sorry meant grotto?& put in lots of naughty things that the kids can't see ?