DS loves pink

[Glassesoff]

DS is nearly 3 and his favourite colour is pink. He loves everything pink/pastel/sequiny and glittery and owns various pink/pastel T-shirts/ombré pink glittery wellies/crocs etc and spends most of his time in one or the other

He is always pointing out these things in the shops when asked to choose something and much prefers the girls aisles to the more “boy-targeted” stuff - superheroes/camo/primary colours/dinosaurs etc which is almost never chooses himself. He is certainly much happier in the “girlier” clothes too.

While I am surprised at his choices, I have no issue with them at all and am willing to get him what makes him happy despite stares/odd looks from passers-by and family insinuating that I must be encouraging it for my own enjoyment (?), which I am trying to ignore as it is most definitely not true.
He isn’t interested in unicorns/barbies etc but has a favourite baby doll that he got for his first Christmas who is still kicking about in the favourites box. He adores cars/vehicles of any type etc so seems fairly typical boy-ish and I don’t think I’m dealing with any kind of gender issues at the moment.

Basically just looking for some guidance and reassurance that I am not doing the “wrong thing” for him long-term.
I worry about him being bullied and outcast for these things and wonder if I should be discouraging it now while he’s still young? Is this an age typical thing?
just seeing that written down looks horrible.

Also, I hope it goes without saying that I am fully-supportive of everyone and really do believe people should be allowed to be who they are and should be allowed to do so without prejudice, especially children.

You are way overthinking it, it is completely normal he is only 3. DS used to wear his sisters tutu and push her dolly in a toy pram up to school to pick her up at that age. He is now 17 and just a 'normal' lad.

He's 3 and likes what he likes.
Personally would let him enjoy what he wants, their interests change massively all the time.
My son loves the toy buggy at nursery he plays with it everyday outside.

My 2.5 year old DS sounds similar. He just chose himself some new wellies - pastel pink and purple with rainbows and unicorns. I think they're perfectly revolting but he loves them so 🤷🏼‍♀️ I reckon just let them crack on, society will try to force them into gendered moulds soon enough ☹️

Pink is Superman's favourite colour.

It's just a colour.

Let him develop own likes and dislikes and free from adult imposed stereotypes

I miss the 'let toys be toys'. Liking pink means he likes the colour. Liking dolls means he likes the toy. Not that there are 'gender ìssues'.

DS2 loved pink for years. He still has his pink fluffy bunny rabbit slipper socks in his drawer (he's 15 and they fitted him when he was about 5.) For years he'd only sleep with a pink ballerina doll.

DS1 had a unicorn party for his 16th and wears a unicorn earring.

Let your lad like what he likes. He'll be fine.

Sounds like a typical toddler to me. Mine both (1 boy, 1 girl) loved pink, glitter, swirly skirts etc at that age. Neither of them were bullied for it. They both free out of it.

Also not sure why cars are boyish and dolls are girlish.

Women drive cars and men are parents.

The both grew out of it.

When my DS was 3 he really liked Orange. Apart from pointing out the odd orange car he might like we pretty much ignored it. He's not so fussed with Orange now.

My 5yo son's favourite colours are pink, purple, and rainbow.

What do you mean about gender issues at the moment? None of these things are for boys or girls, they are just things. Please look up the Let Toys Be Toys campaign.

Pink used to be a masculine colour anyway.

Totally normal
My son was the same at that age. Had princess dresses and everything.
He's now 6 and loves Minecraft and YouTube and wouldn't be seen dead in pink.
He still has a soft spot for Elsa though.

Literally all little children love sequins. Have you not noticed that sequinned clothes for boys have been the major trend for the last 2 years?

my DH loves pink. He has black hair and olive skin so it suits him, so he wears it a lot. Seeing as I’ve had a child with him I’m fairly certain he’s not gay…..

The fact you've said cars are boyish shows you're projecting your own stereotypes on a tiny child who has no idea what he's 'supposed' to like. I'd be cherishing this innocence - it will get stamped on sooner or later, probably when he gets to school, that's if a thoughtless grandparent doesn't get there first.

Maybe I wasn’t clear enough in my OP that I don’t agree with the whole girl/boy targeted toys/clothes etc and that is why I am happy to get him whatever he wants

Raising kids is a bit of a minefield at the best of times and this is new territory to me. I was raised by pretty narrow minded parents and so am perhaps more sensitive to the reactions breaking from them cause.

Not meant to be a big deal, just wanted to know that I am not doing anything too untoward for him as everyone I turn to seems to believe I should be discouraging it all for his own good!

That is very cute

I mean I'm not an expert my daughter is only 18 months, but I don't think you're doing the wrong thing

He likes what he likes, it could change later. Loving your child and just letting them be themselves, I mean, that's what we should all be doing right?

It’s normal. He hasn’t been socialised not to like it yet. Sadly, he inevitably will be, but you can throw the pink stuff in the washing machine with blue dylon if that happens.

Not meant to be a big deal, just wanted to know that I am not doing anything too untoward for him as everyone I turn to seems to believe I should be discouraging it all for his own good!

No your doing fine.

Also my nephew loved pink and princess stuff when he was 3/4/5 I actually bought him a sleeping beautiful pink princess dress when he was 5

Ahh definitely thought this was a safe space to ask these things, clearly I am wrong & wont be doing so again - feel I am digging a hole here.

I am not forcing anything on anyone, just going with what he’s naturally drawn to and trying to have as little influence as possible. I’ll take the message I should just carry on.

How lonely parenting can be!

You’re doing fine, let him play with what he likes.

Both my boys loved pink, loved dressing up in fairy costumes at playgroup. They had a doll and pushchair too, because kids want to mimic what they see around them. So they pretend to parent.

Let them explore through play it’s so important and fun for them.

The real issue here is with others - family and passersby. Society still seems to think that girls should love pink and play with dolls and boys should love blue and play with cars. Unfortunately, children don't conform to these 'rules'.

When my son went to playgroup, he quite often dressed up in a tutu. Others would laugh at him and not in a nice way. As a mum it hurts. Children should be allowed to develop and love what they love without all these preconceptions about what they are suppose to love.

BTW this is not a criticism but if girls play with 'boys' toys do they judged in the same manner?

Just roll with it, when she was tiny DD loved all things blue and dinosaur, when she was about 4 she switched to unicorns and rainbows, extra points for anything that had those 2 way sequins on. At 6 she decided comfort was key and chose clothes that were think, warm and practical, even told the lady in Asda how stupid it was that girls joggers were thin and sparkly while boys were thick and warm.

At 8 she falls somewhere in the middle, she likes 'fashion' ad wants to be 'stylish' so does catwalk shows and ooohs and ahhh at crop tops with rainbows on but she picks leggings and T-shirts to actually wear.

In terms of toys it pretty much the same, she has some dolls, she has some science kits, she likes kicking a football around.

The only gender issues are those created by society. Let him like what he likes while the wider influences of the world don't influence him as much as they will when he's older.