To think that mums who refer to primary age and pre-school children as alpha males....

[doyouwantfrieswiththat]

are taking the competitive parent thing to a whole new level?

Eh? confused?

I teach year 6 and already I can tell which of the boys are leaders and which are followers. Which are the extroverted, confident ones the others look up to, and which are the quieter types who prefer to keep a low profile.

Wouldn't use the term "alpha male" in this context though as it implies some kind of hierarchy. (Thinking of a parent with an "alpha male" type son who used to make the lives of others utterly miserable.)

Yabu. It's just a way of describing a certain type of person that really does exist.

DS is in year 5. There are definitely alpha males in the group. My child is not one of them, but his best friend is.

Not sure how that's bragging, (especially as its not my child) but they do tend to develop personalities which are easy to define.

DS is the class joker. Not sure if I'm pleased or horrified.

I'm talking about 3-5yr olds. I thought it was inappropriate myself. A bit of transference by parents.

I've only heard it used with negative connotations

As in, boys who are sporty and competitive but not very kind with it

I don't think you can tell at all at this age. All my reports say I am nervous, shy, lacking in confidence etc. I have just stopped work but I was a manager and have always been dumped in leadership positions throughout my life. I think I am a leader in most areas of life - not trying to boast just stating fact. You can't read a person's future in their early years.

But are you male, peachypips? I think you can detect some if not all proto-Alpha Males very early on. Not sure it's so easy with Alpha Females.

It's the implied hierarchy I object to, that and the mums who excuse bullying behaviour with the phrase 'He's such an alpha male'

Aah, that's interesting. As I said, I've only ever heard it used to refer negatively to boys who are bullies or incipient bullies.

And actually, in that context, i'd not be verry comfortable about labelling such a young child in that way

I've had three boys and have never heard this expression to describe behaviour.

Is it a new term to describe a bossy headstrong child?

Disclaimer: I am old [44]

It's an 'animal behaviour' term I believe.
Alpha is the 'top dog', Omega is the underdog...and a few shades in between.

It is indeed a term from animal behaviour/ethology and it has a very precise meaning - it certainly doesn't mean a bully and I would definitely give a parent who described a bullying son as an Alpha Male very short shrift!

No am female, so totally irrelevant comment from me!

No, not irrelevant, peachy! I think that Alpha Females are less obvious as children. I do wonder if the Alpha Male concept has somehow become conflated with the Type A Personality concept?

There are alpha females too peachy pips but I haven't yet heard bitchiness/bullying excused as an alpha trait in girls.

cross post bluestocking , interesting link.

Interesting, my sons friend is someone I have always refered to as alpha - tall, sporty, academic, tremendously aesthetically pleasing (child model) - but the warmest lovliest person you could want to meet - he has that gravitas that people like and flock to be his friend. He is unaware of the effect he has on people.

There are definitely alpha males (or whatever you want to call the ones who are confident, and who children want to be friends with) emerging at a very early age. It's so not the same as being a bully - that's just being a bully!

Sometimes the children others want to be friends with are those who they do not wish to get on the wrong side of, conciously or unconsciously.

Although i'm not denying that confident, popular attractive children who do not bully or belittle do also exist

No, things that are viewed as strengths in males are often viewed as weaknesses in women. Tres interessant.

I've only heard it on MN. I don't believe in it-they only get the label because other people give it to them.