Mums Discuss What They Teach Their Daughters To Call Their Vagina, Including 'Flaps', 'Minnie' And 'Froo'

Mums have been discussing what words they teach their daughters to use when referring to their vaginas - and the suggestions are diverse.

Mumsnet user Lalunya85 explained she speaks three languages in her home and there is already a “nice, appropriate way” to refer to their son’s penis.

But they’ve struggled to find a word for their daughter’s vagina, which “is a nice, neither technical nor been sexualised or turned into an insult”.

“Any ideas?” she asked the forum.

The suggestions given by other mums on the thread ranged from “flaps”, to “vulva”, to “woo”.

“Our daughter calls it her ‘gina (short for vagina, not as in Gina G!),” one mother wrote.

Another commented: “I work with children and they tend to say foo foo, tuppence, flower, fairy, privates or wee wee.”

One mum explained why she taught her daughter to call a vagina: “Minnie”, writing: “I don’t like hearing children say vulva and vagina.

“I don’t even hear many adults say the proper terms. They tend to use ‘your bits’.”

And others had simple explanations for their nicknames, with one mum writing: “Front bum. And back bum for the actual bum.

“Nice and easy for her, understandable for anyone outside of family if it was ever necessary for her to talk to someone about her vulva. We’ll introduce technical terms later, she’s two.”

There have been nearly 300 comments in three days since the question was posted on 8 January.

Other gems on the list included: minky, floof, little bum, Penelope, twinky and pompey.

In a blog for The Huffington Post in January 2017, Jayneen Sanders wrote about why she believs we should start teaching kids the words “vulva, vagina and penis” over pet names.

“Using pet names with your child makes it easier for a pedophile to ‘off load’ any complaints of inappropriate touch made by the child as just a ‘bit of fun,” she wrote.

“Using the correct anatomical terms helps explain to children the changes to their body as puberty kicks in. The topic can be discussed without making it into a joke or belittling its importance.

“Body parts such as the penis or vagina should be as ‘everyday’ to your child as any other body part, for example, an elbow or nose.”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.