I have a 6 year old son and an 8 year old daughter and there has never been a dull moment in my parenting journey so far. Latest surprise? Navigating my daughter’s self-exploration. To clarify, it has recently come to my attention that my daughter is beginning to learn about her genitals. This alone wasn’t particularly shocking, since my kids have been experimenting with things that tickle their nether regions on occasion since they were toddlers. It was uncomfortable for me at the time too, but I was told that this behavior was completely normal and that my only job was to make sure they understood not to do it in the supermarket. mission accomplished.
However, things got a little weird recently when my 8-year-old called me into the bathroom with a panicked tone in her voice. Upon admission, I learned that she was experiencing a stinging sensation when she urinated and her vagina appeared irritated. She also brought to my attention a small bruise on her pelvic bone. I asked her to rinse her vagina with fresh water while I stood next to her and tried to ascertain the cause of the pain.
First question: “What’s with the bruise? Did you hit yourself back there on the arm of the sofa when you were doing gymnastics?” (The gymnastics in the living room—the bane of my existence—is a frequent occurrence, and our sofa, which features an unforgiving arm, is a favorite prop.)
Response: “No, not that I can remember.”