Hi,
I’m trying to raise my son bilingual. I’m not a native English speaker so I have one question. With boys parts is easy – “willy†but how to name girls parts? I prefer to avoid medical words (may son has 3 years old and starts asking questions about difference between boys and girls) so my question is. What a word I could use to describe girls parts but in children way?
thats nothing to worry about just tell the real name. check this link to know more about
http://forum.brillkids.com/coffee-corner-general-chat/child-abuse-be-careful/
Thanks for a link.
But I still want to know what are this baby-talk corresponding to sex parts.
It is very difficult to find translation in dictionary. I know only pee-pee or wee-wee but this is sound silly. Some other ideas (words)?
There really is no name child’s name for girl’s part, because it usually doesn’t come up in conversation for very long time.
I myself prefer medical words, but in my family growing up my mom used “tee-tee” or “teetle” for female parts and “winky” for boy parts. Hope that helps.
It is recommended that you use the correct terms when describing body parts, but I guess it can be a personal preference. My sisters and I grew up referring to our girl parts as our “privates”
I’ve never heard the word willy for boy parts!! lol That’s funny.
I, too, use the “real words” with my son, but you don’t have to do what I do just because I think it’s right!
For a girl, I’ve heard peepee and teetee
Dear All,
That is an interesting question. In America, we tend to say “privates” or the medical term. I also found the following guide for parents:
Discussing Sex with Pre-Schoolers
Children begin to develop an awareness of their own bodies and an interest in sexuality at an early age. Parents should keep in mind that this is a normal process. Here are some things parents can do to instill healthy ideas about sexuality in their pre-school aged children:
Don’t punish children for touching their own genitalia. Young children have a great curiosity about their own bodies. It is quite normal for them to touch and handle their own genitalia. Instead of punishing and shaming children for this normal behavior, parents should treat it matter of factly. As children approach school age, they should be taught that while touching one’s private parts is okay, it is something that is to be done in a private place, like in the bathroom or in the child’s bedroom.
Explain what private parts are and what body privacy means. While children are young, parents should teach their children that private parts are private, and that nobody else should touch them. This is also a good time to let children know that they should come to you or another trusted adult if anyone does try to touch their private parts.
Explain sex differences. Pre-school aged children are very curious about the differences between boys and girls. Parents should explain these differences to their children. Parents should explain that little boys have penises and that little girls have vaginas, etc.
source > http://parentguide.dpsk12.org/parent_power/about_sex.html
And on another site, the same discussion was taking place and “Sunshine” said something important to remember:
TOPIC > Sex Education at 5 - ‘correct’ names for body parts and parents of little girls?
In the UK sex education is to start at 5.
There have been a few questions posted already about this and it got me thinking.
At 5 children will be taught the ‘correct’ name for body parts.
It seems that the ‘majority’ of parents of boys refer to the penis as a ‘willy’ (in the UK anyway - sure the rest of the world can enlighten me to differences)
What about the girls?
I always had a problem with my daughter as to what we call her ‘girly bits’ and actually that is the name that stuck!
My friends daughter’s have ‘a mary’, a ‘twinkle’ and a ‘tuppence’.
So what do you call yours?
. . .
Sunshine posted: As someone who has worked with victims of sexual abuse, it is important that children know the anatomically-correct words for their body parts.
They can use different names if they so choose in day to day life, but they need to at least know the “real” names in case they ever encounter abuse, it makes it far easier to help pinpoint the abuse and hence the abuser is caught quicker.
Don’t be so embarrassed by your body parts as adults that you can’t explain them to your children. That’s completely stupid, and your children will be exploited by their lack of knowledge.
source > http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081024070019AArlW9v
Another useful site > http://www.centerforpreventionofabuse.org/body_safety.php
- Ayesha
P.S. Please see my recent posting “Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children Safe and Parents Sane, by Gavin de Becker” >
http://forum.brillkids.com/teaching-your-child-other-topics/protecting-the-gift-keeping-children-safe-and-parents-sane-by-gavin-de-becker/msg16148/?topicseen#new
Thanks a lot Ayesha for your post … really cool information. they are right parts should be call by their real name. Thanks for sharing that article - eye opening in regards detecting abuse God forbid .
Gloria
Dear Michal & All,
I want to make sure it did not get lost in my long posting - I am unsure if you noticed that there is a link where the same discussion takes place in the United Kingdom. In indirectly answering your original question, I did not list all of answers to the various names, since that can be seen by clicking on the link > http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081024070019AArlW9v .
However, I did want to share the reason why as an American, we tend to answer with clinical / privates names. It is because there is a lot of public awareness of prevention of sexual abuse in general, and particularly in children. So, as “Sunshine” mentioned, “They can use different names if they so choose in day to day life, but they need to at least know the “real” names in case they ever encounter abuse, it makes it far easier to help pinpoint the abuse and hence the abuser is caught quicker.”
So, use both, instead of either or. Enjoy reading the various names - because there are many!
- Ayesha
I also think that if a child grows up calling parts a silly name, then they will find it very difficult to call them by their proper names when they get older. How many adults do you know actually call them by their proper name? And how many kids in school did you know who did so? Hardly any then or now.
Hi!
I believe what everyone is saying on the site is quite true, it is best for your child to be taught the proper names of body parts. I know this is hard because they are parts of us that are used for reproduction and we have always been told growing up that they are ‘private’ and almost not to be spoken about. This has brought about many generations who are confused and shy to talk about sex.
The reason for the new thinking is as Ayesha Nicole said to help curb child abuse but to also raise a generation that does not have too many hang ups about sex and can talk about their bodies more openly and be more comfortable in visiting the dr to talk about problems. As many people in the past have had many issues going to the dr to talk about their vaginas or penis/testicles and often leaving it too late for anything to be done or having to hav something ajor done.
I know it is hard not to want to use a cute name for the privates but using the correct name is better than a name that implies that there is something ‘wrong’ with these body parts compared with other parts of our bodies.
Thanks for all this answers.
I really didn’t know that something like baby talk about girls parts is not used (or even doesn’t exist).
As I mention before I’m not native English speaker. I’m Polish, and in my language for children sex parts we use some children words. “siusiak†– for boys and “pisia†for girls. There are so common that even there are in polish dictionary . Those terms are construct form polish verb pee, so represent actually purpose of this parts in early age. And there are not sound stupid or silly.
Vagina and penis are also exist in polish dictionary (even the same pronunciation) but they so medical that are use mostly by doctors. That the reason of my confusing.
This is a subject I’d been avoiding and I’m still not sure about what to call my daughter’s privates. Since that’s what they are, that’s what I’m leaning towards, not because I’m prudish at all, but because technically, what she’s pointing to isn’t her vagina, it’s her labia major and minor and clitoris, nother vagina, which is inside. All this seems a bit much and I’ve just been calling it her bum, but that can’t go on indefinitely. My problem is, if I’m going to use a technical term, I want it to be correct, and calling “the works” a vagina isn’t.
In Ireland RSE -Relationship & Sexual Eduxation starts at 4. Its not grafic by any means at that age but in class we teach the children to wash a baby- a doll or if possible a real baby. starting at the toes and working towards the head. This way the child hears all the anatomically correct terminology for every body part including the penis and the vagina. In this way it doesn’t make a big deal out of learning these words. It is not necessary at this age and stage to teach them particular parts of these private areas but as previously mentioned when it comes to sex abuse and children are interviewed it is clearer to record the childrens discussion- there is no speculation!
Also as previously discussed it is not the children that are embarassed about these terms its us adults who did not grow up in society were it was acceptable to even mention. I think it great to be in a posiition to teach them penis and vagina and if they shout it out in the supermarket well at least its something to share in the forum! :laugh:
Hi,
I am not a native English speaker and in my language the words come from “going pee-pee” also.
Since I had my first two kids in English speaking countries penie/winky and pum-pum for girls is what we use.