# umm, how to explain scrotum?



## royaloakmi (Mar 2, 2005)

So, ds discovered his scrotum last night.

DS: "What's this"

me: "Those are your testicles."

DS: "What's that for?"

me: "Ummm . . . okay, let's get in the bath."









First, I can't stand the word scrotum, so I said testicles (since I know I will now hear the word at least 10x a day for the next year). But, seriously, how do you explain what it is to a 3 yo?

What do you tell your kids?


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## Daffodil (Aug 30, 2003)

I told my DD that the scrotum has testicles inside, and the testicles make sperm. I've also told her that sperm from a man fertilize a woman's eggs, and that makes a baby. I've even mentioned how the sperm get to the eggs, though we haven't talked about it much.


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## nonnymoose (Mar 12, 2004)

It came up in conversation at our house, and believe it or not, I can't remember the context.







I know I told DS1 that the little bag behind his penis is his scrotum...maybe he was poking around and trying to differentiate between that and his penis? He didn't ask what it was for, but I guess I'll just tell him it's a part that will let him make babies someday.


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## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

I've told my 3 yr. old that he has testicles inside his scrotum that make sperm, and when sperm meet an egg in someone's uterus, they can turn into an embryo which can grow into a fetus and then a baby.
He is really delighted by the idea of eggs inside of mommies, but hasn't asked how exactly the sperm and the egg get together in the first place. He did ask before how the sperm gets in there, and I told him that people have sex... he didn't ask for any details. It's always nice when they accept simple answers!


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## SamuraiEarthMama (Dec 3, 2002)

wow, you guys are pretty detailed... i just told ds that it's part of his bottom! so far, he's happy with that explanation. we'll get into the nitty gritty a little later, i think!


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

My friend's son found his testicles on day.

Him: "Mom! what is this?"

Her: "what is what?"

Him: "This thing behind my penis"

Her: "It's your testicles."

Him: "Oh, can I play with it?"









Her: "Ask your father."


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## enanmaus (Jul 30, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *SamuraiEarthMama* 
wow, you guys are pretty detailed... i just told ds that it's part of his bottom!









Love that answer.

Reminds me of the joke where the little boy comes home from kindergarten and says, "Mommy... where did I come from?" Mommy blushes, sits him down, and gives him the whole birds and bees talk she wasn't expecting to use for a few more years. To which he says, "Oh... because Billy says he comes from New York. So I just wondered."


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## LizD (Feb 22, 2002)

Ds was interested in his from an early age, and I just called them "balls" right from the start.







I figured less awkwardness when he has to switch over to slang.







Of course when he's interested I'll make sure he knows correct names and so on, and details, but IME children forget most of these details and you explain them a million times anyway. So he just says "penis" and "balls," or as it sounds from him, "menis" and "bawls."

If he had asked what they were for, I'd have said, "they're just there." I do believe in giving children correct info, and pretty early, but for me 3 is a little young to get into all that. Of course it depends on the child, so only Mother knows best.


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## scoobers (Jun 24, 2005)

Yes, I had similar conversations when my DS was about 2.

DS: "Mommy, what's this scrunchy thing?"

Me: "Uhhhhh, that's your scrotum."

DS: "Oh. Does Oma (my mother) have one?"

Me: "No."

DS: "Oh. What does she have?"

Me: "Um, she has a vagina." (Thinking...I can't believe I'm discussing my mother's genitals with my DS!)

From there we had to go over a list of everyone we knew and list whether they had a penis/scrotum or vagina. Wheee!!


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## Faerieshadow (Mar 31, 2005)

My ds is firmly of the belief that his scrotum is part of his butt. He is forever grabbing them and announcing that he's got his butt. I tell him "No, that's your scrotum. Your butt is underneath that." He is thrilled with knowing what his penis is right now though, to the apparent disgust of certain friends of mine.







"


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## JBaxter (May 1, 2005)

My oldest
"Mommy look"
What?...
I have little balls in here
Mommy "wow really"
DS.. Yes they are pee balls...
Mommy" theyare called tesicles"
DS ? Chemicals?

Mommy "yes Testicles"

DS " wow chemicals"

They were Chemicals for years at our house


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Surprisingly this never came up in my house- or if it did it wasn't particularly memorable to me. If asked, I would simply tell him it's there to help him make babies when he's a grownup.


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## Sierra (Nov 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JBaxter* 
My oldest
"Mommy look"
What?...
I have little balls in here
Mommy "wow really"
DS.. Yes they are pee balls...
Mommy" theyare called tesicles"
DS ? Chemicals?

Mommy "yes Testicles"

DS " wow chemicals"

They were Chemicals for years at our house











I am imagining that every time I hear the word "chemicals," now, I am going to chuckle a little.

Kids are classic.

When I was maybe 6 or 7, and my younger brother was 5 or 6, I remember him asking my dad once if he could "borrow some rubbers." My siblings were there, and we all burst out laughing. I had older siblings, and I already knew what rubbers/condoms were...at least had a vague notion. No one knew why my brother would want to borrow some rubbers from my dad until my dad figured out that my brother wanted multiple rubber something-or-others (can't remember what... rubberbands for all I know?) for a little "construction" project he had going.

My ds is pre-verbal, for the most part. I also don't know how much of what I say he understands. But today I saw him watching very intently as I changed dfd's dipe. He likes naked time and has been very aware of his penis lately. I think he noticed that dfd doesn't have a penis. I don't know if he took notice of her vulva or not. I wonder what he would have said if he could talk.


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## JBaxter (May 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sierra* 









My ds is pre-verbal, for the most part. I also don't know how much of what I say he understands. But today I saw him watching very intently as I changed dfd's dipe. He likes naked time and has been very aware of his penis lately. I think he noticed that dfd doesn't have a penis. I don't know if he took notice of her vulva or not. I wonder what he would have said if he could talk.


I dont what to hijack the thread but I had THAT conversation w/ DS2 at about 2 1/2. The sitter had a new little girl and was changing her diaper and DS2 noticed she was different. When I picked him up and was driving home he said "mommy guess what"
Mommy "what Connor"
DS2 "baby Kayla doesnt have a penis"
Me "yes I know she is a girl and has girl parts"
DS2 "NO NO mommy her hiney goes all the way to the front and she broke of her penis...... she has parts GONE"

That was one of the special conversations I will always remember. Kind of like the pee balls/ chemicals conversation.


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