Would you know what I meant by a 'quaint' child?

[OrmIrian]

I told DH that I thought DS#2 was that. And that you could tell he was a child of older parents. DH took exception to this but I don't think it's a bad thing.

DS is quite an earnest child, he talks about things in great detail and isn't easily distracted. Don't misunderstand me, he laughs a lot and is a happy little soul, but he does tend to go deeply into things. He doesn't have lots of friends although all the children at school like him, but he gets a bit mithered by big noisy games with lots of people and much prefers to have one best friends than a host of them. He is quite young in his interests - fascinated by animals and dinosaurs, even though at 6 many of his peers have moved on to TV programme characters such as Ben 10 and Spiderman. Some of the children tell him that is babyish. He likes his own company and can keep himself entertained for hours with a few model animals and imagination.

That's what I mean by 'quaint'. What would you call it?

Yes, I have heard children described that way before and I would envisage the type of child you describe your DS as. He sounds lovely.

lol sounds like my DD actually, she is the same age

I often think that she has stepped out of a Famous Five book

I think it is a compliment

Well yes, so do I mp. I think actually Dh was annoyed at the older parents thing From a man who would secretly like to wear hoodies and his jeans round his knees...

I would not have known what you meant, but I do understand now that you explained.

I would say "couthy" to a child like that, but I suspect noone outside of Scotland would understnad that.

He sounds delightful

Yes, I've known a couple of children that I would call quaint when I was nannying and they were always my special favourites - exhausting but special. They always required a lot of discussion about things when a lot of other children would just nod and run off! I used to have wonderful conversations with one little boy about dinosaurs. Everything he said was usually wrong but you could see exactly why he had arrived at his conclusions. Awww...

I like it too and would use it to describe my own children. However, I am not too sure how I would feel if someone else described them like that.

Quaint sounds perfect for him!!! My DD is a bit nuts but can also be rather 'quaint' or 'twee'- she says 'oh my' when she's shocked and it's the cutest thing in the world. She's nearly 5!

I often use that word. It's not an insult as far as your DS goes, he sounds lovely.

Thankyou

He is totally adorable. But as someone said completely exhausting. I just don't know enough about dinosaurs ...but I'm learning.

Your description of him is what I expected when I saw the thread title - yes, "quaint" sums it up for me.

I call mine an odd little sprite (not to his face, though).

Although he is physically big for his age and prone to boisterousness, he is actually quite different from how he at first appears (ie. big, bounding, rough). He is ever so earnest and a bit, well, geeky. He also doesn't like Ben 10, light sabres or all of those 4/5 yr old boy's fighting games. He is scared of most cartoons on the TV (apart from very gentle ones like Pocoyo or Louie), and is happiest on his own with his train set, tea set, playing shops or looking at his encyclopaedia . He prefers playing board games with his granny to playing with other children. .

He is also fascinated by dinosaurs, insects and, urm, the human body? he freaked my DH's best friend out by naming all the bones in his leg the other day [shock ] . He asked me if I had an itchy femur when I stopped to scratch my thigh in the street the other day, too.

Yes....odd 'quaint' is a good word for him

Sadly the discussion came about because we are a little worried that DS may be feeling a bit excluded at school. He has one friend whom he loves to bits but I've seen that friend being quite rough with him. And he keeps coming home with grazed knees from falling over when two other boys were being 'a bit rough' in his words. He doesn't tell the teacher, nor does he wish me to talk to her. But to mention at all makes me wonder if he is upset. He isn't a rough child at all (unless retalialating with his siblings ). But I can see him getting a bit bruised by people over the years.

I don't know. In my couple of many years of experience, I'd say he'll find his own balance. The grazed knees etc sound like normal boy stuff which he just isn't used to at this stage but he'll learn to deal with it, just as the boys will learn that he's not the sort of friend that they play those rough games with.

Unless he's being bullied which is, or cours,e a different matter but I'd say he'll be fine and it'll all settle down.

I suspect you are right eyeballs. DS#1 was a little like this too but he got over it and never had a problem. DS#2 just seems more so somehow. He always wants to talk when the other lads just want to tear around. He's very lively and active at home but under his terms.

I think he'll find his own way - children like this usually do. Mine seem to be doing so, anyway!

He sounds lovely, and yes a bit quaint. My son is similar and my mum has always called him 'old fashioned' - i think i prefer 'quaint' but same idea.

My DS1 (5 yrs) has always been a bit intense, is very thirsty for knowledge about how everything works, dinosaurs, plants etc. He hates Ben 10 , Power Rangers etc and calls most of the boys in his class 'the fighty boys'. Has one best friend who he adores and tries to kiss every day when he sees him on the way to school He is v sturdy physically and as strong as an ox but hates fighting, noise, fuss - loves calm, and the mass of school rules have really made him happy.

I just wanted to thank you for posting Orm because when I read about your little boy (and yours Mrs Mattie) I thought a/ they sound lovely and then b/ just like DS1 ....and it has reminded me to appreciate my DS1 for what he is rather than wishing he could be more like all the other boys in his class.

Glad to be of help philo

TBH I am loving being his mother atm. He is totally adorable. But there were times (I've posted on MN about him) when I wanted to run away from home! He was very high maintenance for about 18m until he started school.

Same child, different perspective. Or maybe he is just growing into his personality?! Whichever, I am glad you are enjoying him so much at the moment.

I have never found my quaint one (as he shall now be known) plain sailing - I used to really want DS to just be like the other kids and enjoy the same stuff, much easier for playdates etc. But I really admire his ability to do his own thing now. He really doesn't seem to give a hoot what his peers think of him. He was being teased for liking Fireman Sam at school recently - all these boys were saying 'It's for babies ' etc and DS1 said ' Well I'm only 4!' Bless him. The teachers think he's a real character.

Omirian have just done a search under you name and read some stuff abot your DS2 over the last few years. My DS (3.8) sounds vvv similar - quaint, not exactly immature but certainly not yet into power rangers or anything violent like that. absolutely obsessed with aeroplanes (but doesnt like them to crash). I've spent so much time wanting him to be like other boys but I think I am starting to lay that to rest. He is also UNBELIEVABLY stubborn. So you give me hope that he may turn into a delightful 6 year old! The memory oike an elephant thing is also a feature - he relly can remember amazing things I have completely forgotton

He also vvvv sensitive - does that ring bells?

Yep that sounds familiar victor

Bit of a bummer today. DH just rang to say that DS has a sore finger from when his 'best friend' and another little boy jumped on it in 'rough play'. DH wanted to speak to the teacher but DS didn't want to grass on his friends - they didn't see him crying so apparently that means they didn't realise they had hurt him. Bollocks to that! DH will speak to her tomorrow

OP, Sounds just like my DS1 (age 8). He has been variously described as "serious" (although he loves a good giggle), and "sensitive". He too has never been into very "boysie" things, unlike DS2. He has changed and become a bit more worldly wise in the last year or so, which is good because I always saw him as a bit vulnerable to being teased by more sophisticated kids.

He was a very "intense" tantrummy toddler, and has "obsessions" about things, like jellyfish- which I just think is a lovely trait He is popular at school and has lots of friends, but he really likes playing on his own at home, with Lego mainly. He wants to be an inventor!

I think Cubs has really helped him because it's not just focussed on sports, but has a variety of things to do

Yes I have one like this too. I suppose I'd describe him as sensitive and insightful, old beyond his years maybe. And as my sweetheart!

He's been described as 'gentle' and 'chilled out' by other mums recently (they should have seen him when he was a baby LOL there was nothing chilled about him then).

I suppose most of all he is like an adult in a little boy's body. He's not quite 4 so a bit younger than some of your boys on the thread, super-helpful round the house, very affectionate, reminds me to do chores or if we've run out of something when we're at the supermarket and need to stock up etc.

I love having a boy like this but I do worry about him at school. And he's going to an all boys school so there could be quite a lot of rough and tumble. He just looks on perplexed at that kind of thing (although he can be a bit boisterous at home with us occasionally so it's not completely beyond him).

Re you DH Orm - I think some men struggle with this kind of boy. They think that boys should be boys and love rough and tumble and fighting, guns and all that sort of thing. Could that be why he reacted how he did?

Oh and yes the incredible memory thing is definitely true. He is much more of an observer than a doer though so maybe it's just that he notices stuff.

reading your threads it looks like there's a very definite "type" here, but I also notice how DS1 has chnged as he's got older.

I think it's a shame that there are stereotypes about what boys should be like. Having 2 boys who are very different has made me see that a child's gender is only one determinant of their personality - birth order, and individual differences are just as important.

camembert Try not to worry too much. he will find his way, at school, with your support. One thing going for boys like this is that they can be quite happy in their own skins

I also think he's quite thick-skinned when it comes to other children's views so that definitely helps.

Screaming - how has your ds changed as he's got older?

Definitely agree about the stereotyping. I was posting about that on another thread the other day. It's quite tiresome to have to constantly hear that all boys are like dogs (no offence to the MN poster with that fab name!) and boisterous and can't sit still etc.