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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To just call a fanny a fanny?

498 replies

teafortoads · 29/04/2016 08:34

Apologies if this has been done before/to death but i am new to this Mumsnet Lark (posting not lurking, I have happily lurked for years). What on earth word do you give to your toddler to describe their girl parts? I have and always will, have a fanny, where as I am aware of friends who have foofs, fairies (could cause some confusion when you go to put the fairy on top of the Christmas tree) lady gardens vulvas and so on. I see no reason to pretty things up, and always arrive back at good old trusty fanny in the end having massively overthunk things. When DD2 is a little bit older I will furnish her with all the proper words, but are fanny and willie (not that she will encounter any of THOSE until she is at least 40 given that I am a single Mum and our house is happily a man free zone nowadays, and boyfriends will not be permitted until she is at least 40) acceptable? Is fanny a bit coarse?

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 29/04/2016 16:37

Precious gem is just like crown jewelsGrin

Cath40t · 29/04/2016 16:37

Front bottom. Unless you want to use the proper terms for private parts.......like we did for a short spell.
Was in the queue at McDonald's with 3-4 year old daughter...she pipes up.....
"Penis, penis? Sounds a bit like peanut butter......ponders for a few seconds.......but it wouldn't be very nice in a sandwich....all skin and stuff.
I think I'll just call it willy."
Previous to that she called willys tails. Caused all kinds of confusion.
She loved to watch Barney on TV.......he had a tail..............

murphyslaws · 29/04/2016 16:39

Had this conversation with hubby this morning,

Baby girl has bad nappy rash and was red raw. So I said her fanny is really sore.

He said he don't like that name can we call it a noooo noooo.

I laughed and said why he said it seems crass (not sure of spelling). Like calling a breast a tit. Or willie a cock.

So we have a noooo noooo .

Fiderer · 29/04/2016 16:40

If a little girl told me she'd hurt her fairy I'd think it was a game with her toy fairy.

Also flower - I'd be looking around for a vase.

squoosh · 29/04/2016 16:41

Really? I'm sure they do a bit of pointing if they're discussing a sore body part.

Fiderer · 29/04/2016 16:44

They don't necessarily, though.

falange · 29/04/2016 16:44

It's a Rudie in this house. 😀

cabbagewhite · 29/04/2016 16:46

We went with front bottom and back bottom until they were older. It is clear enough for understanding, especially when at the childminder's or nursery, where they don't know them so well and unlikely to cause offence or embarrassment to anyone.

Justontherightsideofnormal · 29/04/2016 16:48

Over my years of a childminder there has been so many words used
Wanny vile word
Foofoo
Girly bits my favourite
Flower
Fairy
Foofh wtf
Furry ????!!
Now my favourite if I must have one is girly bits it's descriptive, exactly what they are and doesn't make a grown up sound silly when using the word......... Like foofh does Shock

Didactylos · 29/04/2016 16:50

Cant belive no one has posted this yet

Tatercakes1 · 29/04/2016 16:51

We call it a daisy in our house. We only have daughters, so male anatomy is rarely mentioned and if it is, we refer to it as a willy. Growing up, my mum called it a tinkle and a penis was called a winkie.

HoundoftheBaskervilles · 29/04/2016 16:52

Squoosh, think the Swedes have the right idea there - we need a term such as Snippa.

insan1tyscartching · 29/04/2016 16:54

I called dd's their bits, dd1 called hers a pippa and dd2 called hers a pipsy. No idea where they got their names from though.
When I was a child mine was called a tuppence but my friend called hers a ha'penny Confused

Theirnotallbastards · 29/04/2016 17:00

When my dd was a toddler we were in the bath together as I stood up she pointed at my fanny and asked for the first time what's that called? I was telling her about how people have many names for it and how she could call it what she wanted when she announced we should call it 'Barry' so in our house Barry it is!

dillydotty · 29/04/2016 17:02

I love Barry! The best name so far.

craydora · 29/04/2016 17:04

We say bits and bobs here! Girls say bits boys say bobs though DS calls it his 'more'....

squoosh · 29/04/2016 17:04

Dillydotty apparently 'dilly' is a popular term too! I'd never heard it before though.

dillydotty · 29/04/2016 17:05

I think Fanny is the same level of rudeness as dick. Nothing to be shocked about but no really something you want a little one saying.

I was told off at nursery for using the word bum with DS. Apparently only bottom was acceptable Confused

HalfpintPixie · 29/04/2016 17:05

Growing up my mum taught me it was a 'Suzy' cause I kept shouting va-China a lot! My best friend was told she had a Nancy.

Then twin girls transferred to our primary school, and of course they were called Suzy and Nancy. Cue some very awkward moments.

In our house it's penis and vulva for the most part, although my son is really enjoying the word willy at the moment!

westhammummy · 29/04/2016 17:09

I think Barry is brilliant
I've literally never heard anyone say vulva-it's a minnie in our house,as it was when i was growing up

Woolyheads · 29/04/2016 17:15

Girl willy. So possibly a Gilly?

elh1605 · 29/04/2016 17:16

I use 'bits' for both girls and boys. I don't find fanny rude or offensive but strange coming out of a child's mouth just like I do when I hear my 4yr old charge tell me 'I've got an itchy penis' 😱

MsBojangles · 29/04/2016 17:18

Mine's called Jillian.

mumof2angels1 · 29/04/2016 17:18

My girls came up with their own names and called them front bums. It seemed to do the trick!

NoCapes · 29/04/2016 17:19

Precious gem !?!
Literally the worst description I've ever heard

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