What words should I teach my DD for body parts?

[ineedalifelaundry]

DD is 11 mo and starting to recognise words. I'm completely flummoxed as to what I should say when referring to her genitals (e.g. when washing them etc).

I'm happy with 'bottom' for round the back but round the front I'm afraid I've reverted to 'front bottom' which I think doesn't really work but I don't know what else to call it. Every alternative sounds either too sexual (fanny, pussy) or doesn't describe the whole area, only a small bit of it so doesn't seem quite right (vulva, vagina). I suppose another possibility is 'between the legs' but that's even more evasive than 'front bottom' IMO.

So what words do you use? Advice please!

[CybilLiberty]

'Bits'

[itchyandscratchy]

my dds call theirs their 'minnies' but dd1 (7) also knows it's a vagina which we use when talking about functions and facts, iykwim.

[happydaffy]

Message withdrawn

[savoycabbage]

ROLF at 'have you washed your labia?'

[staylucky]

Waiting to see what mummies come up with also. Am going to blame my own wierd repressed childhood but I've hever thought of the right term yet and my dd's 5! Wish I'd just made something up as it's making things a bit confusing!

[norksinmywaistband]

we use noonie, in everyday conversation, But I have always taught her the correct term as well.
She is 4 and perfectly well understands that we use a nickname for certain body parts.

[spookycharlotte121]

we call it a minnie. ds has a willy which he loves to yell out the window at people. When they are old enough I will teach them the correct words but for now Im happy for them to just be children.

[becktay]

me and a friend had this discussion for her dd. we came up with wee hole!

[ineedalifelaundry]

Thanks for responses so far. I'm quite liking 'noonie' at the moment.

It's a shame we don't have one inoffensive /non-evasive word for this area of the female anatomy. Apparently the word 'cunt' used to do this job nicely (and completely inoffensively), encompassing the vagina, vulva, urethra and clitoris, but has been mis-used beyond all recognition to become the most offensive swear word we have. Sad to have lost such a useful word.

Not about to attempt a revival by teaching it to my DD though

[Allegrogirl]

I've been struggling with this one too as my 21 month old dd is learning about bodily functions and what comes out of where. Wee hole seems to describe it well. She points to her 'front bottom' and says wee wee so she knows what it's for at least. My mum managed to raise me without ever referring to my girly bits (me too with repressed childhood).

[wilbur]

When it's discussing the actual parts, we use the real words, but it's very rare I need to discuss vaginas with a 6 yr old - we did discuss her labia once as she fell on a bar at the playground and it got bruised (ouch). If it's just in the bath I say wash between your legs, because that is where I want her to wash - the whole area from back bottom to front bottom!

[flier]

dd is 3 and was asking what her bits were called. I told her it was a vagina and she has shortened it to her "Gina" pronounced "geena which I think is good (sorry to anyone called Gina )

[ineedalifelaundry]

rasputin - I agree that vulva and vagina are acceptable words but they only describe individual component parts of the whole - I'm looking for a word that encompasses the 'whole box and dice' as Germaine Greer once so eloquently put it!

[saintmaybe]

I thought vulva covered it?

Works for us, with urethra, vagina etc to be more specific

That's what I grew up with, so never seemed weird to me

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

We (I one of 3 girls) called it our wee-er when we were kids! Now if my ds's ask I call it Mummy bits (the oldest is 3, I think there's plenty of time for anatomy lessons yet)!