When should your kids stop seeing you naked

[Scummy Mummy]

I think it's entirely inappropriate for kids to be using the 'real' names in public. It's rude!

Our children use wiggle-waggle for male genitals and petal for the female version. This is much nicer, and I don't forsee any problems. They can learn the 'real' terms when they know when its appropriate to use them.

 

[britpackgirl]

When I was a member of a playgroup, one of the other Mum's was married to a Detective who worked in the area of child abuse.  He came in to our playgroup one day and discussed the importance of using "proper" names for children's genitals.  Apparently if abuse unfortunately occurs children who use "cute" but improper names have a more difficult time explaining the abuse.  They also apparently pickup on their parents unwillingness to talk about these in a proper manner and it impacts negatively on their self image.  I cannot understand parents who think the words vagina and penis are rude, they are just names for parts of our body, everybody has either one or the other!

[Flower power?]

Now let me ask you one question: how many adults use the words "penis" and "vagina" to talk amongst themselves?

Maybe I am the only one in my case, but even with my best friend I don't use the word "vagina".

[mumof2....]

My 3 year old daughter loves announcing to all and sundry that her Dadda has a penis!  It's especially good when we're in a crowded lift.  I grew up with pet names but have no problem with teaching the real names especially with so many perverts out there I want my children to be aware of things and not fall for any tricks

[honest mum]

Re names: we tend to refer to our sons' penises as 'willies' but they would know the correct term if required.  However, there isn't really an acceptable term for vagina.  The whole 'flower/petal' thing doesn't really do it for me!!  My son aged 5 kept asking me, "Mummy, I have a willy, but what do you have".  Have to confess I rather side-stepped the issue.

Re nakedness: I like to sleep naked, but now when my son comes into the room he wants me to cover up.  I'm not keen to wear a nightdress (in this heat), so try to have a sarong handy in case I need to get up for the kids in the night.  When I was growing up, we were a family of 6 in a house with one bathroom, so there was never any question of locking the door (except for poos).  My parents - now in their eighties - will still have a bath with the door wide open, which rather freaks out my husband 

[get real Mum]

So Flower Power - what word do you use?  Most adults tend not to talk that much about penises and vaginas but kids are fascinated.  Give them the right words so it is not a cause for embarrasment.  If your kids don't want to see you naked, they should not come into your room.  I find pulling up the sheet usually works fine!

[jinty]

of course there's nothing wrong with using the proper words and kids should be told the correct names but I'd be more embarrassed in Cold Storage if my child was shouting 'Mum,I've got an itchy penis/vagina, than one of the other pet names. 

[get real Mum]

Why?

[jinty]

beacause agree or not, I bet the majority of parents would flinch if their child used penis/vagina in public, especially in the lovely quiet voices they usually use. Most people were probably not brought up using these words openly with their parents, hence feel uncomfortable. Have to blame my upbringing I'm afraid, we can't all be right on, trendy, cutting edge mums like yourself but in my own small way, I'm trying. 

[Charleen]

Re names: we tend to refer to our sons' penises as 'willies' but they would know the correct term if required.  However, there isn't really an acceptable term for vagina.  The whole 'flower/petal' thing doesn't really do it for me!!  My son aged 5 kept asking me, "Mummy, I have a willy, but what do you have".  Have to confess I rather side-stepped the issue.

It's because "vagina" is used to describe the part of a woman's organs that is hidden, isn't it? It's only the stem of the flower if I can say so.

A more appropriate "medical" term would be "vulva", which effectively describes what the children see.

[have to agree]

with jinty and charlene. I wouldn`t be comfortable with my kids using what I consider to be adult terminology. Especially with a girl because there are more bits to discuss. And which would probably lead to discussions I`d like to leave for later.
I don`t get that all this it will damage them. Maybe they`ll grow up with the same reticence when they teach their own children the words for their genitals as their parents but I don`t see the real harm. Nothing wrong so long as they have a word that they can use.

[finding agent]

Never.

Whats wrong with nakedness(As tempting as it is, i wont get into biblical comparisons for fear of getting shot down by the sage in the house) ?

Taking the restrictions out of nakedness will take the mystery out of nudity and sex and the ills associated with lust. But of course this is easier said than done. This can readily be seen by the easy access to porn we have on the net and despite that we have not seen an appreciable drop in the degree of lust amongst the teens and even adults. Maybe if all of us walked around nude everywhere despite our age(s) it would be better for everyone. At least we wont have questions or predicaments like these