At what age did you teach your dc's the correct name for their 'privates'?

[Megletwantsittobesummer]

DS is 3yo and knows that boys have penis's and girls have vagina's, and happily announced it when we met with friends this afternoon. Recently he was asking me why his little sister didn't have a willy so I gave him a very brief explanation and the correct names for what little boys / girls have.

I'm sure I'm being neurotic but it's not weird or wrong for him to know the correct names at this age is it . I felt dead awkward when he said it, everyone was lovely and amused by it but now I'm not sure whether I've given him TMI?

[over-thinking things emoticon]

no idea! BUT interested as my DD has been asking me /whats this called' i have sort of fudged the issue saying its what girls have - luckily she hasn't yet asked me what boys have.

Feeling feeble and pathetic as i don't know what to say or how much to say. and she is certainly likely to blurt it out to all and sundry too - having already told visitors - with accompanying hand gestures - poo comes out here, wee comes out here. Its not my embarassment I worry about, but people laughting at her.

I tended to go with what the other children/ adults were saying when asked by my DCs; 'cos I remember being really embarrassed when I started school 'cos my mum and dad had called wee something totally different to what the others said.

I think you're right to answer the questions correctly and briefly and maybe say on another occasion "some people call it a willy" or whatever.

I'll never forget DD1 at 2and 6mos. standing up in a crowded italian restaurant and pointing to the people and saying in clear piping ,luckily english,"that man has got a willy and that lady hasn't" !!!

Not weird at all. I always believe in explaining thing to my kids, obviously at a level they can understand.

If you think about it, it is probably weirder to make up names for things, every other body part has its proper name after all. Yes it might get a wee snigger at nursery etc, but its better than confusing the child, I hate when adults use the term 'flower' how confusing is that?!

Had to pause for thought when my 3 year old asked me what the tampon was she had found in the cupboard. But just explained it to her as simply as possible, she seemed satisfied with the answer.

toomuch ...Flower !!! what were they referring to ??

It doesn't confuse them if you explain that some people call it so and so and some don't.

When ds was 7 his bf's parents complained to us about his language.We asked what he had said and were told 'penis'.We asked what they said and were told[I kid you not],little winkle'!!We took said friend on holiday with us and we passed a stall selling cockles and winkles........My dgs[3.6] says 'willy' because that is common usage here but I would prefer the 'proper' names myself.

But what is the "proper" name for a girl's ...? Vagina is the tube thing that babies come out of, right? When ds points at my hairy bits and says "Mama, what that?" I say it's hair (cos it is), but I know that's dodging the issue. What is the proper name for the visible part (not the vagina)? I want to teach him it, really I do, but I've managed to get to a reasonably mature age without finding out myself!

The part you can see is your vulva, MamaChris.

Thanks, ant3nna. I can almost imagine how ds (2yo) will sound pronouncing that!

PP, you not heard of flower?!

Its used loads where I live, girls parts.

I absolutely hate it, my step daughter used to use it all the time.

No I agree some words are commonly used, willy etc, and are accepted words but others like flower are just so awful.

My kids have been told the real terms but say willy and girl bits.

Have never said vulva to my kids though, oops, back to the biology books, giving my kids the wrong info!

How about genitals , groin?? a bit more neutral doncher think??

I should have remembered about 'vulva' being the correct term.

Personally I was quite happy using willy for ds, but when ds asked about little girls I thought I'd better tell him the correct names for girls and boys bits.

I'm a Biology teacher with no shame about using 'proper' names and a firm belief that if a child's old enough to ask they're old enough to know. Even I have to confess to refering to front bums, willies, Floofs and John Thomas' though. Not really sure what the answer to which to use on a regular basis is though. Honestly not sure it really matters

Oh honestly.
They are parts of our body the same as our arms, heads and noses.
Call them what they are called for crying out loud.
I had a parent complain to me too that my daughter had said she hurt her vagina when she fell off the climbing frame
.
It's not a swear word - it's just a word.

Sorry, I am usually really quiet and not quite so strident, but this is a pet hate of mine.
Let's not confuse our children, nor be ashamed.
Say it with me 'penis, vulva, vagina. Penis, vulva, vagina...'

DD has always used the correct terms. From about 16 months ish when she was naming other body parts, she asked, I told her.

I too find it strange that people have twinkles and foo foos. It's just naming of parts.

My dc were both taught the correct terminology when they started asking, as they got older they've learnt other words. Ds has recently stopped saying willy in favour of knob. Boys!

My 4 year old says willy but his Dad has taught him the word scrotum and he uses that quite a lot. It never fails to amuse me.