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Original poster

What name do you use with your child for their genitals?

128 replies

Flappergirl86 · 05/10/2019 08:40

I was raised to call them Willies or Fannies. Though I was recently informed that 'fanny' is more of a swear word. 'Vagina' feels weird to teach a kid but I also dont wanna be really twee and call it something that implies its shameful or not what it is! (Ie privates or tuppance).
What words(s) do other mums use so their daughters are clear on what their anatomy is called? Should I just get over myself and call it a vagina?

For the record, I call my own various words I wouldn't want my daughter to repeat! Ha!

I think it's important because if she ever had an issue down there or, God Forbid, anything were to happen to her, she'd be able to communicate it to me or another grown up without anything being lost in translation or misconstrued. Shes only 2 and a bit.

OP posts:
Disfordarkchocolate · 05/10/2019 08:42

Correct terminology here, it feels odd when you do it in front of people who you know wouldn't do it but hey ho.

weebarra · 05/10/2019 08:42

Vulva, vagina, penis. Just words. My DD is 6 and refers to them as those words.

stargirl1701 · 05/10/2019 08:42

We use vulva and penis. Both DDs knew they had a vulva before they were 3.

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Bloodycats · 05/10/2019 08:42

Might across as one of those people but I use the proper names, vulva, labia, vagina etc. I don’t have daughters, only sons but I have told them what the proper names are in an appropriate way.

For me it’s like refusing to call your fingers fingers. Say it without shame. It’s what it’s called!

HardySwine · 05/10/2019 08:45

Absolutely, correct terminology here too. Nothing to be ashamed about and just another body part (so much so that when DD was about 3 and was making faces is the mirror, she did something with her lips and said “look, Mummy, they look just like my labia” Grin

HardySwine · 05/10/2019 08:47

Just to add, there are safeguarding reasons too. If a child knows the correct term but then suddenly starts calling them something different it could be a red flag.

FriedasCarLoad · 05/10/2019 08:48

look, Mummy, they look just like my labia

GrinGrinGrin

bonzo77 · 05/10/2019 08:49

I have boys. We talk about penises or Willies. Interchangeably. Girls have vulvas. But I’ve explained that other children might use other words, but most would understand “privates”. Nunny seems to be the preferred word for vulva here.

OpiesOldLady · 05/10/2019 08:49

Vulva/vagina and penis.

Lookingsparkly · 05/10/2019 08:50

Correct terminology. We also call knees ‘knees’ and eyes ‘eyes’.

ImPermanentlyConfused · 05/10/2019 08:51

I use the word vagina with my daughter. And she knows Daddy has a pens.

letmepeeinpeace · 05/10/2019 08:54

I don't use the correct terminology. It makes me cringe to be honest.

thethoughtfox · 05/10/2019 08:55

Correct terminology

YouJustDoYou · 05/10/2019 08:56

Vagina, penis.

ShowOfHands · 05/10/2019 08:58

Correct terminology. Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself.

Have no time for giggling or cringing over basic anatomy.

SallyWD · 05/10/2019 08:58

With my son it's easy - "willy". With my daughter I never really knew what to call it. I have told her they're called vulva and vagina so use those terms sometimes. However when she was about three she just just calling her genitals her "wee wee bit". She still does at 9 years old! She doesn't like saying vulva.

BeyondMyWits · 05/10/2019 08:59

Everyone on MN seems to use the "correct" terminology... round our way no one does.

boy-bits and girl-bits for us (not very PC), don't know why we didn't use penis and vulva/vagina etc, I guess it sounded odd to me -

but we tended to use tummy rather than stomach and pinkie rather than little finger too... how I was brought up I guess.

Lorddenning1 · 05/10/2019 08:59

I'm our house it's, Willie winkle and flower, they are 8 and 2, when they get older I will use the correct terms.

Cwoffee · 05/10/2019 08:59

Willy, fanny and privates. I don't know of a single child in real life that refers to their bits as penis, vulva or vagina.

mildshock · 05/10/2019 09:04

We use both penis and willy, not sure how that happened but I'm not all that bothered.
DS1 knows girls have a vulva and not a fanny (I have a pet hate for that word)

FallenSky · 05/10/2019 09:06

Mini and willy here, or privates. DS 11 and DD 6. They both know the correct names, but we generally use the "twee" names if it ever comes up in conversation which isn't often. Not quite sure why people get so worked up about it.

Mylittlepony374 · 05/10/2019 09:11

Penis and vagina/vulva.
Unfortunately have experience of sexual abuse in the family and use of "flower" and other stupidly twee words for the child's vagina gave the abuser an "out".....

KUGA · 05/10/2019 09:12

Pecker/penis.
Flower/Vagina.

hopeishere · 05/10/2019 09:15

I knew you'd get loads of people piling in saying "vulva". I have never in my entire life met someone who calls it their vulva. Not even my mum who was a midwife.

We use winkie for penis. But they know it's right name is penis.

Yogobo · 05/10/2019 09:15

I say vagina or private bits. I know Mumsnet prefer vulva and vulva is the correct word but it doesn't really roll off my tongue. My DD couldn't say vagina and called it her gina which I think is a good name.

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