What do you tell a child a girls bits are called?

Kris - posted on 04/16/2012

My son said, "How do you go pee without a penis?" Basically I told him that girls are made differently and everything is tucked inside while boys have their private parts to go pee pee on the outside. He's 8 now and he asked me that at 5 years old. So far that's the last time it has come up. We also call things by their proper names.

Venice - posted on 04/16/2012

I have always used medical terms, as that is the only way to explain things to any doctor when you go. Most doctors, especially men without children, don't know the many silly things that people have come up with. Taco, I mean, come on, really? Or twinkie?

Random - posted on 04/16/2012

Doesn't anyone remember the word vulva anymore?

Robyn - posted on 04/15/2012

7yr old girl and 3 1/2yr old boy in our house. penis and nuts (NZ slang for testicals) for him and fanny (once again NZ slang for vagina) for her.

Cindy - posted on 04/15/2012

I have also taught my children the correct names of their "private parts" because I heard a grown man call his penis a pee pee. I thought that his parents must be so proud. That was before I had children and I vowed then and there to tell them the correct names.

I also agree with what research has shown. A high level of comfort with the correct terms of your body is important with respect to self and can also be important later in life with regard to self-esteem and sexuality. It is also a HUGE deterrent for sexual abuse and rape because the person is more apt to be secure with their sexuality. Please note that sexuality and sex are very different.

Here is a great way to understand sexuality: Many of us have been conditioned to perceive our own sexual desires to be dirty or shameful. We learn even as children to judge our bodies according to socially defined stereotypes of beauty and attractiveness. We may then lose respect for our uniqueness, and judge ourselves in relation to others. This can have an impact on the way we experience ourselves sexually.

Understanding this may provide a new opportunity to think about sexuality, but at the same time, it may require certain questions to be asked and answered for the first time. Learning to talk comfortably about sex and to acknowledge one's feelings may be the most important skills to learn in the face of such dangers as HIV, unplanned pregnancy situations and acquaintance rape.

Taking a Human Sexuality course in a college would provide knowledge beyond anything you can come up with on your own. I highly recommend it to everyone at any age! Just my opinion. Hope this helps.

Laetitia - posted on 04/15/2012

girls have a little flower here :))

(and i tell my daughter boys don't have any, they have a little bird instead)

But she exactly know there's other terms for adults one (like she say laughting "i have a tiny belly and you, mum, you have big stomach")



in fact in France most of people said "tail" for human penis but that's adult slang. That's why i don't use kitty for vigina cause French slang means "female cat" and that's not nice at all to ear (here :)) )



But i read the post about predators and i imagine that could be a brake for some to ear correct words from childrens. I'll think about it and speak about it in a family meeting to see if we need to change habits^^

Julie - posted on 04/15/2012

Vagina. Telling your boys they have 'tails' is hilarious and just a bit wrong.

Heidi - posted on 04/14/2012

Vagina. That's it. My daughter's 2 and since she was born, we've been calling it her vagina.

Rachelle - posted on 04/14/2012

I have always told my kids the correct name for their private parts. My son is three and he knows he has a penis and he will tell you that. I also have a two year old and we she is wiping herself after going to the washroom I tell her to wipe her vagina. I just don't like the nicknames. I think it's important for them to know the correct names of all their body parts.

Krista - posted on 04/12/2012

as for a cutesy name for toe, my daughter calls her toes piggys. just saying.. Also my children call their privater area's their private parts. I don't see anything wrong with that. Obviously they know that that's their "private parts"

Charity - posted on 04/11/2012

We taught our daughter that breasts are "chee chees" and the vagina is a "hoo-hoo."

Charise - posted on 04/10/2012

I have 3 daughters and at the moment (4,3,1) we call them little girl bits. I dont think this is going to make things harder in life for them. When they are a little older they will call the area by its proper name or by private parts. Whatever they are comfortable with. We have male cousins and we call his part a penis, and daddy has a penis but sometimes it is little boy bits. You call them what makes you comfortable, but remember the proper term for them is not vulgar or rude. They are your children and you will teach them.

Elizabeth - posted on 04/10/2012

I feel it is important to teach children the correct terms for their body parts from the beginning. We should not rename them out of our own embarrassment or fear of judgment. My daughter will grow up to be proud of her body and all of its parts!

Samara - posted on 04/09/2012

Depends on were you live pusspuss ,vajaja, cunt and cooter are famous where I live

Kacie - posted on 04/09/2012

Thank you, Jennifer! its one of mine too! if you (general) know the correct term is vulva, WHY are you (general) calling it and teaching that its vagina!? they are two totally different parts of the female anatomy. its OK to teach them both, but also teach them which is which and what the difference is

Jennifer - posted on 04/09/2012

It's a personal pet peeve, so I'm sorry, but I have to point out that the correct term for female genitalia in general is vulva. The vagina is the part a baby comes out of/penis can go into. The rest of a woman's genitals are the clitoris, labia, and urethra or urinary opening. Vulva is the correct word for the entire area.

Margarita - posted on 04/09/2012

I'm all for calling them by their actual names: penis, vagina, testicles, etc. I suppose in a pinch, it could be the boy bits and girl bits, but I think that's just making life harder. I'd be worried about calling the penis a tail since a penis is in the front and tails are in the back. If there is ever a medical problem, they might confuse the nurse or doctor that is treating them.

Christen - posted on 04/07/2012

my daughter knows what her vagina is called. she calls it by what it is. she knows the good touch / bad touch and all that. she was 2 when i taught her. before that she just pointed. when she started talking i started teaching her what it was called. when i would change her i always used the proper name. the boys know that they have a penis and they (since they are quite a bit older than my 4 y/o) know what girls have as well. my daughter knows, what boy's have and what it's called. and not to show her parts to anyone.

Rachael - posted on 04/06/2012

Um, dogs have tails, boys have penises. Girls have vaginas and vulvas.

Teresa - posted on 04/04/2012

Yeah, even though I know it's vulva (and so do my 10 year old girls) I've never once HAD to use that word for anything. Vagina is more than sufficient.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 04/04/2012

I'm 30 and in health care. Vagina and perineal area are sufficient enough for me. If you say those areas I know what you're talking about.

Kathleen - posted on 04/04/2012

Yes Casey, you are correct... we have not gotten that far with our girls... their clitoris has been the easier most obvious part that they see/hurt etc. Sorry for the confusion. And same with vulva... for 6, 5 & 5... Vagina and Clitoris has been sufficient... that may change next week!!!

Kacie - posted on 04/04/2012

VULVA, PEOPLE!! The vagina is INSIDE! The outer part is the vulva (along with labia, clitoris)

Casey - posted on 04/04/2012

Um, Kathleen you don't pee from your clitoris, you pee from your Urethra, a tiny opening below your clitoris. The The clitoris functions to cause sexual pleasure and create orgasms as well as make a woman aroused.

Kathleen - posted on 04/04/2012

I have 3 girls and I have always told them they have a clitoris and a vagina. I've backed that up with 'these are things we talk about in private'. I wanted them the know that they pee from their clitoris. Obviously we have not gotten into what happens with the vagina. So far, this has worked for us. They are 6, 5 & 5. Anytime they have had a question, I answer as honestly as possible, within reason. As for boy parts, they know that boys have a penis, I do not feel it is necessary to go further into detail about balls and such.

Lunacloud - posted on 03/23/2012

When you say "pinky" is that a penis or are you referring to your little toe. I have never called my little toe a pinky. I always thought a pinky was a baby mouse!

Vernet - posted on 12/22/2011

From day one I have either said vagina or gina and sometimes jj just b/c it sounds like gina would start wit a j. Now that my daughter is 2 she has no problem saying "mommy my gina hurts" and I know she understatnds b/c she I ask her to show me where. Of course this is not always the case sometimes it might just be scratchy but she don't know the differents. This is how I know whether Im cleaning her good enough b/c we went through a phase were she would close her legs tight because she didnt want anyone near her butt (problems wit constipation).

Anna - posted on 12/20/2011

Teresa's experience seems to be very good - she was the first to respond to you saying peepee. It is typical of many from my experiences. I admit I've been caught by my son while changing clothes as well and when asked about why I didn't have anything down there I gave him all the proper terminology, penis, vagina, etc without going into too much detail the first time. But, as the years went on he asked about girls and things like that and we did have more intimate discussions about the parts of the body. ALWAYS when at a loss I find it best to refer to the parts of the body properly Penis, vagina, labia, clitoris (not clit), testicles, etc. Since you didn't say how old your boys are I can't advise further. If they are at the curious age you may need to talk more in depth, but, in my humble opinion you should not volunteer too much information and simply answer their questions as they present them. That way you may get lucky like Teresa did and the questions come to an end.

Christen - posted on 12/15/2011

when i was growing up my parrents were honest with me about everything. and i in turn am honest with my kids. i never wanted to give them cute little pet names as it might give them the wrong idea later when they are older.

Rachel - posted on 12/12/2011

My 3yo uses Willy and Gina (said like vagina but without the va-). My 9yo did the same and it hasn't hurt her. My son somehow also thinks that when he's bigger it will turn into a penis... will deal with that when needed. Kids will call it what ever they feel comfortable with, and that comes from you.

Jane - posted on 12/11/2011

I had never in my life heard some of the female nicknames until I met my husband and I honestly thought that he made them up until after we had our first child and another mom friend used one of the same terms he'd "taught" me, not sure how to spell these silly names but coochie and hoochie and cooter,... It was not as though I led any sort of sheltered life by any means and I was in my late 20's when he said them, early 30's when the other mom friend said them too. Too weird.

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 12/10/2011

Jo Ann, I would honestly think my child was talking about a dildo if he or she said that about her private parts.

Penis and Vagina (and vulva) are good enough.

Jo-Ann - posted on 12/10/2011

I call it a didalow....That's what my parents called mine so I pass it on :-)

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 12/09/2011

Thank you Joanna. I;m sorry that you had to go through that. The same thing happened with my mom and her sisters.

Joanna - posted on 12/09/2011

As some others have said, I would call them by their real and proper names. I use the correct terms for my kids and I will tell you why. I was never part of any study and don't talk much about this, but as a child I was molested sexually. I called my parts a weeweeer, as we called it weewee when we urinated. So our parts were called that with an er on the end. I was not educated on correct terms and only told they were privates. I didn't know what to call them and my abusers used various names, so I believe it when they say perps look for that. My kids will use the correct terms and may not completely protect them, but it may give them a better chance. My son one day yelled out that his penis hurt. We all knew right away what he was talking about and checked him to find out his underwear was caught. It made me realize how normal it is, and how good it is to just use the correct terms. There was no embarrassment, just a quick fix to a real problem. I felt so confused as a kid being molested not even knowing the correct terms to tell someone, and I do believe abusers look for that naivete in children. I never told anyone until I was adult. But short answer is call it a vagina and a vulva, and call the boy parts a penis. Every adult knows those terms, why shouldn't kids.

Blessed - posted on 12/08/2011

say the correct thing or just say mom will tell you when you're a little older!

Shawnn - posted on 12/07/2011

Fro those using the excuse that "I haven't taught them proper terms because I don't want them blurting them out in public"...What an excuse! Do you not have the conversation about what's appropriate in public? How do you expect your children to learn how to be appropriate in public, then?

I certainly hope no one molests anyone's kids, but seriously, folks! If some little girl told me that Johny touched her poot-nanny, I'd be asking which doll she was talking about!

If you are truly that uncomfortable, or that ashamed to talk about your bodies, then your children will be as well. And I feel sorry for anyone who is too ashamed of their own body to be able to refer to their vagina/vulva/penis/scrotum, etc.

No, my boys don't call their penis their penis. However, they know what it's called. They're in HS and MS now, and the "fashionable term" unit. But that's for "polite" company...LOL...When my eldest was hospitalized for kidney failure last year, he had no problem talking about his penis, etc.

Alessia - posted on 12/07/2011

It's called a VAGINA.

I have two boys as well. They have a PENIS.

Seriously. They're our body parts. There's no reason why we can't teach the proper names.

Kyleigh - posted on 10/30/2011

my boys say Wenis for some reason oh well *shrugs* they know the real term.

Nicole - posted on 10/30/2011

My husband and I call genitalia by the proper terms: penis and vagina. I don't believe in adding cutesy words to them. After all, they are proper terms. However, my mother-in-law refers to a girl's parts as "bunny" which my daughter (5 year old) has picked up. She calls it her vagina when she is with us; a bunny, when she is with my mother in law.

Emilie - posted on 10/29/2011

My son is 9 and he usually calls his a Penis or Pee Pee. My daughter is almost 5 and she calls hers a Pee Pee or, her fathers family taughter her to call it Poot-nanny I honestly don't know where they got that from.

Patty - posted on 10/22/2011

I think children should be taught the proper names for their body parts...I have 3...23 (girl), 8 & 6 (both boys) and they have known from the beginning that boys have a penis and girls have vaginas..I don't understand what the big deal is about teaching them proper terms

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 10/18/2011

I don't know, sometimes it's funny when my 7 year old blurts out that her cat had his testicles cut off. Usually it's at the grocery store.

My 7 year old knows the correct terms, but she knows to say there's something wrong with her privates in public.

Grace - posted on 10/18/2011

I taught my daughter to use the word girlfriend for her private parts and my nephew using the term boyfriend. I would stay away from actual terminology for awhile. Just until they are hold enough to not use those words in public. Like while in a restaurant and exclaiming that their vaginas hurt or is itchy. Not cool. :)

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 10/17/2011

Cacee seriously are you that Naive? I'm not trying to be rude or anything but really? My mom and her sisters were all molested by an uncle, they were all told no one would believe them if they did tell. And he told them he'd kill their parents. Sexual predators can be in your own family and of course a parent would leave a child with a family member if they didn't know what was going on. That's what made it so easy for my mom's uncle. I don't doubt for a second that my grandparents would've allowed their daughters to go camping with that uncle if they knew what was going on. And when my grandparents did find out they did keep their daughters from him. Also it's been proven that most cases of sexual abuse are from someone a child knows.

Teaching your child the proper names for their anatomy teaches your child that their private parts aren't something to be ashamed of which I believe also gives them power over someone who would molest them.

Honestly I wouldn't use the terms my mom taught me on my 7 year old or my 7 month old. Nor would I use silly things like kitty, flower, hoo haw or tail. I don't understand what is so shameful about teaching your child proper anatomy. Penis, scrotum, vagina, vulva, testicals.

My 7 year old knows boys have a penis, girls have a vagina and that babies are grown in the uterus and come out of the hole behind where you pee from. And in reguards to sexual predators, I told my daughter what my mom told me. Don't believe someone when they say you won't be believed or that they'll hurt you or your parents, you just tell me and your dad. We'll believe you. I don't want my daughter to go through what my mom did so I am telling her what her private parts are.

Cacee - posted on 10/17/2011

I totally agree with you!!! My girls use the word kitty-kitty for vagina and booty for there butt I totally believe that if someone was messing with my children they would know how to explain it to me.!!! I don't believe any two yr or toddler for that matter should know the PROPER names for there private parts that is a PRIVATE matter and I will teach them the proper names at the proper times. Also I believe that if a sexual predotor was messing with a child no matter what they call there parts if a sick person wants to mess with your child they will. Also why would a toddler/preschool age child be somewhere without a parent!!! My kids are not goin anywhere out of my sight until they are old enough to take care of themselves.

Danielle - posted on 10/10/2011

I have two boys, and use the correct names for private parts. I want them growing up knowing it is okay to talk about "privates". I know a lot of moms that chose not to for fear of their children growing up too fast, but I feel if they always kinda know a penis is a penis and a vagina is a vagina, it is no big deal. I don't think we should be ashamed to use the proper names for body parts. I do try to teach my boys there are times it is inappropriate though. Also, what if your child is injured or was touched in their private areas? If a little girl is talking about how her "flower" was touched, someone may not know what she is talking about, and may not do anything about it. No mistaking if she uses the proper names. So, even my boys know that boys and girls are different. I don't overload them with the facts of life, but if they ask, I tell them. My 5 year old asked where babies come from and I answered it with the generic "when mommy and daddy love each other enough they get pregnant..." I will never lie or make up stuff when it comes to the facts of life with my children. I believe it is a lot more shocking and damaging when they start to learn things from friends at school or on their own. I rather them get their facts from a trusted source... mommy or daddy.

Holly - posted on 10/05/2011

My son and daughter both have "potty parts." It gives them the idea of the function plus the fact that after they potty or do things down there (fix undies, etc.), we need to wash hands. It also makes it easy to do the training on "bad touching" because you can just explain that Momma, Daddy or the Doctor can look at your potty parts but no one else, etc.

Casey - posted on 10/05/2011

I call them her little girl parts. She is 6 years old and laughs at the correct way. She was raised by a single dad. The most wonderful single dad in the world but girls need a mom.
When she gets a little older and a little more mature then Ill start explaining to her what they are called. Ive always told my boys that girls have inside pee-pees. They are only 4 and I dont think they need to know the whole thing yet. Just that they are different. Oh and boys have outside pee-pees. If you ask my cousin's daughter boys have sticky out pee pees. I thought it was cute.

Kacie - posted on 10/04/2011

people are calling it a 'vagina' instead of 'vulva' because they themselves dont know, so they tell the same to their kids and then thats what their kids know and so on and so on.

right now, stick with vulva. when she's older and asks more in depth questions, then you can distinguish the 2 for her