Do you correct people when they call your baby the wrong sex?

[MondayMartini]

I had a boy for DC1. He was so obviously a boy.

DC2 is a girl. Admittedly she wears a lot of blue because of her brothers hand me downs.

but all the time, I get “what a lovely boy” “or he’s lovely” - even the other day when she was actually in a pink onesie.

She’s in a grey one at the moment and we’ve got quite a long train journey. We’re literally 10 minutes in and I’ve had two people say how lovely “he” is. It’s beginning to really annoy me but I don’t know whether to just let it go as I’m never going to see them again.

My sons were both often mistaken for girls when they were babies. I didn't bother correcting randoms, I just said thanks.

That said, if it bothers you you should not feel that you can't say something. You absolutely can and should if you want to.

I generally didn’t, who cares really, and some people react as if they’ve done something terrible if you correct them! But sometimes, depends on the situation. Many people have strict rules about colours kids wear and thou shalt not deviate.

No.

I don’t really see what correcting them achieves.

Risk of prolonging the interaction or making them uncomfortable. My baby is none the wiser, and given most babies are little bald potatoes, sexing them incorrectly isn’t unreasonable.

My son was always mistaken for a girl and my daughter is now mistaken for a boy 🤷🏻‍♀️ Both used the same bright coloured onesies. It doesn't bother me though sometimes I correct them and sometimes I don't:

DD had ‘what a lovely little fella’ in a trolley in Sainsbury’s while she was wearing a pink dress! 😂

My girls were always both confused as boys. Even my Nan who knew they were girls always said they look just like little boys 😂 I never corrected anyone but it tickled me when they asked their names (proper girly names)

I always let it go. We are never going to see them again, it doesn't matter. The sentiment is the same, oh what a cute baby, it doesn't matter whay sex they think they are.

Ahh, same issue here! A girl in lots of her brother’s hand-me-downs. I really don’t mind at all when people mistake her for a boy. I don’t tend to correct people, especially if they are a stranger in a cafe or shop and unlikely to see us again. They are usually being kind and I wouldn’t want to make anyone feel bad for making an easy mistake. It’s kind of a 50:50 guess when they’re a baby isn’t it?!

Dd1 was often mistaken for a boy, partly maybe because she had virtually no hair until she was 8 months, and partly because I often put her in navy babygros.

It didn’t bother me at all, though.,

Why prolong an interaction with a random stranger on the train who is just trying to be nice when all you need to say is ‘thanks’. I’d correct someone I was going to see them again though, or there was some sort of connection, like if it was a friend of a friend or a friend of a relative. But train randomer, nope, what would be the point.

They are usually being kind and I wouldn’t want to make anyone feel bad for making an easy mistake. It’s kind of a 50:50 guess when they’re a baby isn’t it?!

But why would you need to hazard a guess at all?

"What a beautiful baby/child!"
"Your little one is gorgeous!"
"What a cutie!"

No need at all to plump for one or the other. If it matters that much to you, ask what the little one's name is, before you commit yourself, and hope that it's clear from that.

It is weird how many people have it so ingrained with colours that they overlook the obvious, such as a girl wearing a blue dress and blue headband must be a boy, because they're blue.

Unless they're wearing clothes that say "Mummy's Little Man" or "Best Little Sister" or whatever, how on earth would you know for a fact, most of the time?

I don't bother with strangers on the street/train but I do with people I'll see again, as @InTheRainOnATrain said.

A bit embarrassing but we have a neighbour who happens to be an ex colleague, and we pass him on his walk to/from work quite often and say hi and make small talk. Dd in tow, and she's always with long hair, albeit unisex clothes. So he's briefly seen dd fairly regularly ever since she was born. When I had dc2 (a boy) he said something about how I have two boys now - he thought dd was a boy her whole life up till then...! Over 3 years! Had he never heard me shout dd's very ordinary girl's name lol.

So basically people just have no idea and don't spare much thought about the sex of other people's kids haha. They don't pay attention to clothes or hair or anything, they just think "ah, a little youngling" and that"s it

They’re calling your child lovely, I would take the compliment from someone I will never see again, they’re not being horrible.

I don't bother!