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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have taught 2yo DD to say vagina?

170 replies

Maebe · 11/12/2013 10:19

Because some of the others mums think I am Confused

I don't like all the other names that are bandied around. If there was a 'softer' word, like the equivalent for willy, I would use that but there only seems to be words like daisy or minnie that don't actually indicate what you're talking about.

I know the 'what do you call it' question gets asked a lot, but AIBU to say vagina? Other mums think it is very weird/rude that DD now says "'gina"...

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 11/12/2013 10:26

YABU. Your vagina is internal, you should have taught her vulva...

SaucyJack · 11/12/2013 10:28

Oh the irony!

If you wish to be anatomically correct, it's a vulva for starters.

valiumredhead · 11/12/2013 10:28

Don't you mean vulvaWink

It's only on MN this causes such angst,I have never heard anyone say vagina and that includes doctors and nurses.

Call it what you want

MuffCakes · 11/12/2013 10:29

What itsallgoing said.

And you can call it what you want, why does it matter?

YABU to be so smug ie I'm teaching my dd the proper word, when it's not even the proper word. LOL

MoominsYonisAreScary · 11/12/2013 10:30

Do what you like, ive never heard anyone call it vulva either

Whereisegg · 11/12/2013 10:31

I taught ds very early that his penis was called a penis.
Freaked my dm out so much when she heard him say it, that I taught him 'testicles' especially for our next visit Grin

MoominsYonisAreScary · 11/12/2013 10:31

Well the op never said it was the proper word

Original poster
Maebe · 11/12/2013 10:33

Well, it is the proper word for part of it! Also she can't say 'V's yet so vulva was never going to happen...

I don't mean it in a smug way. I just don't get what word you're supposed to use if a lot of women think that vagina is not a positive word to use.

OP posts:
Original poster
Maebe · 11/12/2013 10:33

Whereis Grin

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 11/12/2013 10:37

It's not that it's not a positive word, it's just not used ime.

JennyOnAPlate · 11/12/2013 10:41

I contemplated this but then chickened out because I knew I'd get Hmm faces about it! Vulvas and penises are just bits in our house.

One of dds little friends has a flower. The friends little brother has a tail. Now that is bloody rediculous!

MoominsYonisAreScary · 11/12/2013 10:42

I have no idea what I called it as a child, I really don't understand why people are bothered what word other peoples dc use.

I do think vagina is better than some random made up word that other people don't understand.

Yes friend I'm looking at you and the whole mitt moo thing!

ALittleBitOfChristmasMagic · 11/12/2013 10:43

My 8yo calls hers her front bum !Blush Is that bad ? She called it that the first time she needed to talk about it and it's just stuck . I can see the logic in where she got it !Grin

MortifiedAnyFuckerAdams · 11/12/2013 10:43

We use nooni, no idea why. Eventually will use vagina, as I think vulva sounds too much like vulgar.

MuffCakes · 11/12/2013 10:44

It's not really OP, and I would find it odd. I have one friend who's dd calls it a vagina and it does sound odd. If she can't pronounce Vs why would you teach her Vagina? That doesn't make any sense to me.

It's nothing do do with it being a positive or negative word its just a word, it's more to do with calling something the wrong name when there's already a vagina around.

JoinYourPlayfellows · 11/12/2013 10:44

I think vagina is terrible, because it's teaching bad anatomy.

You might as well call it her Ovary or her Fallopian Tube.

Either use vulva or use one of the many words for it in common usage, or make something up.

tinkertaylor1 · 11/12/2013 10:45

I'm going to teach dd2 - wizard sleeve. Grin

attheendoftheday · 11/12/2013 10:46

My Dds say vagina too. I know it should be vulva, but I think a lot of people in rl would find that a bit shocking. I'm not totally happy with vagina, but I haven't found a better alternative.

WhereIsMyHat · 11/12/2013 10:48

We used vagina all the time in uni and in a clinical setting but it was a MWry degree! It was a anatomically correct. It would get complicated if you were completely anatomically correct, 'what hurst darling, you outer labia, inner labia, vulva, urethra or vagina?'

I called it a Peggy. I gave my children a choice of a few words. They're boys so the discussion came later than if I'd had a girl so they were able to choose. One says 'pagina' and the other 'bagina'. I might offer yoni as an option though as I like that.

chemenger · 11/12/2013 10:48

Why does she need to speak about it? I can see that penis is important because it is right there, staring you in the face, so to speak. What word are you using for rectum, or sinus, or other internal part of her body? What are you calling her urethra?

JoinYourPlayfellows · 11/12/2013 10:49

:o

I don't know which is funnier, wizard sleeve or kipper!

:o

I'm lucky we have a family name that has passed down generations that is just a made up word.

My kids use it for both, e.g. Daddy has a funny-looking X :o

Norudeshitrequired · 11/12/2013 10:50

I keep hearing an advert about underage sex on the radio where a penis is referred to as 'tinsel'. It goes something like: don't forget to put a Santa hat on your tinsel.

, but I couldn't help it.

natwebb79 · 11/12/2013 10:51

chemenger - in my experience when little girls get to a certain age they point to it and ask what it is. That's why.

Original poster
Maebe · 11/12/2013 10:52

Yes, attheend, it is a bit of a compromise word. With vagina she can at least say 'gina', with vulva we'd get a completely indecipherable sound that wouldn't help. Then as she gets older I can teach her the difference between the vaginam the vulva and the labia.

I don't see why vagina - a perfectly normal anatomical word like elbow, knee or nose - gets Hmm faces. Why are daisy, nooni, bits, down there, front bottom better? Most of them aren't anatomical words, they are euphamisms. I don't like the idea of using a euphamism for a perfectly normal part of a body.

Joinyourplayfellows, I obviously need inspiration with some of the many words for it in common usage because to me there are none that are the equivalent of tummy or willy. There are just euphamisms.

OP posts:
eurochick · 11/12/2013 10:53

YABU because it's incorrect.

Surely fanny is the equivalent of willy? (Confusing for Americans, but presumably that is not an issue on a day to day basis.)