In a previous post, we discussed why it’s critical we teach our kids to use the words “penis,” “vagina,” and any other anatomically correct name for their body parts. Penis and vagina are not bad words. They are real and necessary words that we need to teach our children as young as we teach them about their nose, ears, and eyes!
Why, might you ask? Why does it matter what they call their private parts if we know what it means? The answer is that knowledge is power. Let me explain.
For the entire history of mankind, the quest for knowledge has been the key root of empowerment, which has led to human discovery, evolution, and success. So, for children, having knowledge of their body parts empowers them to take ownership of their body—something that we often subconsciously take away from them.
We teach our kids that adults know what’s best for them and in most cases that’s certainly true, but with that, we also teach our children to unquestionably listen to those adults. Think about it… have you ever said to your child “Listen to your teacher”, “Do what your coach says”, Don’t disobey grandpa”. We’ve all done it! And it’s ok if we are always dealing with safe adults who have the best interest of our children in mind, but that’s just not always the case. It’s a harsh reality, but the truth is that even trusted friends and family members may not always be who we think they are. So that’s even more of a reason to empower our children to have ownership of their bodies, because we may not always be there to intervene and protect them. Maybe these examples will help you better understand what I mean:
Ex. 1: “Coach Robert told me it was ok if I undressed in front of him. It makes me feel uncomfortable, but daddy told me to do what coach says”.
Ex. 2: “Ms. Tiffany took me to the bathroom at school and told me she needed to clean my pee-pee better. I don’t like how that feels, but mommy told me to listen to my teacher.”
When we teach our children about their body parts, we’re also teaching them about ownership. Whether it’s an elbow, an eyeball, or a vagina—it’s a part of their body and they have a right to set their own body boundaries. But it all starts with empowerment.
Comments are closed.