"nicknames" for body parts.

[goldfish]

We had a really great conversation in class the other day, about people teaching their children to use words other than the appropriate name for body parts (genitals, breasts, etc).
I was interesting in seeing what everyone on here thinks on the topic.

Personally I agree with my professor.
The words "penis" and "vagina" are not inappropriate - they are the correct terms for the body parts. I don't see the need to teach a child to say "peepee place" or whatever else. I have heard so many ridiculous names and it just doesn't make sense to me - why not just call it what it is.

One of the women in my class said that while her goddaughter was in daycare, they taught her to call her vagina a "pocketbook". Seriously? How is that more appropriate than the clinical term.

Its not beneficial to the child in any way to teach them to call something by a fake name. In essence, they are learning to be ashamed of and confused about their bodies. That is my opinon anyway.

Any thoughts?

[savvy<3dizzy]

I agree with you. Although I don't call it a "penis" when I refer to it I usually call it a "wilard" haha. I have for as long as I can remember and DB makes fun of me.

[Truegrits81]

Pocketbook is very old school and indeed what many kids were taught way back in the day. I've never used it. My kids get the real names to everything. Penis, vagina, breasts, etc.

[His*PITA*]

I do agree that to some extent children should be taught the correct terms, but to be honest at a young age (under 5) when they are repeating everything and have no public filter, I do find it more appropriate to use similar words...

At work we taught our kids to use "peepee" for both penis & vagina because for kids under 5ish, thats all they are really using those body parts for... However when I was the school age teacher (6 & put) we did have conversations about the correct terms and when they were appropriate to use...

[goldfish]

Originally Posted by His*PITA* I do agree that to some extent children should be taught the correct terms, but to be honest at a young age (under 5) when they are repeating everything and have no public filter, I do find it more appropriate to use similar words... At work we taught our kids to use "peepee" for both penis & vagina because for kids under 5ish, thats all they are really using those body parts for... However when I was the school age teacher (6 & put) we did have conversations about the correct terms and when they were appropriate to use...

I can understand not having the conversation until they are school age.
However if a child asks specifically what it is called before then, I would tell him or her the truth.
Children have no public filter, but also, penis and vagina are not bad words.

When I have kids, if they walk around saying penis or vagina in public and someone gives me a dirty look, or says something to me, then in my eyes they are the one who is immature and i'll just brush it off.

[Amberlyn]

My children do not use clinic terms.. then again neither do I. I don't like the term Vagina.. it sounds funny. I call it a V-J-J..

My kids call them "lilly" for her.. and "Weiner" for him (which is better than DH calling it a pecker..i think )... when they are old enough they will learn the proper terms.. My 11 yr old, knows what they are.. But we still refer to them as "private parts".... since thats what she was taught when she was little.. (well she uses the term Boobs now.. since she is getting them )

[Honeybee]

Where you hanging out in my head last night?? I was JUST wondering about this, too, and what names people have taught their kids to call their parts.

My family always taught me to call it my "privates". I'll teach that to my kids, too.
They will know the proper terminology, but we'll use the term "privates". To me, using vagina as a blanket term for woman parts got confusing when I was little. Until I was in sex ed, I thought my ENTIRE area down there was just "vagina". It was total news to me that a vagina is only one part

[goldfish]

Originally Posted by Honeybee Where you hanging out in my head last night?? I was JUST wondering about this, too, and what names people have taught their kids to call their parts. My family always taught me to call it my "privates". I'll teach that to my kids, too. They will know the proper terminology, but we'll use the term "privates". To me, using vagina as a blanket term for woman parts got confusing when I was little. Until I was in sex ed, I thought my ENTIRE area down there was just "vagina". It was total news to me that a vagina is only one part

I guess privates isn't too bad. Its when people start teaching their kids things like "wa-wa" and weird crap like that, that i'm like seriously?

[mikeswife]

Originally Posted by armygirl8714 We had a really great conversation in class the other day, about people teaching their children to use words other than the appropriate name for body parts (genitals, breasts, etc). I was interesting in seeing what everyone on here thinks on the topic. Personally I agree with my professor. The words "penis" and "vagina" are not inappropriate - they are the correct terms for the body parts. I don't see the need to teach a child to say "peepee place" or whatever else. I have heard so many ridiculous names and it just doesn't make sense to me - why not just call it what it is. One of the women in my class said that while her goddaughter was in daycare, they taught her to call her vagina a "pocketbook". Seriously? How is that more appropriate than the clinical term. Its not beneficial to the child in any way to teach them to call something by a fake name. In essence, they are learning to be ashamed of and confused about their bodies. That is my opinon anyway. Any thoughts?

We are teaching ds and dd the right names.

But while ds was repeating everything you said and the wrong times we called it a peepee, because some people get weirded out by the word penis.

Now that we can teach him that we do not talk about private parts in certain places we are using the right words.

For some reason he calls my breasts booboos. He calls males pects.

Funny story.

Today when I said dh was going to feed dd, he(ds) asked if does he,dh, have booboo milk. haha

[CCArmyWife]

My 2 year old says penis. It doesn't embarass me if he tells me ' I pointed my penis down in the potty' in public. It is what it is.