What is the best word to call a child vagina?

Question

Me and my husband have a 4month old child, but when she gets older I was wondering which would be the best word to call her vagina. My husband thinks it not right for her to call it a vagina as she gets older and says we should just use the word privates, but I think that vagina is what we should tell her its called. Which do you think is the best? Or which did you teach your children was the proper word and why did you chose that word?Thanks

Answer 1

This may sound funny but my 5 year old calls it a "kitty cat"

Answer 2

I dont really see the need to immediately give small children anatomical instructions. At some point, it is beneficial to educate everyone on penis, testicles, vagina, gluteus, femur, achilles, labia, etc., as technically proper. But Ive heard nurses casually talk to adult women about their "private area", or just say "between your legs", and to adult men referring to the parts politely as "your peepee" (which is not gibberish, but rather related to the function of urination). There's nothing wrong with using more familiar words that have become popularly acceptable, even among adults, because they have been found to be conversationally practical. In fact, enforced physiological verbalization seems puritanic. It is therefore not necessary for parents to be required to use scientific terminology, particularly if it might be engendered by any imposed sense of duty, when they can simplify juvenile lives with much more facile references.(Ouch, sorry about that vocabulary!)

Answer 3

What I would say to your husband is...do you call a foot something other then a foot or a nose something other then a nose? Why call a vagina something other then what it is. They are all body parts and are nothing to be ashamed of.



I work with children who have been sexually abused and have also conducted child sexual abuse prevention education sessions. One of the first things I teach parents is to start early using the proper terminology for all body parts.

Answer 4

I thought "vagina" just referred to the hole. And there are all kinds of other personal parts around there that have their own confusing names. I prefer to sum it all up by calling that area "private parts". That term can cover boys and girls. And having 1 term to cover both sexes makes it so much easier when you explain that we don't touch other peoples' private parts and nobody touches you. Also, the word "private" kind of enforces that it isn't for everybody to see.



As a kid gets older they will need to learn more specific terms. But for now, my little girl is 6 and "private parts" is enough to cover our conversations on the subject. (specifically reminding her where we don't touch other people and where she needs to make sure gets clean after she goes potty and in the shower)

Answer 5

We chose privates. In my opinion it was much better than my mother using "hootie". I personally would be thrown off if a little girl started using the proper term around me and I know a lot of others would too, while others feel a vagina's a vagina and it shouldn't be called otherwise.



You can always teach her both and let her use which she prefers.

Answer 6

Well I'm a boy so I might be wrong, but I was taught the word 'privates' and through the years I learned the actual name. Especialy in Sex Ed.

Answer 7

Vagina or when speaking of the entire area in general, privates.

Answer 8

Call it what it is: vagina.



If you act likes it's a dirty word, then you run the risk of her thinking her own vagina is dirty. It's natural and it's part of her body.



We taught our kids the proper anatomical terminology because we feel that our children should know them rather than silly names. Penis and vagina are not dirty words.

Answer 9

I have boys, but my niece was taught to call it her vagina, only it came out China when she said it. I thought it was cute.



ETA****My sons (well one is 16 now and probably uses other terms) say penis and testicles or scrotum.

Answer 10

Vulva is the proper word to use - the vagina is only a part.

Answer 11

We say ... more so our kids say privates, but I am a strong promoter of using corrects words relating to human anatomy.

Answer 12

I have two daughters and we called it a private part, that way we didn't have them yell in the middle of the store, "DOES THAT LADY HAVE A VAGINA TOO?" lol

Answer 13

My daughter will be calling hers a vagina. I don't think body parts should have silly names. Can you imagine the confusion a child feels when all her other parts have normal names and her private parts are called something goofy? I think this also calls attention to these parts. NOT what I want! A penis is a penis, also, not a wee-wee.

Answer 14

My brother and his wife use proper terminology. Our pediatrician office recommends using proper terminology.



That said, I call it a peepee. That was what my mom called it. :-) My brother had a peepee and I had a peepee. They looked different but the same stuff came out. Of course, when I was 12 and on my period and I didn't know my peepee had 2 holes. lol

Answer 15

When I was younger, my parents used to call it my "diaper area". Haha.

Pediatricians recommend using the technical terms, but it can be embarrassing to be walking through the grocery store and hear your daughter talking about her vagina. Wouldn't you rather her be calling it her pee-pee or privates?

Answer 16

Um...."Vagina" is probably the best name for a vagina.



My son is 2 and a half and he knows that he has a "Penis"



I never understood teaching kids silly names for body parts...



We don't tell them to call their head a "Wee woo" or their leg a "Noo Na" ...

Why would we have them call their genitals ridiculous names?



Makes no sense to me...aren't kids confused about their bodies and their functions enough already??

Why make it even harder and confuse them about the names too?



A Vagina is a vagina and a penis is a penis...no big deal.



*********************

We have actually been in the grocery store and my son has spouted out conversation about his penis while we were shopping in the "wipes & diaper" isle...it was friggin hilarious.



Do you really think that people won't know what she's talking about if she starts talking about her "Privates" or her "Who haw"? It's no less amusing (or embarrasing) if they're using the proper terms...

Answer 17

There is a tons of info out there as to why you should call things what they are. I will not go into to you are smart and can find it. I think they should know exactly the name for it and you not make it dirty or hiden . my daughter knows she has a "gina" she can't say vagina yet and her brother has a "enis"

Answer 18

We use the proper word, because that's what it is. A vagina. A penis is a penis. And anus is an anus. A breast is a breast. There's nothing to be embarrassed about.



All the best.

Answer 19

my wife always says to use the correct words. As a man I find the word vagina uncomfortable (I dont know why). I call it the too-too (2-2).



EDIT: I have never heard of calling girl parts a pee-pee also that just seems wrong to me. lol. But we do use pee-pee for my son.



For a little while my daughter called it the "take a leak thing" lol. I was in trouble for that one...

Answer 20

My parents have always said "privates". It's easier with boys because most say peepee.

Answer 21

My boys have a penis and if they ever have a sister, she will have a vagina.



Pet names make them seem like body parts to be embarrassed of. In the event of, heaven forbid, any sexual abuse or molestation, there are no questions on what happened to who, where.

Answer 22

My sister will be 3 soon and we always use the correct words, they get confused I you don't.

Answer 23

We call it a pee pee. Our son goes to a sitter and not that i don't trust her, but you want your child to know what it is and be able to tell someone if something is wrong with it. Also you would want to know if someone was messing with her pee pee. It is better that she knows what it is and what it is called. My husband calls it a BJJ. But other people don't know what that means. Private is ok, but babies have a hard time saying that word. Pee Pee is easy and everyone know what she is talking about.

Answer 24

I think it's best to stick with the scientifically correct terms. Either "vulva" or "vagina."

Answer 25

We use cooch or va-jay-jay. "Vagina" just sounds too grownup.

Answer 26

We call it her private part or her front hiney

Answer 27

My daughter call it her butt. When I clean her she says you are cleaning my butt. I do not attempt to correct her at 2 years old

Answer 28

Va jay jay =]