Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Boobs, Honkers and Gazungas

I offended someone the other day because I call my boobs, boobs. I think she would have preferred if I called them “breasts.” I can’t call them breasts- that’s what I get at the butcher for shabbos. But I tend to avoid calling private body parts by their actual names. And as my daughter gets more and more familiar with things I have found myself teaching her all the words that I call things -which is not quite up to par with Grey’s Anatomy (the book, not the TV show-but if Patrick Dempsey asked me to call them “breasts” I would consider it).

I got into this discussion with a mommy at Tot Time who was having the same dilemma. She said she didn’t mind teaching her toddler the word “vagina” but she didn’t want to go into too much detail about the “down there area” because her daughter was beginning potty training and she didn’t want to lie to her and tell her the urine was coming out of her “vagina” when it was in fact coming out of her “urethra.”

First of all, I was very proud of myself that I didn’t giggle when she said vagina out loud in the library. Second of all, I didn’t know that pee came out of our urethra. Fascinating. Third of all, I told her I call a woman’s lady parts her “china” and we have pee pees that come out of the china. I can’t say the word vagina to my gynecologist let alone my 2 year old. Golly gosh. What does she think I am? A grown up?

But am I going to do damage by teaching her pinkles (she doesn’t get to call them boobs yet), china and tushy instead of breasts, vagina and buttocks? I can’t imagine I would. But I also think it’s my job to get her out there. Let her know what’s up. Of course I did ok and I had pinkles until I was 17….then they changed to boobs. I know she’ll figure it all out eventually and that has to be better than hearing her mother say bowel movement, anus or urethra. *shudder*

So maybe I’m not growing up all the way and maybe I’m enabling her to hold onto a little immaturity. She has enough serious things to worry about as she grows up. Right now, thank God her body parts are ok and she’s healthy. And you know, God doesn’t care what we call pinkles as long as you appreciate that you have them. But if she starts calling them titties she is so getting grounded.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

How refreshing to know I am not the only one who refuses to conform.

I have a daughter (we giggle often) and she has come to name her various body parts quite creatively.
Vagina = Gina
Buttocks = Apple
Boobs = the little girls (one day will be known as "the girls or the twins), baboombas, broobs

When she has her cycle, she refers to it as having the moon in her pants.

I say, refuse to grow up and have fun instead.. life is too short.

Anonymous said...

There is very little time where kids get to be kids so I think it's great that you are keeping your daughter from the politically correct world of anatomy for a while. I would be more offended/freaked out to hear a 2 year old talking about their vagina than I am hearing some cute little nickname for it. But that might just be me, I also did know that pee came out of some urethra thingy.

Ted Gross said...

Your attitude is incredibly refreshing and down to earth. It is about time among the mass of junk in blogosphere someone finally comes up with a unique voice.

Great post - especially the honesty without veils.

Teddy

Anonymous said...

Well said - you go! I was also uneasy about the "baby talk" - my daughter seems to have a language all her own and I haven't been sure if I should be correcting her.

Thanks for the inspiration and unique perspective. I feel better about letting her create and do as she wishes!

Anonymous said...

Too true! You go, mama.

Anonymous said...

Never have quite understood why people make up so many silly names for the sexual body parts. "But if she starts calling them titties she is so getting grounded." hahaha
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