Last Saturday, my husband and I found out that we're having a baby girl this November! While I'd been wondering (and wishing), I kept it to myself until we confirmed that it was going to be a girl. When I found out, visions of pink onesies and ribbons started parading in my mind. The vision started extending into shopping trips and having our hair done together. Of course, that was taking things too far. But you get the picture. Raising our son, Badger, has been a wonderful adventure for me and I'm always amazed at all the little things a boy can think of (and do!). Now, it's time for me to prepare for a girl.
(Read about another second pregnancy from our contributor, Aila Sim-Yonzon).
What's the difference between raising a girl versus a boy?
That was one of the first things that came to my mind. From other moms, I've heard that girls talk sooner than boys and are generally more well-behaved. Well, that will be a treat! So, I did some online research and found out the following (from Parenting.com):
- Girls like imitating. They can follow finger movements and copy adult behavior faster than boys.
- They develop fine motor skills ahead of boys too. That means earlier writers (or scribblers).
- They listen more closely than boys.
- They like observing faces and can read non-verbal communication.
- They talk sooner.
Girls Will Need To Manage Their Feelings and Self-Confidence Later On
Because of the way they're hardwired, girls may have to navigate through emotional minefields later on in life. Because they're so attuned to other people's feelings, they tend to get confused over their feelings or hurting others. That means moms and dads have to reassure their growing girl that she can always talk about her problems with them. Because girls get praised so much for being well-behaved and helpful, they also tend to push back their own needs and put others' needs ahead (sound familiar, mommies?). Girls will need encouragement to take care of their own needs and to take risks (which boys are more adept at).
(Read the full article on Boys vs. Girls: Who's Harder to Raise at Parenting.com)
Looking Forward to a Lot of Love
It was really interesting to read about the difference between boys and girls and I can't wait to apply what I learned to Badger and our upcoming Clea Sestina (I just love this name!). In the end, we can do everything we can to make sure that our kids don't end up growing into stereotyped roles but there are just some things that boys like more than girls and vice versa. All we can really give is our love and support. I was a bit worried about dividing my time between two kids (and Badger getting jealous). But what I realized is that love multiplies and never subtracts!
Share your thoughts on raising boys and raising girls below. What were the major differences you observed? Leave a comment.
Image from Flickr.com/swrenpics.
