How different is it to raise a boy than a girl?

Ann - posted on 02/14/2009

Hi! I have one of each, my boy will be 5 in March and girl was 3 at christmas. I agree totally with Lena, i also thought at times that my boy has ADD/ADHD but he has just got too much energy. In the Summer he is great but come winter he is just too bousterus, won't sit still and wont try any sports because he thinks that he will just be able to do it when he is older (he'll learn one day that he has to keep trying), He was full of energy as a baby and needed more attention than my daughter but he would go to anyone, where as my daughter would only settle with me.

For the learning side both rolled over, crawlen,  walked and were potty trained about the same time. Potty training did take longer for my boy cos he didn't want to sit for long so kept missing.

My daughter is a lot calmer and takes her time to think about what she is doing instead of going in full force like a huricane! My daughter is melodrmatic already, and loves girly, sparkly things, (not sure where she got that from cos i'm not a girly girl).

I have tried to bring them up the same as I was one of 3 girls and my Dad never treated us any different , he was a carpenter and if he needed help on a job then we helped out.

Maybe i've just got a typical boy and a typical girl. I'm 3 months pregnant with no 3, so we'll see how this one turns out. I think it just comes down to personality at the end of the day!

Sorry for the long post but I hope this helps.

Nukishia - posted on 02/12/2009

MY DAUGHTER IS 2 AND HER BROTHERS ARE 6 AND 3. SHE ACTS MUCH OLDER THAN THE BOTH OF THEM. SHE'LL SIT AND WATCH MOVIES AND ACT LIKE THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN THE ROOM WHILE THEY WRESTLE AND MAKE AS MUCH NIOSE AS POSSIBLE.  BUT IF THEY BOTHER HER SHE'LL BITE AND SLAP. SO I'D HAVE TO SAY, SHE'S TOTALLY IN CONTROL OF THEM.

Lena - posted on 02/09/2009

I only have one boy so far. He's turning 3 on Saturday and is a naturally born sweetheart (I'm sure his birthday of 2-14 has something to do with that). He is very loving, wants to cuddle all the time and enjoys smooches. However, he is as boy as boys get. For a little while I was falling back on "monster boy"/ "terrible two's"/ and even the infamous "could my boy be ADD/ ADHD" until I finally realized - if you can help boys to get all that energy out in a productive way - that's all the "therapy" they need :o) We now hold memberships to a number of little people gyms/ indoor play grounds, etc and what a difference! We are hoping that a little girl will come into our life one of these days but wouldn't trade our days with our boy for anything in the world. Congratulations on your son!

Lena - posted on 02/09/2009

I only have one boy so far. He's turning 3 on Saturday and is a naturally born sweetheart (I'm sure his birthday of 2-14 has something to do with that). He is very loving, wants to cuddle all the time and enjoys smooches. However, he is as boy as boys get. For a little while I was falling back on "monster boy"/ "terrible two's"/ and even the infamous "could my boy be ADD/ ADHD" until I finally realized - if you can help boys to get all that energy out in a productive way - that's all the "therapy" they need :o) We now hold memberships to a number of little people gyms/ indoor play grounds, etc and what a difference! We are hoping that a little girl will come into our life one of these days but wouldn't trade our days with our boy for anything in the world. Congratulations on your son!

Lena - posted on 02/09/2009

I only have one boy so far. He's turning 3 on Saturday and is a naturally born sweetheart (I'm sure his birthday of 2-14 has something to do with that). He is very loving, wants to cuddle all the time and enjoys smooches. However, he is as boy as boys get. For a little while I was falling back on "monster boy"/ "terrible two's"/ and even the infamous "could my boy be ADD/ ADHD" until I finally realized - if you can help boys to get all that energy out in a productive way - that's all the "therapy" they need :o) We now hold memberships to a number of little people gyms/ indoor play grounds, etc and what a difference! We are hoping that a little girl will come into our life one of these days but wouldn't trade our days with our boy for anything in the world. Congratulations on your son!

Lena - posted on 02/09/2009

I only have one boy so far. He's turning 3 on Saturday and is a naturally born sweetheart (I'm sure his birthday of 2-14 has something to do with that). He is very loving, wants to cuddle all the time and enjoys smooches. However, he is as boy as boys get. For a little while I was falling back on "monster boy"/ "terrible two's"/ and even the infamous "could my boy be ADD/ ADHD" until I finally realized - if you can help boys to get all that energy out in a productive way - that's all the "therapy" they need :o) We now hold memberships to a number of little people gyms/ indoor play grounds, etc and what a difference! We are hoping that a little girl will come into our life one of these days but wouldn't trade our days with our boy for anything in the world. Congratulations on your son!

Lisa - posted on 02/04/2009

Well, I only have boys...4 of them to be exact, but here's my 2 cents for whatever it's worth....=) I base my comparison on girls I have cared for, godchildren and neighbors kids that are always around (sometimes even if we are not here!)....



Boys are TYPICALLY louder, faster, dirtier and more boisterous than girls. Girls seem more creative, not as loud, cleaner and more caring than boys. Just an observation. This does not hold true for EVERY boy and girl -- each child is unique and has thier own character...I've seen both boys and girls that have a lot of drama (I've got one!), that rival each other in the gross things/dirt department, boys that have the best handwriting I've ever seen and girls that can take down the biggest boy in the neighborhood in football. I'm just sayin'...generally.



For example...Hurricane Ike came thru here last year and left our the awning on our outside play fort shredded. When the neighborhood kids came over to play, the boys asked to tear down the shreds, and I told them yes, b/c it needed to come down anyway to be replaced. The boys proceeded to tear it down with much vigor, but were soon bored and moved on to the huge hole they were digging. The girls came along about an hour later, and when I looked outside, they had done their best to put the thing back up again...carefully tieing strands together, hooking pieces back up, etc. It was a great example of how boys and girls think!!



IMHO, I think that boys are more stressfull to raise at first b/c they are SO full of energy and keep you on your toes. It seems that girls are much less stressfull at first, but have more drama during the teen years to make up for it.



Oh, and potty training...I think boys are harder. If I have one more mom tell me their daughter was potty trained by 18 months...I think I'll cry. Boy #2 didn't potty train till he was 4, and then only kicking and screaming. Boy # 2 potty trained just before he turned 3....so...who knows??

Melissa - posted on 02/04/2009

i have one of each, and i definitely find boys easier. .. they are generally more laidback and independent. girls are full of mellodramatics and very emotional. .... just make sure that when it's diaper-changing time, that his penis is facing/tucked DOWNWARDS when the new diaper is on... i learned this the hard way :D LoL

Michelle - posted on 01/26/2009

totally depends on the home life/upbringing, my friend had 4 girls who were well behaved, she then had a boy who is a total drama queen but on the other hand i have a son (I'm not comparing) he is very well behaved and always has been but demands more attention than female relatives have done when they have been growing up, my son always wants me to play games, play in the mud, hunt for insects ect... he has a female friend who is the same as he is which is really sweet, I don't think there is a good sexed child just all depends on the upbringing also depend's on other siblings as they learn from each other, it's always easier with multiple children

Kelly - posted on 01/26/2009

Not to be smart or anything but the biggest differnce is Boy from Girl. Boys and girls are as different as men and women. My advice Uphold the same standards and rules in your house across the board. Boys are fearless and wild and rough house and march to their own drum. Girls can be but nothing like this. With girls you protect and keep safe the same with boys but not the same. You want boys to be adventures and take risks and explore. Boys will do gross things that you can't even understand or want to . The dad will pat him on the back and say way to go and you will just be confused. My daughter is 12 my son 3 so WOW the differnce is huge. She was already writting her alphabet and name he has no interest. She was all about learning at this age and he could care less. I have to say it is an adventure for me and I laugh so much and just love it.

Erika - posted on 01/21/2009

For my hubby and I ... it was COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. My son was the easiest baby I could have ever imagined. He was sleeping through the night at 8 weeks, plus taking 2 1/2 hour naps during the day. He smiled at everyone, wanted to be held by everyone ... was just plain laid back. He potty trained fairly well, fully trained at 3 yrs. 1 month. He loves to make new friends, he walks right up to kids and says hi, my name is Nate ... now ... we come to my daughter. She is two years younger than her brother. Let me say that she had a fractured clavicle from her birth ... so that could be some of her uneasiness. She cried all the time until about 4 months. Never took more than a 1/2 hour nap. ONLY wanted ME to hold her at all times. Went to bed at 6 p.m. woke up several times during the night, and was up for good by 4 a.m. no matter what we did to change her schedule!!! I tell everyone (and I mean it) that if she was my first ... she would have been my last until she was in full day school!!! We didn't do anything different either. I wanted them to be treated the absolute same. Now at 3 my daughter is an over-achiever and EXTREMELY outgoing w/sports and activites. Its amazing how fast they change!! Congrats on your upcoming addition!!

Lisa - posted on 01/20/2009

Boys have more energy. They express themselves with vigour. Boys are easier to toilet train, my first was fully trainedin 2 weeks. Boys give more hugs and are very cuddly with their mum. I believe boys are very protective of their mums, mine are. You'll love every minute and he'll just adore your girls.

Krista - posted on 01/20/2009

I am a nanny and have been for many years. I've raised 2 girls (one's 11 now the other is 3) and a boy (8) not including my own son, and I'm about to start watching a 3 week old. Girls are soooo much easier as babies. they're not gender specific, but boys come out throwing and playing. They definitely take more energy. Good thing is boys are easier once they get to be about 2. Then they can entertain themselves much easier than girls can and don't have all the drama haha. I think there's definitely a stronger bond between a woman and a boy too which makes it special.

Louise - posted on 01/19/2009

i have one son but three nieces which im very close to there isnt much difference except girls are abit more faster than boys when it comes to like sitting talking and being toilet trained
the only thing that difference is you have to watch it when you change nappies boys aim right at you lol

congrats :)