Use of the word "butt" appropriate for kids aged 6-9?

It's used on the cover of The Day My Butt Went Psycho (The Day my Bum ... in the UK/Oz). I think its offensiveness these days is minimal, but can't speak for the American market. With a title like TDMBWS you know what you're in for.

I'm not sure...we always said "booty" around our daughter when she was younger. She's 10 now, and we still mostly say "booty," but we don't consider it a slip-up if we call it "butt," and I wouldn't mind if she were reading something that used the word, as long as it wasn't in a derogatory way.

I am an elementary school teacher, and if someone says 'butt' in school it tends to elicit quite a reaction. Most students in your target age group (in my school anyway) react strongly as though something taboo has been uttered.

'Bottom' is usually a safe term to use for kids that age. Most teachers will say "sit on your bottom" and no one reacts like they do for 'butt'.

My son was reading Captain Underpants at that age, which uses 'butt' among other words some people find mildly offensive, and I certainly didn't have any problem with it. Nor did the millions of parents who also bought that series.

Come to think of it, Dr. Seuss uses 'butt' for comic effect in "Too Many Daves." Then again, he also got away with 'Soggy Muff' in the same piece, so he might not be typical.

It depends on the publisher -- publishers that sell mostly to school markets such as Scholastic, will at least question it. As Larry M. mentioned it still gets a tee-hee at that age.

There is a very funny picture book called Chicken Cheeks by Michael Black published by Simon and Schuster that uses ever single euphemism you can think of….but never says butt. Which is part of the joke. Kids roll on the floor laughing when I read it.

Anyway, use it if it feels right to you. The publisher will not decline the book bc of that word. They will just ask you to change it.

As a mother (of a 6 year old boy) I don't have a problem with the word "butt" being used to refer to the "bottom", "bum", "rear", whatever you call it. In our house we alternate between "butt" and "bum". My son wouldn't bat an eye. Its not taboo to him. However, I do have a problem with it being used in terms like "butthead". So, my point is that it's all in the context.

Kersten said:

… There is a very funny picture book called Chicken Cheeks by Michael Black published by Simon and Schuster that uses ever single euphemism you can think of….but never says butt. Which is part of the joke. Kids roll on the floor laughing when I read it…

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Thanks for the heads up - I'll have to look for that book.

Butt is a bad word? huh. Did not know that.

I told my kid to sit on his butt all the time. To move his butt. And now that he's showering on his own I tell him to make sure to wash his butt twice.

Butt. Who knew??

If used properly, it's perfectly appropriate for kids of all ages. It is not a dirty word. , and I don't think I've met a parent who didn't use it, or who didn't let their children use it.

Kersten said:

There is a very funny picture book called Chicken Cheeks by Michael Black published by Simon and Schuster that uses ever single euphemism you can think of….but never says butt. Which is part of the joke. Kids roll on the floor laughing when I read it.

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And there's another book titled Chicken Butt (with a sequel: Chicken Butt's Back); Amazon's target age range is preschool-1st grade.

I'd say it depends on what kind of story you're writing, and how you're writing it. What word for "posterior" flows better with your prose? Butt? Bottom? Bum? Backside? As mentioned, a publisher will change it if it has an objection.

I think the use is cultural. The only time I hear booty is if someone is gonna shake theirs. We use bottom, rear (or rear end) tush, tuchus (Yiddish), backside and butt. Butt is the most scatological.