What do you call "that"?

Ok, how do I answer my son when he asks what "that" is when he sees the girls naked? :huh:
I mean, as in what to call their private parts. We always taught him to refer to his "parts" by the appropriate terms (although now (of course) he calls it his weiner!). Instead of burdening him with the girl appropriate term and have him talk about that at school, I figured I'd ask everyone else. So, when talking to kids, what does everybody refer to that area of the body as?

 

Vagina. We call it like it is in this family.

 

Vulva. The vagina isn't actually visible when you're watching a diaper change. My boys are old enough to understand the vagina as part of the vulva, but that hasn't yet come up with my girls.

Of course once boys get older they love all the nicknames for theirs, don't they? :lol:

 

pee pee (girl or boy)
bum
nipple
boobies (mommy only)

That's about it

 

Tushie for vagina (or vulva)
Bottom for rear end

When I was a kid, we called it tushie. I have no better name for it. I would use "vagina" but it technically isn't the correct term, which is vulva, plus it's so clinical sounding. "Vulva" is just a term I never hear used at all, even though it is the correct term. So we have a nickname and tushie it is.

 

I say it is what is is...vagina. My boys have asked about thier sister, I told them "vagina and they said "oh" and never said the word agin yet, she, however, ( at 17 months) points to it all the time and says "gina". DO what you are comfortable with. Good luck!

 

My DS doesn't usually see the UNDER part of her girl parts. But for now (at 2.75 they are girl parts and boy parts) we'll do the proper names for them later. But Ali will tell me that she has an owie in her girlie parts. (She's had diaper rash and a little yeast, so she's been uncomfortable and able to tell me that way...)

 

Mine only know Romanian, but we call it what it's real name is.

 

We call it vagina and penis. We call their rearends just that, or their hiney or butt. I totally believe in using proper names. And thankfully, while they sometimes enjoy saying these words in the tub and get a laugh, they don't say them in public.

 

We call all parts of the body what they are. There is no burdening by teaching them proper terms.

I personally hate "nick names" for things.

 

QUOTE(Callen @ Dec 14 2007, 04:09 PM) [snapback]533979[/snapback]
We call all parts of the body what they are. There is no burdening by teaching them proper terms.

I personally hate "nick names" for things.



ME TOO! And from personal experience it solves problems in their high school biology classrooms.... Much less giggling.

Also I want them to know that tose are just different parts not something to require euphemisms

 

The way I see it, by not teaching them the "correct" terminology, I'm not going to be damaging them in any way shape or form, so who cares if at the age of 2.5 they don't know the "proper" terminology...really.....They'll learn the terminology in due time...for now, I ask them to make sure they wipe their tushies well and to sit on your boodie.

As for euphamisms........grown men give their "tool" proper names, honestly. And none of you have EVER referred to ANY body part as something other than it is? Cmon. Toes or fingers as "digits"? Head as "melon", your posterier as "butt", "bottom", "caboose" "a**". Cmon now. I know I'm sounding pretty bad, but I'm really not trying to, in fact, I'm laughing about this....I mean, to say something like...(and not to pick on anyone in particular)...."We call all parts of the body what they are. There is no burdening by teaching them proper terms. I personally hate "nick names" for things." "

That's just a pretty bold and prude statement because it implies that since one hate's nick names for things, then you never use them and that's pretty hard to believe that someone doesn't use nick names for anything. I don't think ANYONE DELIBERATELY avoids telling their children the science book term for all of the body parts. The toilet bowl for any of you has never been the "potty"? Euphamisms are part of our everyday lives. We use them to make us feel better or because something sounds cuter to us or is easier for our minds to digest rather than calling it by it's Webster's name, etc. I'm typically a pretty frank person myself, but I'd never dare say or even imply that in my household we refer to everything by it's "proper name" because they should grow up learning the proper terminology now so that one day, 14 years from now, when they're in their 11th grade science class, they'll care and appreciate that we taught them the proper verbage. "We call their rearends just that, or their hiney or butt. I totally believe in using proper names." Well, hiney and butt aren't the "proper" names for the human posterier, neither is "rearend" so that statement is contradictive. That's wonderful if you find it best to teach them the proper names of the human anatomy before they can even spell it, but, really, the only person concerned about it, well, is you.

 

QUOTE(cabonnell @ Dec 14 2007, 04:28 PM) [snapback]534005[/snapback]
The way I see it, by not teaching them the "correct" terminology, I'm not going to be damaging them in any way shape or form, so who cares if at the age of 2.5 they don't know the "proper" terminology...really.....They'll learn the terminology in due time...for now, I ask them to make sure they wipe their tushies well and to sit on your boodie.

As for euphamisms........grown men give their "tool" proper names, honestly. And none of you have EVER referred to ANY body part as something other than it is? Cmon. Toes or fingers as "digits"? Head as "melon", your posterier as "butt", "bottom", "caboose" "a**". Cmon now. I know I'm sounding pretty bad, but I'm really not trying to, in fact, I'm laughing about this....I mean, to say something like...(and not to pick on anyone in particular)...."We call all parts of the body what they are. There is no burdening by teaching them proper terms. I personally hate "nick names" for things." "

That's just a pretty bold and prude statement because it implies that since one hate's nick names for things, then you never use them and that's pretty hard to believe that someone doesn't use nick names for anything. I don't think ANYONE DELIBERATELY avoids telling their children the science book term for all of the body parts. The toilet bowl for any of you has never been the "potty"? Euphamisms are part of our everyday lives. We use them to make us feel better or because something sounds cuter to us or is easier for our minds to digest rather than calling it by it's Webster's name, etc. I'm typically a pretty frank person myself, but I'd never dare say or even imply that in my household we refer to everything by it's "proper name" because they should grow up learning the proper terminology now so that one day, 14 years from now, when they're in their 11th grade science class, they'll care and appreciate that we taught them the proper verbage. "We call their rearends just that, or their hiney or butt. I totally believe in using proper names." Well, hiney and butt aren't the "proper" names for the human posterier, neither is "rearend" so that statement is contradictive. That's wonderful if you find it best to teach them the proper names of the human anatomy before they can even spell it, but, really, the only person concerned about it, well, is you.


:laughing: :Clap:

 

QUOTE(cabonnell @ Dec 14 2007, 04:28 PM) [snapback]534005[/snapback]
The way I see it, by not teaching them the "correct" terminology, I'm not going to be damaging them in any way shape or form, so who cares if at the age of 2.5 they don't know the "proper" terminology...really.....They'll learn the terminology in due time...for now, I ask them to make sure they wipe their tushies well and to sit on your boodie.

As for euphamisms........grown men give their "tool" proper names, honestly. And none of you have EVER referred to ANY body part as something other than it is? Cmon. Toes or fingers as "digits"? Head as "melon", your posterier as "butt", "bottom", "caboose" "a**". Cmon now. I know I'm sounding pretty bad, but I'm really not trying to, in fact, I'm laughing about this....I mean, to say something like...(and not to pick on anyone in particular)...."We call all parts of the body what they are. There is no burdening by teaching them proper terms. I personally hate "nick names" for things." "

That's just a pretty bold and prude statement because it implies that since one hate's nick names for things, then you never use them and that's pretty hard to believe that someone doesn't use nick names for anything. I don't think ANYONE DELIBERATELY avoids telling their children the science book term for all of the body parts. The toilet bowl for any of you has never been the "potty"? Euphamisms are part of our everyday lives. We use them to make us feel better or because something sounds cuter to us or is easier for our minds to digest rather than calling it by it's Webster's name, etc. I'm typically a pretty frank person myself, but I'd never dare say or even imply that in my household we refer to everything by it's "proper name" because they should grow up learning the proper terminology now so that one day, 14 years from now, when they're in their 11th grade science class, they'll care and appreciate that we taught them the proper verbage. "We call their rearends just that, or their hiney or butt. I totally believe in using proper names." Well, hiney and butt aren't the "proper" names for the human posterier, neither is "rearend" so that statement is contradictive. That's wonderful if you find it best to teach them the proper names of the human anatomy before they can even spell it, but, really, the only person concerned about it, well, is you.


Good Lord, who thought this would get someone so heated. I'm well aware that "rearend/butt/hiney" are not the proper terms for the posterior, but I think my kids are a little young to learn gluteaus maximus (sp?). However, I have taught them penis and vagina. God forbid someone ever molested or improperly touched either of my children, words like "who who, vajay jay, hose, etc" are not going to hold up in a court of law. Penis and vagina will. Yes, I'm well aware that we use euphamisms in everyday life, I know I do. IT just happens that for private parts we call it what it is. What's the big deal? I didn't say YOU had to do it. The question was what do we call private parts...I answered.

 

Oh, and what does having to spell the words have with saying the proper names of things? How do you know that my kids can't spell?

 

I actually give detention for calling 'part' the incorrect names... Like 'balls' or 'junk'. I just think it gives reproductive organism even more mistique and a fun forbidden feeling if the vagina and penis and vulva and scrotum are just words like any other and always has been it make smy job easier... rest assured i cna pick out the kids whose parents taught them vagina and vulva and penis and scrotum and those who used 'pee-pee' and 'girl parts'. My students are actually afraid to use the real words because they think they are 'bad' words as their parents never used them. I just think that using euphemisms for reproductive organs fosters the idea that they are some how dirty words....

 

I recall this same discussion turning very heated and kind of nasty several months ago . . . we could probably just find it in the archives and save ourselves the hassle of rehashing it again . . . Got into the whole argument about molestation there too . . . I don't think anyone ever managed to change anyone else's mind in the process, and the initial question was just looking for ideas on how to talk to a child.

Perhaps we could just leave it at that . . .

-Rachel

p.s. - for those sticklers, "gluteus maximus" wouldn't be the proper word for referring to a "butt", as it's really just one muscle out of many, and refers only to the specific muscle, not to the whole thing. Perhaps "buttocks"? Not sure there . . .

 

Rachel, I seem to remember that. I agree...let's just answer the question as it pertains to our children and our home and leave it at that.

Buttocks, huh? I guess that would be the correct term, right? No clue, I'm a special ed teacher, not a doctor

 

Currently I refer to the front area as their "crotch" and their backsides as their "butts". I have also used "vulva" interchangeably with crotch. If they point at specific spots I call them what they are, I've said "urethra" for where the pee comes out and "anus" for where the poop comes from.

Three year olds are more aware of/interested in their excretory functions than their reproductive functions at this point. This is not to say I won't use the word "vagina" with them, of course I will, but right now it doesn't feel like the right word or the word they are looking for.

 

I do believe I stated that I wasn't trying to be a jerk although I know I come off that way and in fact stated that I was laughing so that would be far from being heated. I'm sleeping the same tonight either way. My only point is (and wear it if the shoe fits) IF you ARE going to be so bold and prudent, ensure that you are so 100% of the time and not just when it suits you (YOU being a general term in this context); otherwise, when you do, you open yourself up to scrutiny so don't be surprised if someone does question to what extent you back up such statements. Dani J., you are correct, I don't know if you're kids can or can't spell. Although I referenced children being able to spell in my statement, I think it's obvious that this was hardly my point. I don't believe that I singled out your children (nor would I single out anyone's for that matter......that would be WAY not cool). I based that statement off of the fact that this is a twins forum and the initial question was proposed by someone that has twins that are just over a year old and then mine that are 2 and 1/2. I kept my response limited to my home and family, but questioned the accuracy of some of the other reponses since they seemed so bold and firm in their conviction.

You are very correct in that this is not EVEN the topic to bring up molestation as that is an extremely sensitive subject for some folks; however, it's not accurate to make a generalized statement that certain terms will or won't hold up in a court of law as ruling in these cases involves MUCH more than terminology. And each and every case sets a precedence for the next.

Lastly, I have no hard feelings and hope that no one has any towards me. I said my piece with the anticipation that I may receive some rebuttable, just as you (here again, YOU being a general term) said yours and received a bit as well. Just a healthy debate is all.

Peace out.

 

:laughing: I'm still sticking with tushie. I don't care what anyone says. Tushie it will be in my home. And our breasts are boobies!

I am LMAO over the whole gluteous maximus thing - too funny!

 

I think I need to actually look at that poster at the OB/GYN's office. I thought what you could see on the female are the labia. What's a vulva? Hmm...I've been calling it a vagina but it isn't exactly what people see during a diaper change.
For my boys, I encourage them calling it a penis. I call it "their favorite bath toy." :laughing:

 

We're tushie (for butt) and private parts. I really don't care if they know the proper terminology until they are older, but I do want them to know at the earliest age possible that their parts are private and for no one else to see or touch, therefore "private parts".

 

QUOTE(twindependent @ Dec 15 2007, 02:12 AM) [snapback]534797[/snapback]
I think I need to actually look at that poster at the OB/GYN's office. I thought what you could see on the female are the labia. What's a vulva? Hmm...I've been calling it a vagina but it isn't exactly what people see during a diaper change.
For my boys, I encourage them calling it a penis. I call it "their favorite bath toy." :laughing:



Boys are so much easier. Just call it a penis, no problem. Girls are so complicated. Isn't there one word for the whole thing?

 

Vulva= whole structure

Labia = the 'lips' along the edges

Vagina= the hole

 

its a winky and a hoo hoo in my house - when I have to teach them about erections and periods it will be a penis and a vagina -

 

It was me that raised this several months ago - although I don't remember it becoming heated, I was probably too busy trying out all the words to see which didn't make me feel foolish to say. Although I loved some of the words (like hoo hoo) I just couldn't say them without smiling .

I'm still looking. 'Tushie' is a great word but actually means buttocks in yiddish. As I live in Israel, that'd probably confuse everyone if my girls said buttocks for their "front bottom" (my mother's euphemism when we were younger - you can see why I'm looking for something different to teach my girls ). The hebrew word is "pot" or "potty" which would just be really confusing as we speak English at home.

I've been trying to use the word 'crotch' as it is anatomically correct, but somewhat more colloquial and less clinical than vulva. But it's such an ugly word. Also, I'm never really sure how to pronounce it - whenever I say it, it always sounds like crutch, which will engender real confusion when the girls grow up.

My personal favourite is 'pudendum' which is also anatomically correct and a great sounding word (I never realised I was so obsessive about words until I typed this!). But I'm not sure anyone else would ever understand my girls if they were to start to use it. Not exactly everyday speak.

While I've been dithering, my girls have just adopted their own term: pee pee - or is it nappy? I can't tell...
Lisa

 

QUOTE(cabonnell @ Dec 14 2007, 04:28 PM) [snapback]534005[/snapback]
As for euphamisms........grown men give their "tool" proper names, honestly. And none of you have EVER referred to ANY body part as something other than it is? Cmon. Toes or fingers as "digits"? Head as "melon", your posterier as "butt", "bottom", "caboose" "a**". Cmon now. I know I'm sounding pretty bad, but I'm really not trying to, in fact, I'm laughing about this....I mean, to say something like...(and not to pick on anyone in particular)...."We call all parts of the body what they are. There is no burdening by teaching them proper terms. I personally hate "nick names" for things." "


Not to pick on anyone in particular huh? :nea:


QUOTE(cabonnell @ Dec 14 2007, 04:28 PM) [snapback]534005[/snapback]
That's just a pretty bold and prude statement because it implies that since one hate's nick names for things, then you never use them and that's pretty hard to believe that someone doesn't use nick names for anything.


I an unsure as to why my opinion bothers you one way or another. I don’t find it bold or prude, just factual.

If I were to say I hate eggs, would that be a bold & prude statement?

Let me be more specific – I do not like nor use nicknames when talking about “private parts”. I am unconcerned that they might say it out loud and should they say penis in public, so be it. Won’t rock my world off its axis. I find many more things said in public by both children and adults offensive.

I did say “I personally” and with that meant [SIZE=12pt]I[/SIZE], not you, not her, not him…… I never claimed anyone else’s choice was wrong. Your choice or any other member of TS has no effect on my life. What works for me & my family is just that.

Seriously, if my husband ever came at me with his tool, weiner or whatever name, I would look at him like he was nuts. LOL :wacko:

I think it is pretty bold to attack someone’s view. The question was:

QUOTE(OctoberBabies @ Dec 13 2007, 09:28 PM) [snapback]532933[/snapback]
So, when talking to kids, what does everybody refer to that area of the body as?


My answer remains the same.

 

QUOTE(AmynTony @ Dec 15 2007, 11:33 AM) [snapback]535227[/snapback]
its a winky and a hoo hoo in my house - when I have to teach them about erections and periods it will be a penis and a vagina -


while I havn't figured out what we will call their girly parts this quote was
my thoughts exactly! I don't figure they will go to college calling it their hoo hoo and I just don't like the sound of the word vulva for a child - I don't know why?

 

QUOTE(twindependent @ Dec 15 2007, 02:12 AM) [snapback]534797[/snapback]
For my boys, I encourage them calling it a penis. I call it "their favorite bath toy." :laughing:


:rotflmbo:

 

OK then! I didn't realize this would become so "heated". But anyway, I really did want my kids to know the correct terminology for their "private parts", but when talking my five year old son about why his sisters' don't have a penis, vulva or vagina really didn't "sound right". I really didn't think I would like hearing him say it - Sorry! And he would be the kid to talk it up to EVERY person he encountered for the next 3 weeks or more (depending on the reactions)! I always referrred to his "parts" as his penis and he KNOWS that is what it is, but he still likes to refer to it as his "weiner"! When I was a kid it was a pee pee for the boys and a coochie (yes, coochie) for girls! So, I guess what I am going to do, is just tell him what it actually is, and let him know that if he prefers to call it something else, that's fine, too. And when the girls are old enough, I'll do the same. As long as they know what it is and it's correct name, whatever they choose to call it is fine by me! But, thanks to everyone that added their replies. It was definitely entertaining to read!

 

The poster asked...

We use vagina, penis, & testicles. We also discuss that these are their "private parts" and that no one should be touching them.

Because of my experience working in Texas Department of Family and Protective Services...not CPS but CCL, DH & I have decided to use proper terms.

 

We call them by their appropriate names. It's a little strange to hear your kids calling them that just because they are so little - at least it was for me, but you get used to it. Why should we be ashamed of the names of our God given parts? It is what it is.

 

QUOTE(Cindy123 @ Dec 14 2007, 09:25 PM) [snapback]534817[/snapback]
We're tushie (for butt) and private parts. I really don't care if they know the proper terminology until they are older, but I do want them to know at the earliest age possible that their parts are private and for no one else to see or touch, therefore "private parts".


I like your reasoning. Although it actually hasn't come up, I think I will encourage this phrase when they are young. They do know what their butt is and call it that, as well (along with "bottom," "rear," and "bum" on occasion). But, they haven't really noticed their front parts, yet. At least not to talk about. For those who may say I should be introducing the concept whether they have brought it up or not, I'll just say that it hasn't been a big deal (or any deal, really) around here. I haven't made a point to talk about those parts any more than I have their calves or their forearms (other names they don't know).

As for knowing the "proper" clinical names of parts, I just think that is something they learn as they get older. Just like calling the abdomen the "belly" or "tummy" right now. Eventually they will learn that it is the abdomen, but I don't think I am hurting them by calling it something else.

I have no problem with other people teaching their kids to call them the "proper" terms, I just don't really feel that it is that big of a deal for us right now.

 

We call it a VV and a tushy. When they are a little bit older, I will call them by their proper names but for now, I think it is cute and I don't think I'm damaging my kids by not using the "proper" word at this time.