Anatomy Lessons

The conversation was inevitable. It has been building for months and months and I’ve been avoiding it as best I could; changing my clothes in the closet and hopping out of the shower and into my towel quicker than his inquisitive gaze could follow. But it has only been a matter of time before I could avoid it no further...

Rob and I have always believed strongly in teaching Toby the correct anatomical terms for genitals and basic bodily functions that so fascinate little kids. He has known for a long time that he has a penis but despite the number of times I’ve been asked, I just can’t muster up the nerve to use the term “vagina” with him. I want to be honest with him and answer his questions but when I go to say it, the word just lodges in my throat and won't come out. My brain has obviously found something innately “risky” about teaching my word-spewing toddler the term “vagina” despite the attempts of my more rational mind to concede.

But today I was ambushed. It was just the two of us driving in the car when out of the blue Toby announced, “You don’t have a penis, Mommy.”

“No I don’t.” I answered honestly.

“Daddy has a penis. And I have a penis,” he continued and then paused with the inevitable question hanging in the air.

Taking a deep breath I finally let my rational brain win over and with as much normalcy as I could muster answered,

“And mommy has a vagina."

Toby thought about this for a moment and then replied,

“You have The Giant? Toby has a penis and Mommy has 'The Giant'."

After months of wondering, he seemed quite satisfied by this.

I heaved a sigh of relief; I had tried my best. And at least “The Giant” isn’t as weird sounding as “foo foo” or “vee-jay”. In fact, I think for now ‘the Giant’ will do just fine.