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calling mums with boys...how do I butch mine up?

39 replies

Megglevache · 06/07/2007 19:16

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OP posts:
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aloha · 06/07/2007 21:43

Blimey, I'm not criticising you Megglevache.
Do you have a problem with me? I am absolutely baffled.

SofiaAmes · 06/07/2007 21:46

Dh (a northerner) has been trying since his birth with absolutely zero success to train ds to drink and fight. He is now 6 and an absolute sweetheart. Dd who is 2 years younger is a great fan of alcohol (of any type including beer and spirits) and will beat up anyone who even looks crosseyed at her brother. I think dh finally gave up when during a "boxing" lesson with ds a few months ago, got punched in the balls by ds' very uncoordinated attempts at throwing a punch.

mazzystar · 06/07/2007 21:56

don't they all have a big testosterone surge at 4 or so and get very interested in men and manly things then?

Tigi · 06/07/2007 21:58

Don't wish his sweetness away, he will soon learn to rough and tumble with the best of them when he gets to school. Enjoy him while he is lovely. My ds is 5, and is a real boy, but very cuddly too. I love that part of him the most. Plenty of time for roughness

Megglevache · 06/07/2007 23:13

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OP posts:
SofiaAmes · 06/07/2007 23:59

I think what she was trying to say...and if not...I'll give the advice:
When he gets a little older (or maybe now, in his case), you may find that you need to give him coping tools for dealing with the butcher boys. My ds was fine until 1st grade (we're in usa) when it started becoming obvious in the playground that he was not terribly athletic and (in this case) ALL the other boys in his class were. In addition since he's quite small for his age, and the youngest in his class, he's about a foot shorter than all of them. He was getting bullied off the boys and ended up playing with the girls because he felt forced to. I had several long talks with him, the teacher and the principal to figure out ways of dealing with it. And a combination of all of the above helped and it really sorted itself out. Now he mostly plays with the girls, but feels like he's doing it out of choice and not because he is being excluded by the boys. In my conversations with him I pointed out all the things he was better at besides sports (like math and science and thinking and creativity) and it has helped a lot. My dh was all for the boxing and karate stuff, but I don't think that you can change a child's character, just give them ways to accept who they are and enjoy it.

controlfreaky2 · 07/07/2007 00:06

oh, sign him up for the territorial army. that should sort him out.

HE'S THREE!

Leati · 07/07/2007 00:07

I have three boys and two are tough, and one is a little more sensitive. The tough boys are very popular with their peers while the sensitive one has a harder time of it.
I think you need to remember to remember to avoid over interfering but a little help is always good. Karate classes are always great confidence builders. All three of my boys play sports and that helps alot too. But I wouldn't force him to do anything he doesn't like.
Another idea you may want to try is inviting one of his peers to visit. This way he has a chance to build a friendship in a less intimidating environment.

katelyle · 07/07/2007 00:12

I have a very "butch" footballing 6 year old ds - and he came out to me a while ago. "I'm going to be with John aways and live gay and be happy." He's 6. John's mum and I are planning a wonderful retirement trawling the bars of Sitges.

OP., he's three. Enjoy the tutus while you can.

notasheep · 07/07/2007 00:19

I have ds on waiting list for ballet class

merlotmama · 07/07/2007 00:28

For years ds1's favourite colour was pink. One day in a furniture shop, aged 4, he spotted this confection of a four poster covered in lace curtains "Oh wow, mum" he breathed, "can I have that?"

Luckily we postponed repainting his bedroom till after he'd started school because he really wanted it bright pink, but once in Primary 1 he soon got the idea that this would ruin his street cred with the other boys.

Now he's 17yrs and I can comfortably say, heterosexual, judging by the colour supplements open at the lingerie/fashion shots which lurk under his bed.

TheLadyEvenstar · 07/07/2007 08:27

Why put a stop to the pink or glittery toys? if these are what he wants let him have them. My ds (8) always loved the colour pink, wanted and got at the age of 2-5 a big pink barbie car, a toy push chair, a hoover, dolls.... A lot of toys which are classed as "girls" toys. WHy is there such emphasis put on making toys a gender issue?? I think its better for children to be children they have plenty of years to be men / women as they grow up. Your ds is a lovely sensitive boy by the sounds of it why on earth would you want to toughen him up??? I love my son dearly, there isn't a rough bone in him. He has been bullied BUT he copes, he does wear pink clothes but they are boys clothes, He did tai kwando and guess what he gave it up in favour of dance classes. Every child is different let them be themselves. Hell when i was growing up i preferred to be climbing trees than playing with dolls but i am definatly all woman. Wait a while and find something HE is interested in, don't badger him into judo or boxing let him decide I did and now ds wants to learn to fish... a non contact sport.

Tigi · 07/07/2007 08:35

two of my sons dance (ballet tap jazz) , and one of them dances and karate. Great mixture!

aloha · 08/07/2007 17:22

Ah, right, i think I get it Megglevache, you thought the bit of my post that went 'I do think if your child is being picked on you I honestly think are not doing your job if you don't try to help them to fit in more as well as finding them compatible companions." was aimed at you, and I can understand that if you thought that you might be upset, but it wasn't aimed at you at all. Not a bit. it was aimed at people who I think have very fitty-inny kids who can be a bit (IMO) complacent. I don't have a remotely fitty-inny kid at all. Ds has Aspergers so will need quite a lot of help to be part of the crowd, and it is a good thing to be able to fit in, and I DO think that it is important for parents like Megglevache and me to think about how to make that happen for our children IF our kids are suffering in any way from not fitting in. Some boys can wear a pink tutu to school and be so charismatic and socially skilled that it doesn't matter, others, like mine, need a lot more help. And I do think it is my job to help him learn where he is making social mistakes IF those mistakes are making him in any way lonely and sad.
I am pretty shocked that three year olds are noticing differences in other three year olds. I find my odd little five year old is fairly well accepted by other much more socially skilled five year olds, but I'm not going to be complacent. He will struggle to fit in, but very much wants to have friends, so I'm going to have to teach him about personal space, listing and talking, how to make conversations, how to dress and all sorts of things that take care of themselves in most kids, and that's what informs my views.
I think Megglevache is RIGHT to think about how to help her son if he is accidentally making himself a victim. Yes, wear a tutu at home, let him be whoever he wants, but if doing those things in public makes him miserable and he doesn't understand why, tell him! Guide him! Absolutely.

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