To ask why little girls seem to be preferred?

[foxtaildream]

Is it just me who has noticed this?

Of course there's a bias towards girls because people think they can do their hair and dress them up all nicely ((ha!).

I had a bit of a preference for a girl as I wanted to pass on my nans name. I felt I would be able to teach her all my hobbies, dress her nice and do her hair etc.
Yes I got my girl and I love her more than anything. But if I had a boy I would still of been happy and felt lucky to have had a healthy child. My partner would of liked a boy but he is so in love with our dd we are so lucky 🍀

Not really. I kniw some people who would strongly prefer a girl. Sone who would prefer a boy. And a lot who don't really care.

*I have a preference for little boys by the way (mostly because I really don't like pink glittery stuff and am terrified of my children going through all the eating disorders, rape, general emotional fuck uppery that was so common amongst my peers at (an all girls) school. I kniw that boys have lots of problems to but irgorande is bliss I guess.

I don't know why they are, but they are.

Awful in my exH family. His mother and her siblings all had boys, whole generation without a girl. Then his cousin had two boys, we had a boy and bil had a girl, gosh you'd think this girl was royalty, she's definitely favoured above the boys.

When my ds was weeks old my own lovely mother said 'you should do it again and have a girl this time'.

At times I used to cry because it made me feel like he wasn't ever going to be good enough for anyone, but I'm happy he is a boy and all that matters is I favour him over any other child.

YANBU.

Everyone seems to want a daughter.

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

I felt I would be able to teach her all my hobbies,

Why wouldn’t you be able to teach a boy all your hobbies?

I mean people don't dislike boys, and don't mind having them, but as long as they have a girl TOO.

If you ask 1000 couples (in the western world,) which gender they would prefer if they could have only one child, 90% of them would say a girl.

I know someone who had IVF and cried with disappointment when she found out she was having a boy. She was in a terrible mood after her scan. She’s not great with him now either, sadly.

My sister had one girl and was keen to have another girl, she didn’t want a boy. She got her wish.

Two other relatives were disappointed, or rather apprehensive, to discover they were having boys after each having a girl. They adore them now though.

I had IVF and genuinely didn’t mind which. I had a girl in the end and would love to have a boy too but I doubt we will even have another child.

i do symapthise with gender disappointment where there is a medical reason for it eg a certain disorder which only affects a certain gender, meaning if that gender were born it could lead to heartache and tragedy.

I wanted a girl. I've wanted a girl since I was a child.

We didn't find out what i was having so when DP said "it's a girl" when she was born I was over the moon.

However if I'd had a boy I'd have been equally happy but probably slightly disappointed.

I have 3 boys and 2 girls. Give me boys any day. Much less hassle than girls (Plus they give better hugs - and more often ;) )

I think it’s the mother/daughter relationship most women yearn for. Either because they had the same with their own mother or because they didn’t and want to create that bond.

I have one DS, and currently 6 weeks PG with DC2. Yes I want a girl, I will be disappointed for myself if it’s a boy. But happy for DS if it’s a boy and I think same sex siblings are generally slightly closer.

Yeah that's the thing, I think although some sons are close to their mother, and some daughters are not, there is this general train of thought from many, that the relationship will be better/closer with a daughter (when they are grown especially.)

I know loads of middle aged and older women who have much closer relationships with their adult daughters than they do with their adult sons. I mean, they go shopping, for lunch, for day trips, to the cinema, out to the park with the kids, etc etc. I don't know one woman who does this kind of stuff with their adult son; not one.

Also, I know many a couple who have daughters and many who have sons, and the bond with the children of their daughter, is much closer than it is with the children of their son.

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.

Mainly because she saw my kids at least once a week, and my brother's kids no more than 6 times a year. My brother and SIL rarely visited her, and often made excuses when she wanted to visit them. My SIL made sure HER parents saw the 2 kids a couple of times a week though, even though her parents lived the same distance from them, as mine and my brother's parents (about 10-12 miles away.)

My brother was also rarely arsed with my 2 kids, and only made an effort to see them on their birthdays, and a week before Christmas. He was much closer to his wife's brother's kids and saw them at least once a week, and took them on day trips, and out to theme parks and everything...

My brother and SIL's 2 boys are nearly grown now, and as they have 2 boys, I feel karma will come and bite them on the arse, as undoubtedly the grandmothers of their son's children will be closer to their grandchildren than they will to them.

Yeah that's the thing, I think although some sons are close to their mother, and some daughters are not, there is this general train of thought from many, that the relationship will be better/closer with a daughter (when they are grown especially.)

I know loads of middle aged and older women who have much closer relationships with their adult daughters than they do with their adult sons. I mean, they go shopping, for lunch, for day trips, to the cinema, out to the park with the kids, etc etc. I don't know one woman who does this kind of stuff with their adult son; not one.

Also, I know many a couple who have daughters and many who have sons, and the bond with the children of their daughter, is much closer than it is with the children of their son.

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.

Mainly because she saw my kids at least once a week, and my brother's kids no more than 6 times a year. My brother and SIL rarely visited her, and often made excuses when she wanted to visit them. My SIL made sure HER parents saw the 2 kids a couple of times a week though, even though her parents lived the same distance from them, as mine and my brother's parents (about 10-12 miles away.)

My brother was also rarely arsed with my 2 kids, and only made an effort to see them on their birthdays, and a week before Christmas. He was much closer to his wife's brother's kids and saw them at least once a week, and took them on day trips, and out to theme parks and everything...

My brother and SIL's 2 boys are nearly grown now, and as they have 2 boys, I feel karma will come and bite them on the arse, as undoubtedly the grandparents of their son's children will be closer to their grandchildren than they will to them.

My mother always preferred boys and I am the 3rd daughter in a row. When she eventually had some boys, guess who visited her when she got older and guess who didn't visit her and ignored her?

@whoareyoukidding

My mother always preferred boys and I am the 3rd daughter in a row. When she eventually had some boys, guess who visited her when she got older and guess who didn't visit her and ignored her?

Well don't keep us in suspense !

If you ask 1000 couples (in the western world,) which gender they would prefer if they could have only one child, 90% of them would say a girl.

?? 90% ? Do you have evidence for this?

Medical issues aside- nearly every preference expressed is due to gender stereotyping. What people want is based on what they believe they will like better.

My mum wanted girls. For the usual reasons. I hate shopping, like sport, don’t like getting my nails done or dressing up to go for lunch.

We spend very little time together. She prefers spending time with my sister, who does like those things.

Thing is all these years all her efforts have been focussed on making me behave like she wants. Buying make up and nail appointments for christmas, asking to go shopping so we can buy “nice” clothes.

Not once has she ever tried to find out what i like to do. If i ask her if she wants to come to x y or z the answer is no, she needs to go shopping so she’ll go with my sister if i don’t want to.

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!

I have friends who complain there are no decent clothes on the highstreet for boys- all black, grey, diggers and robots etc. But I've found the same with girls clothes, it's a froth of ditsy florals, sickly pink and twee Peter Pan collars! And don't get me started on the shoes! Girls shoes are often decorative rather than practical. And the toys! Why are dolls and kitchens still marketed at girls and vehicles/construction toys marketed at boys?? It's like we're still in the 1950s!

Gender stereotyping is at the root of gender preference IMO.

We find out what we're having in 6 days.. definitely want a boy

(But on a serious note, I'll be more than happy either way)

@petbear LOL! I'm not used to anyone on MN reading any of my posts Ok, me and my sisters nursed my mom and my brothers were nowhere to be seen.

I have four children, a 10 year old boy, 7 year old boy and two year old girl/boy twins, I have heard similar to what a lot of people have written so far.
After I had my first son my MIL (RIP)kept asking when I was going to have another, try for a girl etc,
As it turns out I had another little boy three years later (who she adored too), she was really excited when I told her one of the twins I was carrying 5 years later was a little girl, I am glad she got to meet them both as she passed away recently.
I have had comments from total strangers who said things like when are you gonna try for a girl before I had my twins.
When I am out with the twins in their pushchair without their brothers people have said things like wow you got both at once, that's amazing etc.
I say I have another two boys, and they things like finally got the girl etc. They don't mean to be rude but it can get my back up

I have two DS and would have liked one of each. Now older it seems for my two, having a sibling of the same gender has been absolutely the best outcome (although my DM was "gutted" to have only grandsons!)
Interestingly there is a wealth of research to show that men are far more likely to leave the family unit if his offspring are solely female. And I think that girls are preferred in adoption because women are generally driving the process.

Ok I've not rtft but I've literally NEVER heard this all pervasive preference for girls in RL - only ever on threads like this on Mumsnet! Ive only ever heard of cultural preferences for boys. Everyone else I know seems to want at least one of each. I was desperate for 2 boys. I didnt want a mini me. Got them thank God.