Six year old Ritchie is that impressionable time in his life. He is showing some interest in reading - mostly by imitating Rob in looking at the morning newspaper - more specifically in picking up a word here and there as opposed to actually reading, sometimes not really understanding the meaning of the words. So when Ritchie says a bad word to Laura, Laura is beside herself not knowing what to do. Both Rob and Laura believe that Ritchie doesn't understand what the word means, but while Laura doesn't want to speak at all to Ritchie about it believing he will say it again just to act up if he knows what it means, Rob thinks it is best to speak to Ritchie and tell him that it is a bad word (without actually saying the word) that he should never say again. Rob wins, and he speaks to Ritchie who seems to understand. Rob and Laura hope that is the end of that. But when Ritchie not only says another bad word the following day but mentions it in a slightly more public venue, Rob and Laura are at their wits end. They ultimately believe that Ritchie is picking up the words from an older boy named Tommy Kirk whose family has just moved into the neighborhood and who they have yet to meet. Rob wants to give Mr. Kirk a piece of his mind. But when Rob and Laura finally meet Mr. & Mrs. Kirk, then they realize the new parents, in their neighborhood, is a Church pastor & his devout wife. Then, Rob has a solo conversation, with Ritchie: (a father-to-son explanation) to stop saying bad words & not to start name-calling.
—Huggo