It's not a noonie is a vagina

[queenofkale]

In some ways I know already but I'm not sure exactly how to handle it without becoming that parent.

DD is 3 and I have taught her the correct names for her body parts (although she seems to have picked up vagina and not vulva)

After nursery yesterday she told me one of the members of staff told her that she is wrong and it's not a vagina it's a noonie and that she shouldn't use the word vagina. (I'm aware that 3 year olds can't always be trusted to relay information completely accurately)

I think it's confusing to use a variety of made up words and for young children (mostly girls) to be made to be ashamed of her body.

I obviously don't want her to be corrected when using the right word - AIBU to email and say this? Or will I really be THAT parent and just let it go.

I must admit, the first time my two year old sat on the potty loudly singing about her vulva I did worry I'd made a terrible mistake.

But it would have been as cringy if she had been going on about her 'noonie' or whatever.

I don't have a problem with other adults using stupid terms if they like, after all we playfully talk about her tickling her 'tumbly wumbly' or 'footsies' (sorry for any vomit induced) and she has no problem understanding proper words as well.

I would have a big problem with them telling her she couldn't use the proper word. I would definitely talk to the staff about this.

I wouldnt necessarily have a problem with them using another name when the children are so young. I would absolutely have a problem however with them telling a child who's using a correct word for it that she's wrong. Thats totally out of order

Me and everyone I know have always called it a noonie and it’s all worked out ok. I’ve never in all my life heard a small child say vagina 🙈 (a penis is a widge) 😂😂😂

My issue isn't other children/parents/staff using whatever names they are happy and comfortable with.

My issue is a child being told they shouldn't be using the word vagina.

But as some of you have pointed out I should be using vulva really. So I will switch to that all the time. I'm not evangelical about anything btw it has never come up in conversation with anyone until right now.

I work in SEN & safeguarding and part of the sre (sex & relationship education) curriculum is to teach children the correct terms for body parts... I've never worked in nurseries so unsure of what their actual line should be on this (if there is one?!) but like PPs have said, all guidance from any reputable organisations is to use the correct terminology with children. If I was the manager of the nursery I would 100% want to be made aware of this as the member of staff really needs correcting on this before doing any more damage🙄 I had a similar situation with one of the teachers I line manage (in a reception class) who had 'told off' a child for using the term penis (to refer to the body part, not as an insult!)... I was absolutely furious to find out that she had told him not to use the word penis 'because it's rude' as to use 'willy' instead... it's a total nightmare and contradicts everything we try to teach the children to keep them safe! Sorry for the rant! But yes as others have said, 100% complain! You're never 'that parent' if it's something reasonable!

I thought MNers usually referred to it as a foof? I've also heard it called a minimoo.

My DD is 3 and it's her Lou Lou. I thought it was normal to give it a name.
I can't imagine her calling it a vulva !

Butchy Well there are 'thru'penny bits' - tits, I suppose!

I know some people might find it strange, a 3yo referring to 'my vagina', but it's actually quite important that the correct words are used. Not just for safety but because it is, after all, just another body part. One which all women have and something we should never be ashamed of.

In fact, it's just dawned on me that by using words like 'noonie', we are teaching girls that vaginas etc. are shameful from an early age. Bloody hell!

blonde can you not post weeping with laughter emojis at the topic of protecting infants from sexual abuse? Not funny, 1 in 6 children are sexually abused, so it is a very, very important issue and children being able to say ‘uncle jay hurt my vulva’ whereas ‘uncle jay hurt my minnie’ is a big deal, not really appropriate for you to be weeping with lols and typing crap about your twee euphemisms for body parts, for fucks sake.

Thank god for the vast majority of posters here having some bloody sense!

There is something very wrong if the anatomical words for genitals make you cringe but noonie, willy and the like don't!

Understand where you are coming from but obviously they'll come a stage when your dc realises people use various words to describe things, body parts and in general.

Whether that time is now, at three, is debatable and probably comes down to whether or not you want to make an issue out of it.

My kids know the correct names but choose to say noonie, and they say bum rather than bottom or buttocks. My older dd said she had an itchy bum when she had worms. Are we not allowed to use the words tummy, noggin, boobs etc? They're just cute names for body parts.

Also...we use our younger dd's baby words for things...like feeties and nosie...She knows it's feet and nose, but we just use her baby words as they were cute and funny.

I had the same issue with the word penis. Tell the nursery that you aren't teaching your DD euphemisms for body parts and no one has a "noonie". This is 2019 ffs...let's call body parts what they are.

I have never heard the word noonie in my life until I read this thread. No wonder your daughter is confused lol

As an aside, Noonie is probably the stupidest word I’ve ever heard. Who the fuck teaches kids to say that????
I think it's well-known depending on where you live, I suppose. In case anyone wants to adopt its usage , the double 'o' rhymes with the double 'o' in book, not moon. (Where I come from, anyway.)

I knew someone who called their wife noonie!!!

Id not heard of it as a name for vulva before this thread, and I have read other "random names for it" threads.

So much must be regional. I wouldnt have known where a tuppence was either if a child told me.

Although privates would work.

Ive literally never heard a child say vulva or vagina out and about either. Mine kno wth terms but wouldnt shout thembout. Probably use privates or bits jnless asked specifically

Msot people here use willy for penis, its a shame theres not a direct equivalent for girla bits. Wasn't there a country that invented one? (Vague memory of radio 4 article)

Msot people here use willy for penis, its a shame theres not a direct equivalent for girla bits.

Wouldn't that be fanny?

Where did your 3 year old get the word vagina from all by herself if you taught her vulva

I wouldn’t worry about it. The police, social service and professionals working with children are well trained in understanding child sex abuse victims. Most are abused by their families members, as you know. They don’t take the time to sit through a NSPCC pants video before commencing

@WhyTho

“I fucking hate this shit and would be complaining loud and clear. It’s a huge safeguarding issue. Vagina vs vulva are fine imo.

Eg.

“Uncle Dave touched my vagina.” Pretty clear.

“Uncle Dave touched my noonie”. Uhh ok? What?

As an aside, Noonie is probably the stupidest word I’ve ever heard. Who the fuck teaches kids to say that?????”

If you are a professional working with children (or in fact, anyone with a smudge of common sense) who can’t guess what “Uncle Dave touched my noonie” means, you’re quite frankly thick as shit.

Maybe just check the class list in case someone's called Noonie.

I teach sre to my class this term. It's my favourite time of the year! In year 2 we teach the body parts so it's penis and testicles for boys and vulva and vagina for girls. It's also nipples for both. My favourite comment this year 'Isn't a vuvla a car?'

It is important the children know the correct names as it normalises them. They never get used outside of the lesson at this age. I tell the children if they use a different name at home that is fine but they need to know the scientific name too. The children really aren't bothered just want to finish the lesson and get off to lunch!

Our discussion about identifying whether items are for boys or girls was much more interesting and got quite heated!