Mommy, why is my vagina wet?

A friend of mine told me that her 3-year-old daughter recently asked “Mommy, why is my vagina wet?” My friend, who is quite open when it comes to talking to her daughter about her body, was stumped. Like most adults, she is are aware that the vagina lubricates during sexual excitement to make intercourse easier, but she didn’t feel her daughter was ready for this information.

I agree with her that a 3-year-old doesn’t need a talk about the body’s natural preparation for sexual intercourse. So what is the appropriate answer for a toddler about her own vaginal lubrication?

Vaginal lubrication occurs throughout the lifespan (actually starting at birth) and serves multiple purposes. According to the Scarleteen website “that mucus keeps your vagina clean of bacteria and maintains a careful acid balance vital to your health.”
So you could simply say that the wetness is there to protect your vagina, to keep the good germs in and keep the bad ones out.

Sexuality education can be tricky for parents of toddlers. Toddlers are struggling to understand the world around them and they are notorious for asking a lot of questions. Their questions deserve answers. It’s often simply a matter of figuring out the age appropriate answer.