“Mama, I want to show my girl parts to everyone in my class.” That’s what Daughter G said in the car on our way to preschool. I about swerved off the road. Not that I haven’t shown my girl parts to everyone, but it’s not the kind of thing you want to hear from your 3-year-old. (Actually my girl parts have rarely been seen, but my panties have been known to be displayed during some of my more dramatic twirls and high kicks on dance floors on at least a few continents.) So I didn’t exactly know how to handle this delicate situation, thinking if I made a big deal about it I would either a)make her want to do it even more, or b)make her feel that nudity is shameful and give her some type of sexual complex for the rest of her life. I wound up calmly telling her that Mama and Daddy are the only ones allowed to see her girl parts, unless she’s at a grandparent’s house. I said it just isn’t ladylike to be nakey in front of people. (Not having a hang-up about nudity myself, I felt a little hypocritical saying this, but then again I am rarely described as being “ladylike”.) She seemed to understand since she asked, “It not ladylike to show your girl parts?” I answered no and she responded “Oh.” Kids are so simple sometimes.
I’m just glad this conversation happened with me, since her daddy already has a weak heart and this could very well have sent him to the ER.
