to not like 'boy' behaviour?

[Nagoo]

My Ds is nearly 4.

on the whole he is a lovely lovely boy, bright articulate and kind.

Sometimes he behaves like a bloody idiot.

But it's 'boyishness' I tell him off for. Pissing about making an aeroplane out of his knife and fork, and sliding under the table, that kind of thing. He hits himself in the head and laughs, running around for his own amusement (I don't tell him off for that, try to distract him).

I worry that I am not allowing him to be a 'boy'. because I expect him to think about what he's doing and calm down a bit. I feel like I'm trying to discipline the 'boy' behaviour out of him.

AIBU to want him to be more sensible? Is it 'boy' behaviour?

It sounds like 'child' behaviour to me...

You're not unreasonable to be trying to teach him to behave properly at the table though, though you can't expect perfection (from either boys or girls).

Yes, YABU.

He is a child. Children do all manner of daft things. Regardless of gender.

I agree with Ephiny

He is only four, he will grow up and act more sensible but why do you want him to sit still and calm down?
I have three boys and the best advice i can give is make sure they get plenty of fresh air and exercise, they are like dogs

I agree with Ephiny, it just sounds like the behaviour of a child, rather than that of a particular sex.
I don't like boys very much at all, luckily DD was born with the correct genetic sequence that makes her a girl.
tomorrow we have three boys coming to stay for four days.
Pity me.

i agree its general 'child' behaviour nothing to do with being a boy,you want to stop the childish behaviour.i also agree that he needs to learn about table manners.

wait till he becomes obssessed by talking about his bum,willy,farts,poos etcfun!

Agree its child behaviour not boy behaviour. YABU for trying to teach table manners but expecting "sensible" from any 4 yo is a bit much

kreecher-boys in general or every boy?

Do you have any girls? Sounds like v normal behaviour to me too.

He's full of energy and bouncing off the walls because he's healthy and happy. Be grateful and encourage him to do activities (outside mealtime) where he can use up as much of that energy as possible.

Sounds like all 4 year olds to m e. I think you are expecting too much from him and need to chill abit - try doing some silly stuff with him!

How do you make a boy, nearly 5, sit still though? My DS's teacher is constantly writing notes saying he doesnt sit down or stop talking. I dont think its bold behaviour, he is just getting up for a chat but how do you stop it.Is that boy behaviour?

cheesesarnie - I think kreecher was joking

Here we go again...already someone has spoken of their dislike of boys. I have two boys, they are completely ace...sometimes ds2 will do the polar opposite of what he's told, other times he's a delight. Pretty much like some girls, I should think.

It's so frickin' boooring, this sort of thing.

funny you know

my girl did the hit herself in the head and laugh, running around for own amusement and sliding off chair thing too

none of my 3 boys did

I find girls far more annoying than boys

pleased that you think it's not gender specific, being 'childish'.

I've been really upset about this, thinking that I should let him 'be a boy', and tying it to his maleness.

female friends of DD (but not DD) screech and seem to want my attention or approval rather a lot - they also do plays - boring plays with awful stories and crap dialogue and over dramatisation of nothingness

male friends of DD (of which there are more) go away and play with her

much prefer the latter

We do pleanty of 'pile on' jumping on bed type games btw. Also encouraging the use of (non-contact) jedi powers and means to fell your opponents (i.e. me or daddy) rather than trying to batter us with a lightsabre....

First child, DS typical 'boy' behaviour, really needs to be taken for a walk twice a day like a dog.

DD1 typical 'girl' behaviour sat for hours drawing pictures when she was two and a half.

DD2 typical 'boy' behaviour, at just 4 I don't remember her ever sitting still for more than two minutes.

I'd say it was personality types rather than gender - ther are differences between children's behaviour but its not always to do with gender, even though before DD2 we would have believed so as our first two conformed with the 'norm'.

I have ds, 4 and dd, 2. Ds has always been well behaved, good table manners, does what he's told, sits down quietly when asked to. Dd is a whole different ball game. She's the one 'aeroplaning' her cutlery, running around like a lunatic, rugby tackling ds to the ground. Girl/boy makes no difference imo, just different characters. I sometimes wish dd was more like ds but then I often wish ds had more of dd's feistiness.

Sorry to all the mums of boys, I just prefer girls. Possibly my DD is different to those who screech and do plays. She doesn't.
She is really annoying in many other ways though.
The ones coming tomorrow really do my head in, the eldest is plugged into some sort of life support that seldom leaves his ears. The second is rather agressive and has hurt DD several times (she idolises him though). The youngest leaves little packages of shit wrapped in toilet paper in unlikely places for me to find once they have left.

The neighbours have a 6 year old boy, and when I visited he was sliding underneath the sofa constantly. It is just what kids do.

You have to allow children to be children. Pretend play is how they learn.

Normal behaviour, for a child, he's only playing. And fwiw I think calling it 'idiot behaviour'is a bit off.

Those are 'unpleasant children' not 'boys' Kreecher.

Somebody agreeing boys are crap check

Somebody with boys getting upset check

Somebody disagreeing and saying girls are worse check

Somebody comparing boys to dogs check

Several sensible people pointing out it's personality related check

Just waiting for all boys are cuddlier and love their mums and all girls are princesses and we'll have won MN Gender Thread bingo.