boys bits!

**sweets** · 20-06-2009, 03:11 PM

I looked after my friends 1 year old the other day while mum went to an appointment i didn't have him a mindee just as a favour(wasn't paid), only had him for an hour.
Well i went to change his nappy and 23month old mindee wanted to help! she lives with her single mum and 2 sisters. When i took his nappy off she was very interested and said 'whats that'!lol. I said it was his winky, didn't know what else to say.
When her mum came she told her we had looked after ? and told mum he had a winky, mum replied actually darling its a P...s (proper word), mum explained to me in a nice way that she would rather her daughter learnt proper words for body parts.
I'm sorry but to me it doesn't sound right when a child says it! sounds rude
What do you think? am i being a prude?

**Curly Quavers** · 20-06-2009, 03:34 PM

No not atoll I would be horrified if my little girls knew that word so young.

**Daftbat** · 20-06-2009, 03:37 PM

I don't see a problem with calling it a penis. Afterall we call all the other body parts by their proper name.

**sarah707** · 20-06-2009, 03:49 PM

I do know where you are coming from but it does save problems later on.

I once had a 3 year girl crying telling me her twinkle was sore and I didn't have a clue what she was on about until I remembered she'd just been to the loo!

**venus89** · 20-06-2009, 04:02 PM

We call it a 'willy' but I wouldn't have a problem with them calling it a penis. I have a nearly three year old mindee who's been talked to in baby language all her life and I'm desparately tring to teach her english before she starts preschool in January. If you teach them one word then they have to learn another it's twice the work for them.....

She is also fascinated witht he nappy changing of other kids. Goodness knows why.....

**sweets** · 20-06-2009, 04:04 PM

I don't have a problem older children calling it a penis but it just didn't sound right when a child not yet 2 said it! lol.

**venus89** · 20-06-2009, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by sweets

I don't have a problem older children calling it a penis but it just didn't sound right when a child not yet 2 said it! lol.

Lol - oh, I do totally understand. My husband thought I was very prudish when we got together and I talked about a 'penis' - I found sit very hard to get to grips with the term 'willy'

**venus89** · 20-06-2009, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by venus89

Lol - oh, I do totally understand. My husband thought I was very prudish when we got together and I talked about a 'penis' - I found sit very hard to get to grips with the term 'willy'

Even without the typo that's an awful sentence

- apologies!

**sweets** · 20-06-2009, 04:10 PM

**Adiamond** · 20-06-2009, 04:20 PM

x x x

**Pudding Girl** · 20-06-2009, 04:25 PM

I wouldn't have a problem with that at all I have to say, it's just the name for it ( granted not a pretty one!) same as an arm is an arm etc.

**Pauline** · 20-06-2009, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by venus89

Even without the typo that's an awful sentence

- apologies!

I can't stop laughing!!

**RachelE** · 20-06-2009, 05:15 PM

I do like children to use proper words- I hate baa lamb, doggy, horsey, ducky etc - BUT, for body parts, I am a prude!

Even when talking to dh I say 'down below'! I dont know why, I just cant say the body parts!
I call boys parts 'willys' and girls - either bottom or front bottom! - I know its terrible and dh goes mad when I say front bottom!

We are all differnet and I think its a sensitive issue. I think if you dont want to say Penis, then parents need to respect that.

**venus89** · 20-06-2009, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by RachelE

We are all differnet and I think its a sensitive issue. I think if you dont want to say Penis, then parents need to respect that.

I quite agree, but on the flip side of the coin we have to respect the parent who doesn't want it called a winky......

Which leads to the problem of what to say when the little one asks 'what's that?'.......

**Saranotts** · 20-06-2009, 05:37 PM

I must say I don't mind boys bits being called different things and my son even used to call his testicles "his peanuts" but we have also always been quite open to using the correct terms. However, I hate some of the words people use for girls bits, tuppance and plum are just awful. We have always called it a bottom and then when our daughter was able to see there was a difference we explained that it was called a vagina and although it has caused me a few wincing moments when she has used it I do think it is better.

Sara

**sweets** · 20-06-2009, 05:45 PM

i'm hoping the little one won't have to say it again as it was just a one off looking after this baby boy! but you never know now she has learnt a new word she will prob say it all the time at inappropriate moements! lol.
She was interested as never seen one before living with just girls, but its the way mum said 'actually darling its a penis' in a very posh voice that made me cringe

**PixiePetal** · 20-06-2009, 05:49 PM

My DS used to call his 'tackle' (DH word

) his 'bits and bobs'. He knew as he got older that there were other words that people call them.

Can't even remember when we mentioned the correct words for body parts they just naturally changed as the kids got older.

Generally I use the word willy and ask the parents what they call it at collection if the word has come up - so to speak!

**madasahatter** · 20-06-2009, 07:12 PM

I think learning different words for private body parts is all part and parcel of growing up. I think many people use words like willy, tuppence, etc, probably because it sounds far too grown up for a preschooler to be using the words penis and vagina, as they seem (to me) to have a more sexual meaning IYSWIM.
As pixipetal says the words change as the children get older.

**little chickee** · 20-06-2009, 07:37 PM

when my sister was pregnant she slid down a climbing frame and hurt her "girl bits" quite badly and was taken into hospital as a precaution - she was settled in a bed on a ward of about 12 people when the ward sister marched in and asked in a v loud voice " where is the girl with the bruised frou-frou?"

My sister was mortified and didnt admit it was her - everyone was looking at each other v interested to know how someone had bruised their frou-frou!!

**georgie456** · 20-06-2009, 07:54 PM

We just call it a willy!

When I first started minding a boy, my dd saw his bits when I was changing him (she was 2 and a half then) and she shouted out "mummy look, B's got a tail!!!!"

After I'd managed to get a straight face, I told her then what it was and it's proper name, but "willy" has just stuck. And her's are simply called "bits" - I thought every other name was just so awful!