Parent who use proper names for genitalia with their small kids: why do you?

I'm curious to understand the reasoning behind why some parents feel strongly about using proper names. What positive benefit do you see it having over using an alternate term? (for the record- I don't get the point. I doubt I ever used proper names as a kid, and I don't understand why it matters so much to some)Parent who use proper names for genitalia with their small kids: why do you?
Not sure, I always called it my private.





Till one day when I was in 4th grade and I tried to write the state Vriginia, and i really wrote vagina.


My dad sat me down and told me. Man did I feel STUPID! I can still remeber the test, and him going over it with me, on the couch in the parlor. lol


That's what I get for living in a state that doesnt pronounce its ';R's';Parent who use proper names for genitalia with their small kids: why do you?
Because when you make up silly names and avoid using proper names, then the actual word becomes taboo and when kids get older and you start teaching them correct terms and talking about puberty, they will feel uncomfortable where as if you use these words from the beginning then they are comfortable hearing them and using them and it is the norm for them rather than awkward.





Also it can be confusing for kids when a parent refers to their private as their pee pee, then when they are potty training they say ';go pee pee'; pee pee is the stuff that comes out not the body part itself.





If your child God forbid was ever touched inappropriately, you would have a more clear idea of what happened if you used correct terms.





You don't call an arm a bookie right? Why would you? The reason adults make up silly names for the privates is because THEY themselves are not comfortable with the terms, this is because their parents did the same thing. If you want your child to grow up feeling comfortable with their body and the actually terms for their body parts, then start using those terms while they are young. If you want them to become uncomfortable just like most people so that they don't even feel comfortable saying the name for their own private part, then make up silly names.





I mean let's be honest, most people see or hear the word penis or Vulva/vagina and they cringe right? It's because over time these terms have been made taboo and it continues because parents make these words taboo by not using them from an early age.
I Don't feel so strongly, but I do use ';cutesy'; names like peepee because it is easier for my daughter (who is 22months old) to say and get her point across. We are potty training and Her telling me PeePee Potty and associating it with her vagina is understandable. She also calls her butt her ';Hinny'; and occasionally her nose her beep beep, but she does know the proper names for all her body parts as well!


Vagina and Breasts and Buttox are too difficult for her to say at this point but are necessary for her daily needs to be communicated. She also doesn't say Elbow or Shoulder yet... even though she knows what and where they are she doesn't have (or need) words to make her point
Well why on earth would you find it acceptable for a 4 year old child to call his finger 'foggier', or cows 'moo moo'.





They are parts of our anatomy, and why shouldn't they use the proper names?





I'm curious as to why people think that there's anything remotely shameful about an anatomical part of their body.


Men have penises, women have vagina's and bigger breasts.





My point is, why should there be any alternate term?





There's nothing wrong with the names as they are.





I don't feel the need to hide behind baby names, i don;t for my elbow, so why should i for my vagina?





I don't want her to feel there's anything shameful, or wrong, or disgusting about sex, and it starts with the names.


If there isn't anything wrong with them, then why can't people even say the names?
I don't have kids but studies have shown that kids who know the proper names of their body parts and are taught about bad touches are more likely to speak up if they're molested. Using made up words tends to sugar coat things.





When I do have kids I most certainly will teach them the proper names.





Why would I get a thumbs down for this? There were studies done to prove this and just because you're uncomfortable talking with your child about basic human anatomy, doesn't change the fact that they're more likely to be comfortable to speak up using words like ';penis'; instead of ';weewee.';
Some parents feel that if the child reports abuse it will be taken more seriously if they use the real terms, rather than some term that possibly only the family uses. Of course if you use the common slang this isn't going to be a problem.





Sometimes I use the right word, sometimes I use cute names. Just like all body parts really. I use the right words when we are being serious and when we are goofing around it doesn't matter as long as everyone is having fun. So sometimes I say penis, and sometimes I say ';Mr Winky'; =)) My son seems to prefer the term penis.
i actually do. it matters to me because i personally want to associate the proper words with the proper parts. i don't want to ';cutesy'; it or make it sound like anything other than it is. hopefully, encourage healthy apperciate of your body and not be ashamed by it. do i know if it will work? nope not a clue. however, i am comfortable w/that choice for my kids and have no qualms w/anyone who does it differently. whatever works for each family.
Why would I call them by a cartoon name? You call it what it is bc I'm not ashamed to say those words and give proper names to anything. I don't call their tummys ''too-too's'' or their feet ''clobbers'' I call them by their name bc I'm not ashamed of my body nor do I want my kids to feel wrong by calling their body parts exactly what it is!





Plus if I don't say the proper words now, how the heck is the sex talk going to go when it gets to that time?? Better start early to give me prep time
I don't think that its productive to make up stupid made up words for a part of the anatomy (or anything else for that matter) that already has a proper name.





I don't particularly ';feel strongly'; in the sense that I force the issue...but I certainly don't tell him...that's your ';dingle-ling'; or your ';wee wee'; or your ';pee pee poo poopie';





It's just silly and totally unnecessary. If he comes up with some goofball name on his own, whatever...I'll correct him when he's older...but I'm certainly not going to intentionally teach him the wrong words from the get go....that's just plain stupid.








Plus there's nothing funnier than hearing a toddler use the proper terms for their genitalia...it's just hilarious.
I don't really care either way, but personally I use a bit of both. We do say bottom, but ';poto'; is a Spanish term for bottom I grew up hearing, and Sophie loves to say it! She does say penis, though pronounces it ';neenis'; LOL!!! As for vagina, I have never liked that word much, and prefer to use ';yoni'; most of the time, have for years! It is Sanskrit for vagina, so technically it's not a cutesy nickname. ;)
I refer to males as having a penis but with girls it's a little more complex - a vagina is actually internal. part of the outside is called the vulva - either word sounds too medical and doesn't describe the whole in one term. so we refer to it as ';private parts'; ';girl parts'; or ';tushie';. but they know the proper terms. just preference.
(((can't answer because I'm not one of those parents but I'm curious to see the answers)))


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


**ever wonder why people have to be insulting when answering a simple question?? Every question on here is not a judgment against your parenting style, people.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Yeah, I figured that's all you were doing and people have to be so rude and insulting. It's like people on Y!A walk around with their weapon drawn ready to fight. they can't ever just think someone might just be curious.......irritating.
Because if my son ever(God forbid) was sexually harrassed in some manner I would want him to be able to tell me, and others, what happened.





Besides, penis isn't a BAD word and like someone else said I don't come up with cutesy names for his eyes or ears. Penis or privates is what I will use when my son is old enough to know what it is.
Yes, a penis is a penis, etc.





I do it for the same reason I call a phone a phone and a leg a leg. It's the correct way of saying it. Its what it is called.





However, I did learn that you need to teach your children that in pubic, you use ';private parts'; instead. My son is in kindergarten and saw a picture of a cat with its tail between its legs and yell ';I can see the cats penis'; The teacher then told him that we use the word ';private parts';...whatever...it's a penis.
Why not? Does it really matter if they know it's a penis? We call it a penis or a pee-pee, privates...





The real names aren't 'bad' words...sorry if you're uncomfortable with that...but they're just body parts.





You don't make up fake names for your nose or ears, so why would you hide the real name of a private part?
I do.





If the worst case scenario were to happen to my boys and someone touched them (or tried to) somewhere, I want to know exactly what happened with no questions. That's just my main reason.





ETA: BTW... my oldest does know that they are HIS *private* parts as well.





What 16 year old said.... I know I've read something about this subject somewhere- and it made perfect sense to me- but I can't remember where.





ETA again.... I just re-read this. I don't mean ';worst'; case scenerio.... but that is right up at the top of the list.
didn't read the other answers yet, but we do it for the same reason that we teach them the correct names for pieces of furniture, their head, their toes, a dog, a cat ... i really don't see a point in teaching a different name.
Why use nicknames for the genitals? I'd rather my daughter know that boys have a penis and girls have a vagina then that boys have a pee-pee and girls have a cootch.
I've never done that and I don't think I know anyone who does. I use privates in the hopes that it's understood that those are private. I'm kind of curious about this now.
For the same reason I refer to the kitchen table as a table and not as at ';tabwe wabwe'; or a coffee cup as a ';cuppy wuppy.'; Why not use the proper names?
I have no idea if there is any benefit, I just use the real words because wee wee always seemed silly to me. My kids usually call it their privates and thats fine too.
We call my daughters parts the proper names sometimes but in public we call it a Jennie ( its what my mom called mine) She knows its the same thing.
no i dont use stupid words like wee wee...i dont get the point of that either.
I'm 40 and I still don't use the proper names!! :) My kids know the proper terms but we still use their made up words!