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Original poster

do you have or know anyone who has 3 boys?

132 replies

belleandbete · 20/11/2019 05:01

Please tell me nice things about life with three boys, either your own, or a family you know- especially anyone who knows a family like that who are now grown up and still get on well. I need to hear some happy, encouraging stories as I"m feeling quite down about never having a DD.

(if you have awful stories feel free to share those too, I guess- need a realistic picture!)

thank you!

OP posts:
memaymamo · 20/11/2019 11:41

I am intrigued. Does no one have non boisterous boys? So much of this is ‘my boys were a handful but are now sensible adults.’ I have two sons. Neither has ever been a handful or boisterous. Both have done craft, enjoyed reading, board games. We are not a rowdy household and DH has never encouraged any boisterous behaviour OR maybe that’s their personality. Now I am worried they are going to grow up to be rambunctious and loud adults!

I have non-boisterous boys. They like computers and card games and discussing films and memes. They are very well-behaved but the downside is I have to tell them to go outside and be active, it's quite a struggle to keep them active enough. Never had any problems with them being rowdy.

dontknowdontknow · 20/11/2019 11:43

I've got two boys - I can't imagine anything else. Wouldn't change it for the world and also wouldn't necessarily want a girl! It would change the dynamic and we are a house or boys! Maybe I will feel differently later in life but I doubt it. I have a complicated relationship with my own mother and she with hers when she was Alive so Im hoping the mother son relationship will be easier. I also slightly suspect that proximity and attitude has a lot to do with grandchildren and how much you see them rather than gender

RockinHippy · 20/11/2019 11:54

My old friend has 3 boys who are all now successful young men. They absolutely spoil her rotten & she says she feels like Ma Baker when she's out with them all. She never had any major issues bringing them up either, she always said they were much easier than other friends girls as the were more like dogs, food, exercise & a firm hand kept them happy & inline. Having 1 teen girl I can agree, they are bloody hard work & way more devious than most boys

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roisinagusniamh · 20/11/2019 12:26

I think you need to rethink your own attitude with regarding gender stereotypes.
Children should be raised as individuals with their personalities and interests developed not as 'boys' or 'girls' .
I think we all are guilty of stereotyping . It's a societial problem.
The myth that girls are easier than boys is very damaging, especially to girls, as they learn that behaving in a certain way gets them praise and approval from an early age. And may not develop to their full potential.

isthismylifenow · 20/11/2019 12:34

I have a few friends with 3 boys. Some of them get on well and some fight a lot. I think its down to nature of the child to be honest.

My dad is one of 5 boys. We have a very male family. I have 3 brothers. You have never met 3 boys closer, although of course at times they had their moments. I am like the odd one out to be honest. Most of my cousins are male as well, I have very few female cousins. The gene just runs very strong I think.

I have one of each, a pigeon pair is rare in our family.

I think the younger years can be tough. But later on in life, from what I have seen, brother make very good friends.

numberonecook · 20/11/2019 12:35

I am a mum of 3 girls And a boy but my best friend has 4 boys (17, 15, 15 and 9). I’m slightly envious of her boys as they all look after her seem a lot more chilled out and don’t seem to be as demanding as my girls. They get along ok 70% of the time and have got closer as they’ve got older. She said to me sometimes she thinks it would be nice to have a girl then she hears about one of mine kicking off and is glad she has boys Grin

TheMonaOgg · 20/11/2019 12:37

I have 5 aged from 3 to 22!! They're funny, caring and supportive of each other. I loves them to bits!

Sleepycat91 · 20/11/2019 12:38

My oh is oldest of 3 boys. Hes 30, middle is 28 and youngest 23. Middle is mothers golden child and all you ever hear her banging on about which drives everyone mad but my oh has a good relationship with his youngest brother. Both similar interests and personality, they get on quite well x

MarshaBradyo · 20/11/2019 12:39

I have two boys and one girl toddler, she needs as much freedom to run around as the first two.

roisinagusniamh · 20/11/2019 13:00

Well said Marsha

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 20/11/2019 13:10

I have one extremely non boisterous boy and one who definitely boisters 😉 My girl was definitely the most boisterous of the three as a toddler.

thecatsarecrazy · 20/11/2019 13:30

I have 3 boys 12 10 and 2. Older 2 wind each other up fairly standard. Youngest and I home with each other alot. It's fine. I'm happy with my lot as they say

ILikTheBred · 20/11/2019 13:38

I have three boys (10, 8 and 5) and they are a delight. They are so funny and (for now at least!) are total mummy’s boys - they are so loving and affectionate. One is very boisterous, one is calm and the other is in the middle. My house has lots of noise and scratches on the wall but I wouldn’t change things.

I grew up as one of three girls. My children fight far less than my sisters and I did. It is definitely a personality issue, not a male/female one.

It’s ok to feel a bit sad about not having a daughter. I remember having a flicker of ‘what might have been’ when we found out DS3 was going to be a boy, but that was based on an imaginary ideal of what a girl might be like, while anyone who has a child knows the child you imagine and the child you get are very different things! That feeling passed though and I love my boys beyond belief.

Original poster
belleandbete · 20/11/2019 13:56

Sorry in a different time zone so went to bed and woke up to all these lovely replies! Thank you so much. They have really cheered me up.

As for the boisterous thing- it's hard to explain. My kids do actually like sit down activities and will read/ do art or science projects /play Lego etc. It's just their default is wrestling and jumping around and will never sit still for a minute unless there is a specific project to occupy them. My friends girls seem to have a much calmer default energy and will sit and chat for awhile. There is research that shows that male mammals of all species play in a more rough and tumble way and it's def true with my kids though hard to define exactly (and it mainly happens when they are together. Individually they can all be relatively calm)

OP posts:
calamityjam · 20/11/2019 13:59

I have 3 boys ages 23,19 and 12 (also a 16 year old girl). They get on better now the oldest are adults. They all bickered and squabbled when they were younger but they would stick up for each other to the death

Original poster
belleandbete · 20/11/2019 14:00

Also as to why I want a DD so much. I'd just love a child that I can share the pleasures of girlhood with- the books/toys/clothes etc I loved as a child. I love the Dynamics of young girl friendships and play and feel I understand them much better. I know a lot of this is socialised behavior but just because it's socialised doesn't mean it's not real. I also know that my girl wouldn't necessarily be into any of this stuff. But I have yet to meet a young girl who rejects absolutely everything I'm thinking of. Obviously they exist but in my experience they are rare

OP posts:
TickleMeEmo · 20/11/2019 14:06

My DH is the youngest of 3 boys, and they are a very close family still. And by all means MIL really embraced having an all boy family 😂 apparently the teen years had their ups and downs but that’s normal whatever combination you have.

TickleMeEmo · 20/11/2019 14:07

Sorry that was meant to be a 🙂 not a 😂

RB68 · 20/11/2019 14:07

I am one of 6, 3 of each 3 girls then 3 boys and one of the boys has 3 boys as well. They defo look out for each other but also squabble but now we are older we have good relationships with each other

Tana433 · 20/11/2019 14:07

My dad was one of 3 boys. Seven years between each of them, my dad being the youngest but they were best of friends growing up and into adulthood. One brother (the middle one) died of a stroke in 2014 and the eldest one died last week aged 80 after a 2 year battle with dementia. They were so close, all played cricket and football together growing up and went out every monday night for an indian or chinese meal. My poor dad is lost now that he is the only one left. Hopefully your boys will be as close as my grandmas were @belleandbete.

PhilomenaButterfly · 20/11/2019 14:09

I know 2 lovely families with 3 boys. I can't really give you specifics, but both families seem very happy.

hanahsaunt · 20/11/2019 14:11

I have 3 boys and 1 girl. Dd is harder work than the three boys put together. I really don't buy into the dynamics of girlhood thing - it would be so easy to say she does x or y 'because she's a girl' but my three boys are wildly different from each other so is it 'because he's a boy' or because that is who they are as people? They are all rowdy and boisterous - the least so is my second son. They can fight like cat and dog but woe betide anyone who really has it in for one of them because they circle their wagons and are fiercely protective of each other when it matters. They are all an absolute joy (most of the time!).

Dee03 · 20/11/2019 14:18

I have 3 boys. They are 17,20 and 22 and I've brought them up on my own for 16 yrs.

They are great fun but at times drove me mad with the constant arguing Confused

Dustarr73 · 20/11/2019 14:27

I have 5 boys.2 are adults and really get on well.Look out for each other.Well the other 3,theres still timeGrin

LucheroTena · 20/11/2019 14:29

I have 3 younger brothers and we are all close as adults. Myself and eldest always closest. The elder two boys were very together as teens with shared friends and interests, but scrapped a bit as children. The youngest is really laid back and was into music and did his own thing a bit more. But we’re all good friends now. DH has 2 brothers who he doesn’t see anymore but that is a lot to do with unfair treatment from MIL and FIL. I think a lot of sibling fallouts are to be blamed on upbringing really.

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