The real differences between boys and girls...

[Bini]

This ought to be fun :) I'd love to hear from those of you that have sons and daughters. So, I'm curious as to what are the real differences between raising boys and girls. I've heard a lot that boys tend to be a handful as youngsters but girls top the cake as teens. I know that's a broad statement but I don't think both grandmas (my mum and mil) are far off. I can totally see how that seems to be a common case, even amongst my own friends with their children. Anyway, our second child on the way is male and I'm super excited to now have a girl and a boy. People are already prepping me on what to expect but their scare tactics don't scare me! ... ... ...

[Guest]

Boys are more physical, girls are more psychological - as far as what I've observed between my kids and my nieces and nephews.  My boys interact through physical activity, the girls interact through elaborate set ups.  When they fight, my boys wrestle, the girls connive and conspire.

 

Not sure how universal this observation is though.

[Guest]

After having all girls, my son threw me for a loop. He is SO active, energetic, and curious in a way that my girls never were (as in destroying things to figure them out).

 

On the other hand, he is so tender and sweet and affectionate. I didn't expect that, either. 

Edited November 4, 2015 by Eowyn

[Guest]

I've found very little difference in our boys vs. our girls in anything of real importance.  But I have found a very big difference in how I feel towards them.  I tend to be much more protective of my daughters than my sons.

[Vort]

Vortesse is different from her brothers in many ways. I can never tell for sure how much those differences are caused by difference in sex and how much is native personality difference -- or indeed, if such a distinction even makes any sense.

 

For what it's worth, Vortesse tends to be more voluble than her brothers (with one very notable exception). She will happily spend hours -- literally hours, I am not exaggerating -- texting with friends on the phone; none of my boys has ever shown the slightest inclination toward that kind of thing.

 

She is much less curious about science and math topics than her brothers, which has surprised me greatly. It appears simply not to be much of an interest to her at this point.

 

I don't believe she is any more sensitive than her brothers about her friendships and what people may say, but she is vastly more aware. She appears to be much more influenced by her friends than her brothers ever were by theirs, though this might be a consequence of her friendships being somewhat closer than her brothers' have been.

 

Oh, yeah. She tends to have closer friendships than her brothers have had. :)

 

In general, she is much more emotional than her brothers, and has a temper than has often manifested itself. Again, I don't believe she is actually more sensitive than her brothers or that things affect her more deeply, but she certainly shows the effects of that sensitivity more than her brothers have. She is much more likely to complain, especially about perceived deprivations. On the other hand, she is more demonstrative when in a good mood, and is the only one of my children who often sings or hums loud enough that I can hear her.

 

So Vortesse shows some marked differences from her brothers, but it's anyone's guess as to which of those are sex-related and which are just plain personality differences -- or, as I said before, whether that distinction even makes sense.

[Guest]

Another difference that I've attributed to their gender (although I could be wrong)... my brothers as well as my sons are the same when it comes to things like... say... cutting wood to build something.  They cut the wood by taking off pieces at a time until it fits.  I go searching for the measuring tape...

[Guest]

I just caught my boys digging a hole outside.

 

What are you doing?

 

Digging a hole. :)

 

I can... ugh... why are you digging it?

 

Because we can.

 

My in-laws are visiting and commented that their sons, nephews, and grandsons universally loved digging holes for no reason.  

 

I asked my daughter, "Did you ever dig holes?"

 

"Only if I was playing with my brothers and they asked me to help." 

 

I thought I was onto something.  Then I found out that my other daughter went out to help the boys dig the holes too.  But she's a lot more tomboyish than other girls.  I still think it's a guy thing.

[Guest]

I just caught my boys digging a hole outside.

 

What are you doing?

 

Digging a hole. :)

 

I can... ugh... why are you digging it?

 

Because we can.

 

My in-laws are visiting and commented that their sons, nephews, and grandsons universally loved digging holes for no reason.  

 

I asked my daughter, "Did you ever dig holes?"

 

"Only if I was playing with my brothers and they asked me to help." 

 

I thought I was onto something.  Then I found out that my other daughter went out to help the boys dig the holes too.  But she's a lot more tomboyish than other girls.  I still think it's a guy thing.

 

 

Maybe, maybe not...  My boys went with my nephew to the beach and, of course, after getting bored with surfing the waves, they go to the sand and dig holes... my nephew stood by watching them, so his mom told him, "Go dig!", so he tentatively, grabbed a handful of sand and immediately threw it down, ran to his mom calling out, "Napkin!!!!"

[Backroads]

Observing my 2nd graders, the boys are classically more physical. Beyond that, no differences. They all are social and can't shush.

[Vort]

Maybe, maybe not...  My boys went with my nephew to the beach and, of course, after getting bored with surfing the waves, they go to the sand and dig holes... my nephew stood by watching them, so his mom told him, "Go dig!", so he tentatively, grabbed a handful of sand and immediately threw it down, ran to his mom calling out, "Napkin!!!!"