Google Mail - Because Google’s got a Doodle, not a Penis.
July 25th 2007 by Megan Bayliss in Protective Intelligence
Do you struggle with introducing correct names for private body parts after years of calling your son’s penis a doodle? Google, and their doodle search, has provided you a perfect opportunity to correct your slang terminology and explain just what a doodle really is.
Give your children the best protection from sexual predators by talking about bodies: all parts of the body, even the private parts. Yes, the Penis and Vagina regions. If children grow up knowing that private body part talk is not allowed then they may not tell you if someone does touch their private parts.
Using made up names for private parts signals that it is rude to call private parts by their correct terminology: Penis, Vagina, Breasts. This needs to change so that children know that this is not a rude subject but that the person who touched them in those private places is rude and a law breaker.
Our children need to know that they are allowed to tell us that someone touched their vagina, penis, anus or breast. This does not come naturally. Our children need to hear from you they are allowed to talk about ‘it’, they need correct name words for the private parts and they need to know that big people touching them there is against the law.
Give your children the best protection from sexual predators by talking about bodies: all parts of the body, even the private parts.
To introduce using private part talk can be unnerving if a parent has no natural conversation to try and attach the new words to. Well thank you Google because Doodle 4 Google may just act as one of those rare moments that make difficult topics seem super easy. A penis IS NOT a doodle. A doodle is a groovy little drawing that Google puts on their logos. Would you have a drawing on your penis? I don’t think so, so it’s definitely not a doodle.
Check this out for an excellent example:
In the ‘Doodle 4 Google’ competition, young Australians have an opportunity to design their own doodle based on what Australian life is to them. Does that mean you get to design your own penis? No!
The overall young Australian winner will have their doodle featured on the Google Australia homepage on Australia Day 2008 where it will be viewed by millions of people. The young winner will also receive $10,000 worth of technology equipment for their school and a 15-inch: 2.4 GHz Macbook Pro for themselves. Does that mean you get a super prize for flashing your penis on the Google home page? No! That sort of behaviour is against the law.
A doodle is a drawing. A penis is the part of a boy that you pee out of and that helps to make babies one day when the Boy and his penis have grown much bigger.
For more details on what a Google Doodle is and the terms and conditions according to Google law, visit the non pornographic Doodle for Google site.
Related Article: Protect Kids from Sexual Predators. Use Correct Names for Private Parts.
Stumble it!
July 25th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
That iz jus 2 deadly 4 words Megan.Luv it
July 25th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Thanks Kirky - thanks to you for sending me that Doodle for Google stuff. Coming from you who generally sends me sexual assault based research it just seemed too good an opportunity to not use the info for some sexual assault education. You inspired this and I am glad you like it.
July 26th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Whoa! I really like this article then again I like all the articles I see on this website. This one is getting included in my Weekly Roundup.
I agree it’s important to give the correct name of body parts when talking to children. It’s not something to be ashamed of.
July 26th, 2007 at 6:02 am
Thanks Opal. That’s cool that you are including us in your round up.
July 27th, 2007 at 7:54 am
My daughter is at that age where she’s becoming more aware of her body. This is a really helpful post in getting me going on having a talk with her.
Thank you for sharing this with the Carnival of Family Life. Your post will be included in the July 30th edition at An Island Life.
July 27th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Thanks Kailani. Isn’t Carnival of Family Life HUGE now? Well done to you - you have done an excellent job.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
I was lucky enough to find this post on Opals Weekly Roundup.
I am fortunate that my daughter is now 13, and has a pretty solid understanding of how reproduction and body parts work. Her mom and I did not shy away from using the correct terminology for body parts, but our daughter was really not ready for this information until she was almost 11.
We got her the older book ‘Woman’s Body’ that she could read on her own time if she had questions. When she was 10 or so, I remember going by her room and she was sitting there crying. She was reading a diagram about monthly cycles and all the technical language was freaking her out. I asked her if she wanted me to sit down and explain the information to her, and to my horror she said yes. The conversation was uncomfortable for me, that should be mom’s talk,
but I felt really good about the fact that she was comfortable discussing any topic with me.
July 28th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Hello Thomas the Technical. Lovely to have you stop by. I had a good laugh at your horror. It’s okay, you are probably very normal. I think most parents get a little freaky when they start to have the discussions - particularly Dads talking to daughters about monthly cycles. That’s why we advocate having the discussions from when the kids are really little. If it becomes part of normal conversation, kids will know they can tell you hard stuff, like if someone has touched them inappropriately.
Ten points to you for being a Dad willing to help his daughter learn. I really like that.
July 29th, 2007 at 12:09 am
I can laugh at the horror now, not quite so funny during the time. Shannon, my wife, and I are open and honest with our daughter, but she was one of the girls that stayed pretty innocent and didn’t want to have any in depth discussions.
She pretty muched avoided those types of topics. She didn’t even like to read books that had too much conflict in them, which is interesting because she is a big reader.
My daughter wasn’t to be ready to have these conversations, and Shannon and I weren’t going to push the talks and scare her. I was starting to get concerned, but at the point we had to force the issue because she was growing up and changing she accepted the information.
I do feel lucky that my daughter feels she can talk to me about anything, more so than her mother for some reason, and I am greatful for that. But monthly cycle’s isn’t the only awkard conversation we have had . . . oof.