Raising boys and girls - any difference?

[blueeyes]

Hi
I was reading on another forum, where a question was raised whether boys and girls should be raised differently. It only required a yes or no answer and everybody said no.
I happen to think that we do raise boys and girls differently, consciously and unconsciously in different situations.
I only have a boy at the moment, so I have nothing to compare him to or with, however I have read books and information on the aspects of boyhood that are remarkably different to girls.
What are your thoughts. At what age does the gender and nurturing element change? Does it change? Should it change? What changes?

[kymmy]

Yes I think boys and girls are diff.
I also think children have varying personalities and that should be respected.

[EskimoMumma]

I think the mindset changes on how to raise boy/girl when we buy pink/blue clothes.

We all love and cherish and nuture the same but of course we have it in the back of our heads that boys should be boys and girls should be girls.

Also taking into consideration two different personalities. DS was a quiet baby.toddler and so far DD i can see will be a trouble maker and a noisey one..

I honestly beleive in each to their own. Theres no textbook we can follow and If my DD doesn't want to touch bugs or eat them, fine, iw ont push it.. But i wont force her to play with barbies or paint her nails..:rolleyes:

[FourAngelKisses]

I think they are born different. Both my boys have been boy boys since birth...fascinated by cars etc at a very young age (around 4-5mths). My girl however, she isn't very girly, yet she loves pink.
My youngest son, loves things like dolls, teddy bears and flowers, yet is obsessed with cars. All 3 of them are rather gentle, but the youngest especially, loves kisses and cuddles more.

I've raised them all the same, but the boys do seem different to my daughter.

[Funkychicken]

IAlso taking into consideration two different personalities. DS was a quiet baby.toddler and so far DD i can see will be a trouble maker and a noisey one..


LOL:laughing: Sounds like our children! I had this compliant little boy who, although he was/is always quite clingy, absolutely adored DH and I and would believe all that we said and did without question and tended to be the least boisterous at Mum's group etc...
Then DD arrived! :eek: She came into this world so comfortable in her skin that she was and does always do what she wants, regardless of what we say. She doesn't need help, can do everything herself etc... Someone gave us a bunch of clothes recently and amongst them was a pair of sneakers with laces, which we have yet to introduce to the children. Upon her request to wear them, I said no-they are too big and I don't think you should wear them yet. 30 mins later, she had mastered the art of lace-tying and is yet to wear any other shoes since!:D

[San]

I think the personality of the child is far more important then the sex. I was, and still am, very much a tomboy who hates girly things. I dont know what my daughter will be like yet, she may be a real girl's girl, a tomboy like her mum, or perhaps something inbetween. One thing I wont be doing though is pushing stereotypes or gender specific activities on her, I will let her make up her own mind.

[Tannie]

Sorry - ahven't had time to read all the posts - so if I'm being repetitious I apologise in advance ;)

Well - I'm not a girly girl either and always thought I'd have boys and hoped to cause couldn't see myself as mother to girls - wasn't sure I'd know what to DO with girls..lol However, now I have 2 little girls!!! No boys in sight and to be honest - I really think there IS something genetically different with girls & boys.

For example - we hadn't given our little girl any dolls (not on purpose -just didn't think of it - I've never been into dolls - so didn't occur to me :o ) Anyway - went to Playgroup one week and there were dolls in capsules........she just took an immediate LOVE to it and I ended up having to replace it, as there was NO WAY "holly dolly" was going to be let go of!!! :laughing: then her grandparents sent her another doll - again - she opened the box (which had several items in it) and went STRAIGHT to the doll...........she just LOVES to cuddle them, care for them etc.......she doesnt' seem anywhere near as interested in cars etc (whereas I hated dolls always and had a huge collection of cars, lego cars etc etc etc)

One thing I DO notice with friends little boys compared to girls - is that boys seem much more clingy and needy in many ways to girls. All the girls seem more outgoing and less shy then the boys somehow.........little boys seem really sensitive and really need their mummy and lots more TLC then little girls somehow........or maybe it's just the little ones I know??

I'm not AT ALL saying that in a negative way.....I think it's lovely and I think people who try to shame little boys into being "men" by saying things like "toughen up - you're a boy - stop being a sissy..." etc etc etc :mad: are cruel and no wonder boys grow up unable to show and deal with their emotions well. I hope we generation of mums & dads don't do this as much......little boys need as much "gentleness" as girls!!

T

[Tannie]

Oh bugger - now I'm thinking "I'll have to have 1 more to see if I can make a boy"!!! My hb will kill me - we'd agreed on 2 only:laughing:
T