Tush teachings- June 19, 2012
These days we’re hit or miss with potty training in our house. I’m not really sweating it, nor am I going super hard-core with it because she’s only 19-months-old. Regardless, potty training has brought up interesting “conversations” with our toddler.
Sometimes they are anatomy lessons.
She knows where her bottom is. “Ba-ba” as she calls it, as she pats her rear end. She sits on the potty and we talk. I explain that poo-poo comes out of her bottom and pee-pee comes out the front. I tell her these are her “private parts” Pretty soon I’ll use the proper words anus and urethra. I have also explained that part of her private parts are her vagina. She just looks at me and tugs on my earring and giggles, or points at my nose and says “Mama nose!” I laugh. The point is, we have started the conversation.
I do not believe in using cutesy terms for private parts. Ever.
Tracie is a sexual abuse survivor and a really inspiring woman. She explains why cutesy terms are a bad idea better than I ever could. Read this!!!! I think my favorite line is “You wouldn’t tell your daughter that her nose is called a Hoo-Ha and then send her out in the world. Then why is it okay to say that about her vagina?”
Funny thing is, I know Charlotte is listening. Even at 1 1/2 she understands. For example, after one of these conversations I was standing in the bathroom and felt a little hand patting my backside. “Mama ba-ba!”
I died laughing as I picked her up thinking of all the other anatomy lessons she’ll eventually understand.
Spread it around:
I’m of the same camp. Though, I know I will slip and call them something else, it’s a vaginaaaaaaaaaaaa hahha. Or ya know, whatever part we are talking about. Have you ever wondered why people say going potty? even now as adults? why does it get stuck in our heads and why doesnt the world around us make fun of us???
Just a suggestion. The actual outer parts of the female are called the vulva. The vagina is located internally. Just putting my sex ed info out there
I think it’s awesome you are going to teach her the correct words. Doing otherwise can really mess with her sexualtiy later in life. I know some great books you can share with her to talk with her about this stuff! Awesome parenting!