Boys vs. Girls (Part 1)

Who is “More” Better?

Both sexes are as different as day and night, is one better or easier to raise over the other? 

Ok let me just say it now, there is no winner or loser here in case my title was misleading.  I am actually quite fond of what makes boys and girls so different. I had not  realized just how different little boys and girls are until I saw my son grow along side two other little girls about his age. His cousin Nyrelli,who is  just two weeks shy of his age and his best girl pal Elena, who is three months younger than him, have been the little girls I’ve had the pleasure of observing.  Wow! What a difference. I’ve learned that some things that may be harder for me now, but will be easier later, because I have boys.  Like the other day, I posted on Facebook that mom’s with boys really do have a midnight conundrum, “What’s worse falling in the toilet or sitting in a wet toilet seat?” Then, I realized that if I had girls and only one bathroom, the later part would be worse, seeing that girls tend to take longer to get ready in the bathroom–ahem, I should know.

 Back to these two little gals that made up Rockford’s playdates.  One of the things I quickly noticed about these little girls was their attention to detail. They can be dainty about things, like the way they carefully and delicately handled things such as their dolls, their food and every buckle, strap and snap. It never failed that when we were getting ready to leave and I was placing Rocco in his car seat, someone had already buckled and snapped all the intricate parts that I so vividly remember not being able to do myself when Rockford was an infant. Whether it is the car seat, the stroller or Rocco’s jacket, I always know when I have been around a little girl. Rockford has never bothered with these items nor does he have the dexterity to do it if he did.

I remember Nyrelli carefully playing with Rocco caressing his face and kissing him saying, “Bebe Rocco, Bebe Rocco.”  On any given Sunday mornings Elena would walk over to me and just say, “Baby Rocco, Baby Rocco” as she helped herself to remove the cover of the car seat to plant a kiss on Rocco’s head. They are so maternal, careful and sweet. I have yet to see Rockford “caress” his brother. He is usually more concerned about when Rocco will be big enough to wrestle with him.    

Girls are different from boys when it comes to babies and they are also different when in comes to social relationships. The other day after our weekly women’s bible study group Rockford  and Elena ventured outside to the enclosed patio to play. Again, wow, what differences I witnessed. Rockford was curios about a birdhouse he had found outside. When the owner of the house saw this she told him to be careful with it because she thought there might be a spider on it. After learning this, Rockford became even more excited about it asking, “Where’s the spider? Where is it?”  Overhearing this, Elena immediately grabbed the birdhouse from Rockford. I asked her why she was taking it and she answered very matter of fact, “Rockford can’t play with it. It might have spider on it.” What a mommy, I thought.  While making her way to put the birdhouse back to its original place, she quickly became distracted with the beauty of it and she gracefully turn the house every which way to take a closer look at it all the while saying, “Rockford can’t play with it.” Hmm, don’t know how much was driven by her maternal girlish instinct to protect Rockford from the spider and how much was driven by a strong-willed personality. Either way, she appreciated this birdhouse in a different way than Rockford did.

Since the birdhouse had been seized from him, Rockford started playing with the next thing in sight, a small glass candle holder. He started handling it and quickly dropped it causing it to break into tiny pieces. Seeing this Elena casually said, “I got it, I pick it up.” Yeah right, this time I did interfere and picked up the broken glass and swept the remaining minuscule pieces. I went back in the house where I had been standing and observing the entire time and just as I turned to see them, Elena had already grabbed the broom and started sweeping the patio with so much contentment and purpose. Rockford on the other hand, stood there watching her for a while then on his next activity, trying to figure out gate’s latch. No surprise, Elena quickly joined him here too.

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Clearly there are many differences that make up these little ones. I have only scratched the surface. I am sure many of you have great examples of “the differences” between boys and girls (of which I would love to hear about). Raising two boys has taught me a lot about being in a “boy’s world” and having a greater appreciation for it. Being around my friends and siblings who do have daughters has taught me a great deal of how they differ from boys. Though some of these differences might seem overwhelming at times, I try to remind myself– and will encourage you to do the same–to rest assure that the way they were purposely designed is part of God’s plan for them and for us. Maybe it will all make sense later.

     For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
    I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well. 
    My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 
    Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be.
                                                            Psalm 139: 13-16

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I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus

                                                                                                                                              Philippians 1:6

 

[…] Look out for Part 2 that is sure to crack you up as you read about the difference between boys and girls according to a couple of nine-year olds.

Tags: boys and girls, boys vs girls, children, funny, gender roles, humor, kids, life, little, raising boys, raising girls, toddlers