what did you teach your son to call his penis?

Jacqueline - posted on 07/07/2010

i think its smart to teach him the real word that is what it is :) also when u make a big deal about a word as in when he says it and u laugh that says to him its funny and gets a reaction out of you and that he should keep saying it to get that reaction if u dont make it a big deal neither will he ..he may say it everytime hes naked but then its not a big deal thats what i havebeen doing and so far my son has only mentioned it when hes naked and even then it was only once or twice

Clara - posted on 07/07/2010

I dont know where beans came from but he came up with that one himself.

Kerri - posted on 07/07/2010

I always remember when I was little a friend saying the word vagina and I was like what the hell is that!!!-i was about 7/8 at the time, I had always called it my 'flower' and didn't know it was actually called something else. I don't know why I just hate the thought of a child saying vagina, penis doesn't bother me as much. I have no idea why this is! I am about to train as a midwife and have no problems saying it myself and talking very openly about genitalia and what some people might consider embarrassing problems (to do with childbirth etc) I have always called it a pee-pee to my son who is three and will call it a flower or minnie to my daughter when she is old enough to talk. I've had a very long think actually since reading this I can't put my finger on why I am slightly against using the proper terms for male/female private parts. I suppose it's a bit like calling someone retarded I wouldn't let my children use that word even though it's meaning is defined in the dictionary and used against people with mental difficulties, the same goes for other words, just because it's the correct term and meaning sometimes words just don't sit right with little ones. It just isn't a nice word to hear coming from their mouth when they are very young and so innocent. When they are a bit older I don't have any problems with it around the age of 5 or so, but not with toddlers. Also I don't think It's very difficult to learn it's just one word that your telling them has another meaning. I used to call a remote control a bee-bop because I couldn't say it, and when I could I still called it a bee-bop but knew it was also called a remote control. Kid's are smart, and if anything did happen to your child as in sexual abuse they can point to the area, also you would know the name they call it anyway so if they did say 'flower' you would be able to tell the police officer that is what it is called.

Helen - posted on 07/07/2010

my son is 2years and 4 months and he calls his a willy

Liza - posted on 07/06/2010

just tell him that it is his penis, when i was a high school student my Filipino teacher told us that we should tell if it is a penis or vagina not a birdie(for penis), or a flower(for vagina) or whatever... WHY? it is because it is a part of our body. it's like saying the head, the arm and the like.... when my kids start to recognize their parts of their body, i told what it really called... i hope it helps

Lerin - posted on 07/06/2010

For all intents & purposes- my sister & I called them our 'tooties' when we were kids, and my brother & nephew who are the same age called theirs 'peter weeters' and it eventually got shortened to 'weeter'. My sis still tells her 5 yr old to 'wash your peter weeter' but he says penis.
I just followed tradition & called my older daughter's a 'tootie' and my husband thought it was weird, but eventually started saying it too- when asked what they called parts when he was growing up, he said they didn't call them anything.
My 7yr old has shortened 'tootie' to 'tutu' for my 18m old who happily announces 'tutu' at diaper changes & bathtime etc.

Stephanie - posted on 07/06/2010

I would teach him penis, I had a course with my local police station. They informed me if anything were to happen to your child and they didn't know the proper terms it does something to your statement. Such as if my daughter were molested which i pray she never is, and she said mommy that man touched my coochie. They can't look at it like if she were to go in and say this man touched my vagina. My children know their body parts, and they are 18 months and 3. I have noticed the only time my daughter speaks of them is A) if she sees it or B) if her vagina is hurting. When I change my son and my daughter is around she says Mommy, Cody has a penis.

K - posted on 07/06/2010

buggy and beans is so cute!

Clara - posted on 07/06/2010

I taught my son to call it his peter bug, but he has just been calling it his buggy and than when he was 2 1/2 he started saying his buggy and beans. I dont know where he got it but I thought it was funny.

Amber - posted on 07/06/2010

u should teach him the real word

Stephanie - posted on 07/06/2010

My mom is a teacher and she told me once, what you dont teach your children about 'their' sexuality they will learn from some other kid in the first grade....so I have decided that using the correct names and answering questions is best. I dont want my kiddo learning about her 'vay-jay-jay from Sally in her class LOL

K - posted on 07/06/2010

We are teaching him the correct words, but on occasion we will say something like wiener, wee, or willy when he is in the bath. Already he points at his testicles and says, "balls!" with enthusiasm. :-)

Maggie - posted on 07/06/2010

teach him the real word because that is what it is. there should be no embarrassment or anything like if he goes around calling it by it's real name. my son isn't there yet but my daughter is. she knows that she has a vagina, and her brother has a penis. why turn it into something it's not?

Elizabeth - posted on 07/06/2010

I have 2 boys, almost 13 and almost 4, they both have always said "penis". Mostly, because if ANYTHING ever happened I don't want me, or any other safe adult guessing at what they're talking about.

Tasia - posted on 07/06/2010

We taught my nephew to call it "mini-me" It's worked soo far, and it's not really a big deal when he talks about it in public or in front of people. He started calling it that when he was about 14-15 months and he still calles it that and he will be turning 5 this Sept. So, it's an option!

Jessica - posted on 07/06/2010

My husband taught our son to call it his petro and when he says it it sounds like he calls it his pizza roll lol it is hilarious!!

Nikki - posted on 07/06/2010

I use 'gina' for my almost two yr old girl and she knows where her gina is she couldnt say 'VA' gina so we shortened it and my 4 yr old son calls his part a doodle or penis and have never had issues but they do tend to use these words in inappropriate times!! hahaha

Shae - posted on 07/06/2010

We taught our son "penis" and "vagina" from the very beginning. Those are not dirty or bad words. They are body parts. No need to call it by some sort of code word.

Maggie - posted on 07/06/2010

I think you should go with whatever makes you comfortable. I taught my 6 year old to call it a wee wee. I didn't teach him private parts until recently because he was getting more and more interested in his little sister and her parts. I never thought about teaching him other words for the ladies privates. Until one day last year I was wearing a dress that was strapless. I didn't know it but part of my boob had fell out of my dress. My son looked at me and pointed and he said "Mom, your heart is hanging out." I thought I would die laughing. He knows the proper words but it is his choice to use them. I know what your saying about the molestation. But you also need to teach your kids what is appropriate and what isn't appropriate. My son knows even 2 years ago. That it is inappropriate for anyone exept himself to touch his penis unless it is hurting. Even then he only allows myself, my husband, or his doctor to look at it and touch it.

Sarah - posted on 07/06/2010

My sons, ages 3yrs and 22 months, have called their body parts by the correct name since the day they learned them. I haven't had a problem with it. My oldest would periodically bring it up at awkward moments, but I quickly realized that I was the only one who even realized what he was saying! He pronounced it very well and clearly, but people would either assume he was babbling or mispronouncing "fingers" or something else. And nobody who did understand him reacted poorly. It didn't take him long, either, to learn that we don't talk about it in public. I just told him that private parts are private, and some people get embarrased when you talk about it around them, so we need to be kind and not talk about it except with Mama and Daddy. Now that he has a little sister, he has asked why she doesn't have a penis, and I was honest and explained that boys have penises (peni?) and girls have vaginas. If you make it seem taboo, they will dwell and bring it up, but if you state it matter-of-factly, your kids won't think anything of it! Again, it is your choice, and I don't think there is anything wrong with coming up with a cutesy name that makes you more comfortable. But I also don't think there's anything wrong with teaching them the real names, so I did!

Meghan - posted on 07/06/2010

my son calls (21 months) it a penis or a peepee...depending on what he is doing with it. If he pees, he calls it a peepee (I guess cause that's what "it" is doing) But generally he calls it a penis.
I hate slang words or rude words for himself or a woman's parts. And I would be very upset if he ever used them. And than you to the few woman that talked about the molestation part of this. I had never even thought about that!

Amanda - posted on 07/06/2010

I taught my son to call it a loodle loodle b/c he had just learned noodle and my sister had a son who called his loodle. It made things more simple that way.

Renee - posted on 07/06/2010

oh i love what we taught our son to call his.....a doodle. Terrible where we got it but it came from Bart Simpson. I really liked it b/c we know and he knows but not everyone knows what we are talking about. That way its not so embarrassing in public plus its super cute. When he gets a bit older we will graduate to calling it a penis. I hate all the other names. But rest assured, when school starts they will learn all of those! But in our house it will be penis.

Jennifer - posted on 07/06/2010

I ALSO AGREE WIT THE OTHER POST DEF NUMBER 1 TEACH HIM THE SCIENTIFIC NAME BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE OF MADE UP NAMES

Jennifer - posted on 07/06/2010

I THINK IF UR SON ASKS U TELL WHATEVER YOU DO DO NOT MAKE UP WORDS AT BEST IF U ARE UNCOMFORTABLE SAY PEE- PEE KIDS HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THERE BODY AND ITS NOT A BAD WORD ALTHOUGH IF FOR WHATEVER REASON HE RAN AROUND SAYING MY PENIS...THEN GOOD ANOTHER POINT TO TEACH HIM YES ITS YOUR PENIS AND YOUR PRIVACY ITS FOR YOU TO KEEP TO YOURSELF AND NO 1 SHOULD BOTHER IT ...THIS WAY YOU TEACH HIM NOT TO BE SHAMEFUL AND HE WILL ALSO BE ALERTFULL OF PRADATORS (especially in this day and age soo many bad ppl) these are my plans we must teach are kids to be smart and defnitaley not shy away. BE HONEST AND DIRECT!! If other things or conversations arise frm this handle as they come after all its the only way to learn and life brings suprises all the time. ITS ALL GOOD=)

Tam - posted on 07/06/2010

Laura, GLAD to hear it! I teach sex education in high school & you would be surprised how many kids do not know the correct names for their genitals. Sad really, no parent would call their child's Arm anything but arm...Should you want a more generic term for when you are in public, I just use "Genitals" some people use "Private Parts", the part that scares me about Private Parts is that while they need to learn about privacy...it implies secret which is what the child molesters go for, and what allows them to repeatedly molest a child...So what if your child yells out Penis at the grocery store, most people laugh & smile, it's a funny sounding word, just not as funny when it's your own kid saying it! LOL

Laura Zoey - posted on 07/06/2010

Tam and Erin thankyou you 2 have made up my mind and we will use the proper names in my family. I looked into the molestation thing and found you 2 are right on. This is great to know and I will do anything i can to help Eric avoid the nasties in the world!
thankyou, for the info and now I am content with my decision:)

Erin - posted on 07/06/2010

I know a lot of people have already responded, but this issue is something that I have had a little education on. I was a Sunday School teacher for my church and we had a class on preventing and recognizing signs of child abuse (especially sexual). Part of the training was watching a video where convicted child molesters talked about how they picked their victims. They said that the children that were the easiest targets were the ones who did not know the proper names for their private parts. At the time, I had one son and was wondering what I should teach him for those body parts. After seeing the video, I decided that my children will learn the proper terms for their privates.

Ashley - posted on 07/06/2010

I think at this age, it's not imperative to know the correct names for body parts. I call my son's his 'weewee' or 'peepee', everytime I change his diaper he will grab himself or point down there & day 'peepee'. Do whatever you are comfortable with. I am sure when they get older they will learn the correct terms. Good luck.

Jasmin - posted on 07/06/2010

it is whatever HE is comfortable with. teach him all of the different names, childish and scientific and see what he feels best calling it. as long as he knows what it is, it shouldn't matter either way.

Tam - posted on 07/06/2010

It is always best to teach children their correct body part names from the start. Research shows children that know (and use) the correct body part names are less likely to be molested because it scares the predator away. And, is it really any less bad if he runs around the grocery store yelling "my Wee Wee is getting bigger!"? If you starts going around "this is my penis" and at some point he will, far more likely when it's new funny word & he's older, you will say, "yes, that is your penis, where is your ear" in as matter a fact voice as you can manage (it's harder at the grocery store or restaurant) because that distracts him, redirects him & moves him onto something else...The more matter of fact & less embarrassed you can manage, the less "fun" the new word will be.

Atiesha - posted on 07/06/2010

I told my 2 year old son to call it his peder weder or hsi padle wackle

Nicole - posted on 07/05/2010

Just call it is his penis. If you teach him to call it something else, other people are still going to know what he is talking about.
I work in child care and I have a 21 month old son. We call body parts what they are.
Calling it something else really doesn't do anything in my opinion.

Lin - posted on 07/05/2010

Our household refers to genitalia as penis and vagina. To me those terms are pretty matter-of-fact and are just like calling what I'm using to type fingers, what's keeping my glasses on my face a nose, etc. I don't want my kids feeling ashamed about any part of their bodies.

Tonya - posted on 07/05/2010

My sons call it a Willer I never taught them that though

Amanda - posted on 07/05/2010

I have 2 boys, a daughter and 2 stepdaughters. My step daughters still get embarrassed at hearing the proper names. But my children are very comfortable with them since that's what we've always called them. However, the boys do have friends and have heard the silly names. So, sometimes those come up and they get a good laugh. My husband and I decided early on to use the proper names because my oldest was born with a birth defect called Epispadias. It affects his urinary tract and genitals. So, we didn't have much of a choice. I think it would have confused him to hear us say willy and the doctors say penis.

Brooke - posted on 07/05/2010

We used penis or wiener. Plain simple and to the point. If he walks around saying penis or wiener then oh well

Jaclyn - posted on 07/05/2010

i taught my son to call it his pee pee when he was little now he is 7 and he knows the correct term for it. I have 2 younger daughters (4 & 17 months) so he calls it his pee pee in front of them. It's your choice what you teach him to call it but i just wasn't comfortable with penis when he was younger. My 4 year old calls her vagina her ti-ti cause i hate the correct terms for women parts but as they get older they learn the correct terms

Wendy - posted on 07/05/2010

I teach my boys to call it what it is. A penis. We do use "pee pee" sometimes, but I don't think there's anything wrong with the real name itself.

Christine - posted on 07/05/2010

I taught my son and oldest daughter the correct terminolgoy for their body parts. I think it is important not to make it seem like those body parts are "different" and deserve made up names. I try to make their genitals as natural to them as their elbows are. My thinking is that if I don't make a big deal out of calling their parts by the proper name, then maybe when they are older they will feel comfortable with their bodies. Just my opinion, though.

Amy - posted on 07/05/2010

Call it his penis, all of these kiddie names lead to play. My son calss it his wenis

Kristin - posted on 07/05/2010

my son calls his a birdie ..when he gets older he will understand more of the term penis! my daughter calls hers pirates it's supposed to be privates but she started saying pirates and it just kind of stuck lol

Christie - posted on 07/05/2010

it is what it is... our son knows it is a penis, but doesn't go around talking about it, unless there is a problem. He's 4 1/2.

Deborah - posted on 07/05/2010

We have taught our son to call it a pee-pee. When he is older and we need to go into more detail about things we will teach him proper names for things. Our son is 3 years old, I don't feel the need to teach him words that make him grow up to fast. As long as when your child is older and you are open and honest with them they will still grow up not being ashamed of their body.

Laura Zoey - posted on 07/05/2010

oh boy, daddys tail is hilarious!!!! My husband is so uncomfortable with the nudity thing that he is shy about Eric seeing him naked. Eric is 15 months! But with a daughter he says he will not even change diapers so he doesnt ever touch her privates or should i say vulva. I think about vulva every time i see the car called Volvo. maybe thats why i dislike the term. vagina is not that great either. *sigh*

Teresa - posted on 07/05/2010

On a side note. My uncircumsized 3 year old nephew has been taught to call his a pee pee. My circumsized 2 year old son gets very confused when his cousin asks if his pee pee is open since to my 2 year old... pee pee is the stuff that comes OUT of the penis. Not the penis itself.

Teresa - posted on 07/05/2010

Laura, when my girls were little I was also uncomfortable about the word vagina (I don't use vulva, yes I know it's proper, don't care), so I referred to it as the part of your body you go pee w/... That kind of backfired cuz when we were in the shower and I'd tell them to wash their bodies... that was ALL they'd wash. That's when I 'got over it' and started using vagina. Penis came around when they asked (at 2.5) if Daddy's vagina was behind his tail. That was also the last day he every showered w/ them... lol!

Teresa - posted on 07/05/2010

Penis. That's what it is.

He does say Pee-nee though... he doesn't say S's yet. ;)

Ebby - posted on 07/05/2010

We call it "PP" too for "Private Part" LOL... just kinda stuck since we were all kids.

Christiane - posted on 07/05/2010

In my family since they were of French origin, we call it PP.

Jayme-Lee - posted on 03/16/2011

My little one is only just 1 a few weeks ago. We haven't got to the part of him speaking much. only get mum mum mum or da da da. but we just call his penis a willie. everyones different. my sister in law with her daughter called it a rudie. i think its not about what is correct. but what you feel is appropriate. if you don't mind eric saying penis then teach him that. i think people look at what may be easiest for the child to pronounce

Karen - posted on 03/16/2011

My son calls his penis his pee pee. I figured it would be easier to know what to do with it when he potty trains but he won't even consider the potty.