Friend has got the hump because DD (11) spelt out the word vagina during a scrabble game with her 7 year old DS

[sandyballs]

What's wrong with that? AIBU to find it deeply unshocking. I'm more perturbed by the fact that she probably cheated and rummaged through the bag for a v or a g to come up with that. Surely a 7 year old knows what a vag is? At least its factual and she spelt it correctly.

I would understand my friend's attitude if DD had put twat or fanny.

So all the 7 and 11 year olds you know wouldn't have reacted in any way to the word vagina appearing on a scrabble board? Except to say "oh well done- you used your V on a triple word score!" My 11 year old would be reduced to helpless giggles by bottom or fart- heaven knows what he would do if somebody spelled out vagina or penis!

fart thanks but I do know what I'm laughing about.

There is still a place for decorum and modesty these days IMO.

One day I guess women will wake up? I can only hope so.

VAGINA totally normal word ...totally the right one to use.

Seriously though? in this context?

I don't agree.

Exactly seeker ...that is my point.

seeker Sadly I know many 7 and 11yr olds who would have reacted to that because they don't see it as a normal word.

It is a normal word though...just like leg, arm, knee, shoulder.

It's just that for some weird reason, many adults see it as a rude word when it's obviously not.

at some of these, don't you just love Mumsnet!

DD probably did do it for a reaction, which is perfectly normal silly behaviour at age 11 I think. I fail to see how any mum can be offended by the use of the word vagina.

Of course there's a place for decorum. I wouldn't call the Vicar a cunt in Church but here's the important thing - that would be rude, indecorous, offensive and untrue. A vagina is a vagina whichever way you look at it and if you're bringing your children up to regard it as smutty or giggleworthy then the problem lies with you, not with a lack of decorum on the part of people who use the word properly in it's correct context.

Oh, don't be silly. Of course they know it's a normal word! So is fart, or bottom or willy. At a certain stage of development they are also side splittingly funny. Nothing wrong with they- they grow out of it. But in the same way that I tell my children not to say "oh God" in public because there are people it might upset, I would expect my 11 year old not to spell out vagina on a scrabble board when playing with a much younger child because not everybody thinks of words like this in the same way that we do. It's called appropriate behaviour.

Well said Lentilly

So where would you call the Vicar a cunt?

Only in certain limited and highly secret circumstances worra - the likes of which I am not prepared to disclose at this time.

That is the point I was trying to make seeker. For example if an adult male was playing scrabble with a seven year old girl, and put this word down. I think that would be seen as highly inappropriate and totally and absolutely unacceptable. It just was not appropriate in the circumstances considering the age difference of the children. I think the older child should have known better.

I wouldn't call the vicar a cunt in church?? Fantastic and probably sensible behaviour.

I have seen Lesbians, vaginal and Horniest become winning words on Countdown without Suzie Dent becoming offended. Because she is a professional.

I would expect my 11 year old not to spell out vagina on a scrabble board when playing with a much younger child because not everybody thinks of words like this in the same way that we do

And that is exactly my point.

While there are still people in the world who are thinking the word vagina is 'smutty' in some way or that people should be ashamed of using such a normal word....to the point where parents like yourself would have 'said something sharp' to a child for using it, there's no hope of everybody seeing this normal body part as normal.

Anyway In our house peniss were dinkys( defiantly screwed sons up as denotes small size) and vaginas are of course front bum, and bottom is back bum!! Thanks mom.

fart most kids would laugh at the word vagina most 11 year old girls know it would produce a reaction. It doesn't matter how down the family is with the word.

Its a normal word , its normal for kids to do this.

I just don't think it right FOR.A. SCRABBLE.GAME!

I really wonder if some people on mumsnet have actually met a child!

surely you mean YOUR child...

Nope.. Any child at all!

I thought you meant YOUR child too seeker

Just because people parent differently and don't see normal words as anything to be worried about using, doesn't mean they haven't met a child.

The last time I peered , my vagina was hidden from view...its near other parts that produce a reaction from kids too right?

My vagina is privatenormally bar having my children...so its not the same as making up the word arm/ leg whatever during the game is it?

When I was young, I can remember adults refraining from some topics in 'mixed company' its a little like that really.

It actually goes a long way.

puke making as it may sound.

VAGINA!

What does having your vagina hidden from view have to do with spelling it on a Scrabble board?

When I was younger I can remember adults never talking about sex...making it seem as though it was dirty or abnormal in some way.

Thankfully, a lot of parents are out of the woods on that one.

I think they a perfectly normal words too. And I use them and my children use them. But I don't know a single child who would not giggle if the word vagina was spelled on a scrabble board. And I don't know a single child who would spell it out, thinking only of how many points they could get for the V!

is this a new scrabble rule? Do we now have to physically demonstrate the words we spell on the board? Then yes, the DD was VU

worra it is all to do with smut at 11.

If we all had a vagina on our heads , I doubt it would provoke any reaction from a kid.

We use our vagina during sex ...that is where the giggling and shock value comes in.

Can't believe its that difficult to grasp?

But, I think it was perfectly normal for OPs DD to do it ...its what we do as we learn and grow.

Well most of us anyway!