What word do your children use for female genitals?

[frannyf]

Apologies if this has been asked before, but this is becoming an urgent issue in our household. Ds is 2.5 and has just started asking "Where is your willy, Mummy?" I told him women and girls don't have willies...and then froze.

I don't want him to think that girls just have an empty area where a willy should be, I want him to realise we have our own special bits, but I cannot settle on a word I feel comfortable with.

"Vagina" is so medical. "Flower" and all those sort of words seem too cutesie. I feel "fanny" is the right equivalent to "willy", and did try it, but I just cringed saying it to ds and felt even worse when he repeated it. I obviously did not sound convincing anyway as he has reverted to calling it a bottom. Help! Sorry if I have rejected your family's choice of name by the way, I don't think any of them are wrong or anything, just don't feel right saying them myself. Am I hopelessly uptight?

Just wanted to say that my real name is Frances and I am quite happy for girls and women to refer to their bits as their fanny for an everyday word and correct terms as part of learning about their body. I wouldnt be happy for my name to be shortened to Fanny though, there are enough options with Fran, Franny, Frankie and Frank! One of my favourite tv funny moments was that one where John Craddock said at the end of the cookery show "and may all your doughnuts turn out like Fanny's!".
I remember getting quite confused at primary school though when this topic came up with friends as I wasnt sure if a periwinkle was a boy one or a girl one, penis's were always known as willies in our house. I was also quite old (mid to late teens ) when I found out that my urethral opening was just above the vaginal opening inside the inner labia. I had previously thought my pee came out under the clitoral hood (think I thought that as this bit seems more equivalent to the penis). Wonder if this has been a common misconception or if it was just me?

Pob, I thought that for years - in fact looking at my dd in the bath this evening I was still wondering which bit did what. It's not something I have ever really considered that much!

Pob, I am not totally sure if I knew that myself . Scary how widespread ignorance seems to be (well, my own ignorance anyway).

I was drawn back to this thread because I can hear ds upstairs saying "What are those 2 little willies?" and dp going "Erm, er, they're, hmm, erm, they're little....eggs!" ROFL. See how he likes it now, after laughing at my vulvanoia all last week. (I presume of course they are discussing dp's b*llocks but I am off upstairs to check what exactly is going on - and to heckle).

LMAO - "Vulvanoia"

you will be pleased to know that dd1 (5) has solved all the hat-house dilemmas. Prancing around naked at bedtime she announced to dh that her "bottom" looked like a "chicken's mouth." "Look daddy that bit right in there" DD1 and 2 then proceeded to continue prancing around, now shouting out "chicken bottom chicken bottom". So there you have it. Chicken bottom it is.

Message withdrawn

Goodness me, this thread has popped up again like a ...chicken's bottom. I'm pleased to say ds has become less concerned with naming my bits in the last few weeks, and more concerned about keeping them covered up.

"Mummy, don't be naked." (said in the style of "George, don't do that.")

"Mummy, put your pants on, you might do a wee." (hasn't really got the idea of nappies / pants / toilets yet, I feel)

This all sounds as if I waltz around bare nekkid all day long, however I can assure you this is not the case. A quick streak into the bedroom to get some clothes on, after a shower, is all the airing my stretch marks get these days.

haha Frannyf this is the thread that will never never die...
think I could just say VULVA again before it disappears? I haven't posted it for a while.
oh I already have.

VULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL-VAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[runs for the hills]

for the sake of propriety and completeness I ought to add that dh and I did tell them that the proper word was VULVA. sounded ok. i was quite proud of myself. But chicken bottom is somehow more catchy

am trying v hard not to snort at this thread esp as dh thinks I am working right now...