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Mucho privato.. but need help.

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11K views 233 replies 72 participants last post by  thursday2 
#1 ·
What is the most used term for a vagina for a 3 yr old. Recently my daughter got potty-trained and I am struggling to use words to ask her to clean her 'Vagina'. I don't want to use the V word.. sounds too heavy. For her back I use 'tushie' and I am comfortable with it. I sometimes use 'buns' or even 'buttocks' and I am fine with all of those.

Just am stumped with the vag name :(

Please help. Don't want to use the P-word!

ETA: Just to clarify. She knows it is her vagina. Not looking for something cute. I want to alternate that usage with another ..less heavy-handed is all. For some reason am feeling very school-marmish asking her to 'Please clean her vagina"....is all.
 
#178 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by lbkw View Post

I read this thread yesterday before my OB appointment. While in the room with the detailed anatomical chart, I scanned it for labels. It seems like the part that gets wiped and cleaned is referred to as the "Vestibule". I've never heard that term before but it seems completely benign for anyone who is looking for something of the sort. I guess you would have to explain that there are many different kinds of vestibules, but that would come in time.

  • The urethra, vagina, and ducts of the greater vestibular glands open into the vestibule.
That sounds so architechtural! If we're going with building terms, I think veranda has more of a romantic appeal.
 
#179 ·
For our children we call them "bottom," "man parts," and "lady parts."

We plan on sticking with these terms until we need to differentiate the finer details.
 
#180 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by hibiscus mum View Post

Well, in this house we say "sinhole" for DD. Mine is "gaping sinhole" since, ya know, I've had two kids.
wink1.gif

<snip>
Dying laughing over here...sinhole..oh my good heavens...hahahhaa. YES.

Also...if ONLY we could take back the word "cunt". That is such a good word...too bad it's been turned so dirty. What is the origin of that word?? I'll have to google that.

I think of my vulva/vagina/uterus/etc much the same way I think of a favorite dog, as far as what I call it is concerned. I have four dogs and they each have a name...it is their name, it's what the vet knows them by and when it is important that they come right away, that is the name I holler.

But between the four crazy mutts I've got...there are about 16-20 "pet names" floating around. Each dog will come to his/her name, but will also come to his/her little pet names, born completely out of affection over the years and very sweet and dear to us. Molly will come to Molly...but also Moolah, Moose or Damn Dog (she's a trash eater and a poop-roller-inner, she can't help it, she loves the smell of poop). All my dogs have at least three pet names.

My "lady parts" are much the same. In the doctors office it's "vulva". If my daughter is itching herself, it's "is your vulva itchy?" - so, like, you know...when it's important that we're clear about things, we call it what it is - but when I'm talking about my glorious birthing experiences...it may be something more in line with "gates of life" or something. When I'm describing my preferred grooming habits...she may be called something more along the lines of "shaggy mistress". When I'm in bed with my husband, in the throes of passion...well, she may go by something that TOTALLY fits in that moment, which would probably sound downright ungodly in the checkout line at the grocery! She's a mysterious lady and wears many hats!! Pee maker, baby birther, pleasure house...there is kind of a lot going on down there, far too much to have only one name for her!

Like my favorite dogs, I've grown attached to my sex organ over the years, she's been marvelous to me! Every phase of life has brought on a deeper level of affection and even more reasons to love that misty underworld...it is a realm that goes by many names! There is nothing "cutesy" about her...but some of my names for her may sound that way to others! Oh well!

Oh, PS, "sugar pot" = STEALING IT! HAhahah (not so "haha" if you actually grew up with adults using this around you seriously...gross!)
 
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#182 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by BroodyWoodsgal View Post

Dying laughing over here...sinhole..oh my good heavens...hahahhaa. YES.

Also...if ONLY we could take back the word "cunt". That is such a good word...too bad it's been turned so dirty. What is the origin of that word?? I'll have to google that.

I think of my vulva/vagina/uterus/etc much the same way I think of a favorite dog, as far as what I call it is concerned. I have four dogs and they each have a name...it is their name, it's what the vet knows them by and when it is important that they come right away, that is the name I holler.

But between the four crazy mutts I've got...there are about 16-20 "pet names" floating around. Each dog will come to his/her name, but will also come to his/her little pet names, born completely out of affection over the years and very sweet and dear to us. Molly will come to Molly...but also Moolah, Moose or Damn Dog (she's a trash eater and a poop-roller-inner, she can't help it, she loves the smell of poop). All my dogs have at least three pet names.

My "lady parts" are much the same. In the doctors office it's "vulva". If my daughter is itching herself, it's "is your vulva itchy?" - so, like, you know...when it's important that we're clear about things, we call it what it is - but when I'm talking about my glorious birthing experiences...it may be something more in line with "gates of life" or something. When I'm describing my preferred grooming habits...she may be called something more along the lines of "shaggy mistress". When I'm in bed with my husband, in the throes of passion...well, she may go by something that TOTALLY fits in that moment, which would probably sound downright ungodly in the checkout line at the grocery! She's a mysterious lady and wears many hats!! Pee maker, baby birther, pleasure house...there is kind of a lot going on down there, far too much to have only one name for her!

Like my favorite dogs, I've grown attached to my sex organ over the years, she's been marvelous to me! Every phase of life has brought on a deeper level of affection and even more reasons to love that misty underworld...it is a realm that goes by many names! There is nothing "cutesy" about her...but some of my names for her may sound that way to others! Oh well!

Oh, PS, "sugar pot" = STEALING IT! HAhahah (not so "haha" if you actually grew up with adults using this around you seriously...gross!)
Love the pet name anaology and agree completely!
 
#183 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by lbkw View Post

I read this thread yesterday before my OB appointment. While in the room with the detailed anatomical chart, I scanned it for labels. It seems like the part that gets wiped and cleaned is referred to as the "Vestibule". I've never heard that term before but it seems completely benign for anyone who is looking for something of the sort. I guess you would have to explain that there are many different kinds of vestibules, but that would come in time.

  • The urethra, vagina, and ducts of the greater vestibular glands open into the vestibule.
Interesting, I've never heard it referred to that way before. I think some of my uncomfortableness with the word vulva is that I've never even heard a med-pro say it. My midwife was usually talking about more specific parts (using their proper names) rather than the whole thing, the nurses at my friend's hospital birth I attended kept referring to it as her "bottom". When I was trying to tell my mom that my vulva (didn't say vulva, can't remember what exactly I said) ached really badly a few days after DS was born, she was trying to clarify where I meant and said, "you mean your, uh, child-birth area?" Seriously, I don't know that I've ever heard anyone say vulva in real life. Kind of sad.
 
#184 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by SweetSilver View Post

BTW, I even though my girls are passed that age where we might do this, I like the idea of a wiping song.

Here's a start, to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot":

Wipe your little vulva front to back

Urethra, labia, perineum, um..... crack?

I'm being silly, but I like the idea. Back to the starting block.

And I'm getting over being embarrassed about shouts of "TESTICLES" in the store. But when the girls point out all the parts of their animals to their grandma, or tell her that their animals are mating, well, that's a bit..... uncomfortable.
I love your song. I am going to have a hard time not singing it to my potty training little girl.
 
#185 ·
I just read this entire damn thread. Thank you all.

Also, I grew up in the south ... and I know LOTS of names skirting around the lady-parts.

And also, I kind of wish I were back in undergrad (my concentration was linguistics) just so I could use this thread as a data set. "It has nothing to do with shame! I just don't like the V-word! Penis is okay, though!" I did get to use "cumdumpster" in a sociolinguistics class, once though.

And finally, at our house (and, in fact, in public) we say "vulva" when we need to. It's correct AND cute
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#189 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katielady View Post

That sounds so architechtural! If we're going with building terms, I think veranda has more of a romantic appeal.
Yeah, I thought "vestibule" was a bit weird. What? It's the room that the penis stops to kick off it's shoes before walking into the rest of the house? "Veranda" is where we woo it with some sweet tea before we invite it inside......

Quote:
Originally Posted by BroodyWoodsgal View Post

Also...if ONLY we could take back the word "cunt". That is such a good word...too bad it's been turned so dirty. What is the origin of that word?? I'll have to google that.
I thought about that and decided not to. I dare not imagine what kinds of links might be suggested with that search word.....
 
#191 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by SweetSilver View Post

Yeah, I thought "vestibule" was a bit weird. What? It's the room that the penis stops to kick off it's shoes before walking into the rest of the house? "Veranda" is where we woo it with some sweet tea before we invite it inside......

I thought about that and decided not to. I dare not imagine what kinds of links might be suggested with that search word.....
Yeah vestibule is frakkin' gross!! A vestibule is a small room I go into to pull cash out of an ATM...it has terrible carpeting and smells slightly of urine. No no, we shall not be calling our lady cats "vestibules" around here!

Oh and I, too, decided against a google search of the word "cunt"...what with the risk of pulling up viruses...but couldn't help myself and settled on throwing in "etymology" in hopes that I would bring up a "cleaner" search! Well it worked...and I'm even more fascinated by this word now! What a long history!

Here is the wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cunt

Apparently there are others out there who believe this word should be "reclaimed"...though it doesnt appear that the word has been used openly as a non-offensive, factual term for the vulva/vagina region since before the renaissance period! After that it's allll vulgar! Hahaha. So we'd be reclaiming it from, basically, "Norsemen of Olde" times. Very interesting stuff.
 
#195 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by SweetSilver View Post

And I'm getting over being embarrassed about shouts of "TESTICLES" in the store. But when the girls point out all the parts of their animals to their grandma, or tell her that their animals are mating, well, that's a bit..... uncomfortable.
Teach them to say it like the Greek God of Balls--testiCLEES
 
#197 ·
I know what you mean. My daughter, 10, and I call it the nethers. As in nether regions. It's funny, light, clean, silly. Takes the embarrassment out of talking about it. Which is good, considering she's getting older.
We call the backside bum, buns, booty. Again, keeping it light, but not dirty sounding.
 
#200 ·
I was going to suggest a word that we use in french, that (once again, in french) is not a loaded term at all but rather delicate. But I did not know how to say this word in english. In french it is "entrejambe" which means, the space between your legs. I googled it. Turns out in english the word is crotch. Not so delicate.
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I realise this is not what you want to hear, but our kids know and use the terms vulva, vagina, and clitoris. Not that you want or need to use them all the time. My daughter once asked, rather loudly, if I had wiped my vulva when we were in a public restroom.
orngtongue.gif
Could you not just say, did you wipe well?

In other languages they also refer to what you are wiping off, as opposed to the surface being wipe, i.e. did you wipe the last drop? I don't know that the word you are looking for exists.

What does yoni come from? Is it an adult word or a child word like wee-wee? Just out of curiosity as I haven't heard this term before.
 
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