Isn't it CRAZY how we...?

...Overuse the word "crazy?

There's a move afoot to become sensitive to all the ways in which we use the word "crazy." I get that. I'm old enough now to see words go in and out of use: for culture, sexual orientation, ability, mental illness etc.

What seems to happen is terms are coined to get away from the negative connotations or pejorative use of the preceding term. The new word starts out as neutral. But in a generation it's pejorative again.

The underlying issue is the continued fear and misunderstanding of difference. If we all keep doing our work on that, and minding how we use our words, I bet terms would become less pejorative, or at least take much longer to get there.

It makes it tricky for parents, though, because "crazy" has entered the vernacular. It's applied to everything from a tasty meal, to a great YouTube video, to a killer skateboard move. And not just kids use it either. I use it all the time, now that I think about it. Usually in a positive context, like "crazy-great." By which I mean something that was so great, that it goes beyond simple greatness. 

Much more creative parents than I suggest turning it into a game. First of all, trying finding a more specific adjective to describe what you mean. For example, instead of "These cookies are CRAAAAZY!... try "These cookies are more awesome than _________!" Or a teacher's suggestion... after explaining how 'crazy' can be hurtful, try cuing the child with "Shoulda Said..." and letting the child come up with a better way of saying it. 

Encouraging people to understand cognitive differences differently neural diversity is the best bet in the long term. For some extra reading try learning about neurodiversity here, and the MAD Pride movement here. For more on how terminology evolves over time, try this one for intellectual disability rather than mental illness.