To ask why little girls seem to be preferred?

[foxtaildream]

Is it just me who has noticed this?

I love boys, but if I’m 100% honest, if I’d only been able to have one child I’d have wanted a girl.

petbear you're completely wrong im afraid.

I always wanted a boy. When I found out in the scan I turned into a drivelling mess I was so happy.

Most women I know want at least one daughter. And most with one of each claim girls are calmer and less destructive as small children. I'm not sure how true that is, do boys have higher testosterone even as toddlers? My DD is high energy and always bouncing off the walls!

Nothing to do with testosterone, but gender expectation. Boys have so much energy and need to run it off. Girls like colouring and craft so will sit nicely and do that.

People watch a bit. It’s often obvious im family restaurants. Boys will be allowed to get up and down, run about between courses, get a bit noisy. Girls will be sat at the table, expected to engage in conversation, draw with the pens, and will be admonished for any rowdiness.

Boys are taken to the park and allowed to free play, often roughly. Girls are warned to get down from the top of the climbing frame and to be careful. They’re often in impractical dresses which hinders proper physical activity and/or have warnings not to get their clothes dirty.

By the time they’re 3 or 4 they’ve had years of this behaviour modification, and are behaving to stereotype all by themselves.

But it is completely natural for girls to like pink. It’s not societal at all, it’s pink brain.

I think most people want a mix of genders...that said if I could only have one gender I'd choose a girl.

I've got 2 DDs...but was initially gutted when the scan revealed DD2 was a girl.

I do feel silly about it now...as I absolutely love her and it seems crazy when so many couples have infertility problems .

If she'd been a boy..I would probably have gone on to have a third...but I didn't want the pressure and risk of another girl.

I love having girls...but I'd equally love having boys if that's what I had.

I do think girls look after their parents more on in old age too.

Everyone seems to want a daughter.

(Some don't admit it, but they all do!)

Sorry petbear this is what I was referring to when I said you're completely wrong! Not your other posts. Just that I 100% wanted boys so....!

I have three children now. I had another baby who was stillborn at 35 weeks this for me left me with one wish for the baby I had and that was that they were alive. Couldn’t care less about their sex.

I was desperate for 2 boys. I didnt want a mini me. Got them thank God

Why would a girl have been a mini you any more than a boy? Yes you would both have female genitalia but that alone doesn’t mean you personalities and likes/dislikes would be the same?

Neither of my girls are anything like me, thank god. We may be all female but there ends the similarities. I am certainly nothing like my mother.

What if one of your boys turns out to be a smaller version of you? Same personality traits, same likes, dislikes? Would you even see it because you’re assuming he is different because of his penis?

I’m my friendship group, we were all open that our preference was for girls. Two friends experienced gender disappointment after the birth of their second boy.

I think it stems from the belief that the relationship between mothers and daughters is long-term, whereas this isn’t the case with boys.

I had a slight preference for a girl. I had a boy and he was wonderful in every way. Then I had a girl. She is amazing, but hard work. Now expecting no3 and no preference. They come with their own personalities, regardless of sex.

I'm really surprised by all the 'girls' clothes are nicer' comments. Whenever I buy a baby gift for a friend or colleague I always include an outfit as part of the present, and I always find a million things I like in the boys section and struggle in the girls - indeed, the most recent present I bought for a girl was a set of dungarees with a dinosaur pattern that I suspect were 'meant' for a little boy. I think it's because I don't like pink, pastels or frills, but I find the baby girls' clothes much less appealing than the boys'.

Calm down Newname. I was responding to the many posters who've said women seems to prefer mini versions of themselves. Read the full thread. I now have.

You can find cool boys clothes but not so much on the high street. tbf I don’t like much of the girl options on the high street either.

I have a brother who has 2 kids (boys,) and I have 2 kids (girls,) and without a shadow of a doubt, my mother had a much closer relationship with my kids.

I find this is often the case. Grandchildren tend to be closer to the maternal side.

I have one of each, I love them both equally and am so pleased I have one of each. I was just glad they were healthy babies!

I find this is often the case. Grandchildren tend to be closer to the maternal side.

Do you not think the ways in which these grandmothers raised their own children plays a part in this? My mother is incredibly close to my brother's toddler - she sees him at least once a week if not more, often babysits him, etc. But the thing is she's also really close to my brother, just as much so as to me. There was no gendered division in my family - everyone but me loved sport and shared that, dad was as likely to take me shopping as mum, we all have a shared passion for history, etc., etc. Of course if mum spends every Saturday shopping with 'her' daughter while dad takes 'his' son to the football you'll end up with some relationships massively closer than others. And then, rather than seeing this as a problem, some women seem desperate to replicate it, and then upset that they aren't as close to their sons...

Most of my friends have boys but 2 have 1 of each with 1 pair being twins. My friends say the boys are easier and less complicated than the girls.

Why do these threads always end up with people saying how difficult girls are compared to boys? Can’t we just accept that all children are individuals?

I have a brother who has 2 kids (boys,) and I have 2 kids (girls,) and without a shadow of a doubt, my mother had a much closer relationship with my kids

I have a sister who has 1 kid (girl,) and I have 2 kids (girls,) and without a shadow of a doubt, my mother had a much closer relationship with my sisters kids.

So for us, it’s not a boy/girl thing. It’s a gets on much better with my sister thing. My sister brings up her child in a way my mother approves of, fairly old fashioned- children should do what adults say. I am a bit more children should be allowed an opinion and if they want to dress in green striped trousers and blue flowery shirt i will let them.

Fwiw my mil is much closer to her dd’s kids. But again, it comes from a place where kids and housework is “wifework”. So when she goes round and babysits, does her cleaning and ironing, she is helping out her dd. Her son doesn’t need that kind of help- she would be helping me, not him, iyswim. So if there’s a choice she’ll babysit for her dd, because her son has me to look after the kids. Her dd can’t expect her husband to do it.

Sexism and gender stereotyping.

What a sad thread, rife with sexism.

People are being honest based on their experience Chien. Others may have a different experience. The thread is about gender preference and so posters are naturally going to talk about the reasons they have a preference?

But it’s always defending boys to the detriment of girls.

No, it’s stating the differences experienced. My friends are not being detrimental to their daughters when they say their sons are less complicated, they are just stating a fact which is likely rooted in biology.

I don't know why. Alot of boys are more affectionate than girls and you dont have to fear a son getting pregnant.

This idea that girls are closer for life - are all these mums expecting their daughters to never move away to study? For jobs? To travel? To different countries or cities to live and work?

They will just keep them by their sides as little mini me accessories, an extension of themselves not their own person?

This is what I meant earlier when I said that people like this want a child as an extension of themselves and not their own little person. Really, really unhealthy way to bring up a child. Still, that’s probably keeping the MIL threads in relationships going in perpetuity