Tell me about having a son!

[TTCbabynumber22025]

I'm pregnant and just found out I'm having a boy! I'm over the moon, we have a daughter already so getting one of each, and we've had a lot of fertility challenges, so I'm beyond grateful to be here.

The only thing is, I have no idea what boys are like! I have sisters, and never really had any friends who are boys. I don't have any nephews and all my friends somehow had girl babies. I have DH of course but he isn't a very typical "laddy" type and we met really young so I don't have much experience with boyfriends even.

Growing up, I was actually always a bit scared of men and boys - they seemed so different. I know that's not the case, I agree that clothes and interests aren't gendered and the only real difference is penis vs vagina but still. I'm excited to have a boy but just feeling a bit overwhelmed, so any advice from Mum's of boys would be greatly appreciated.

Parenting a boy is no different to a girl in the baby / toddler years

I have a 4 yr old boy. It's incredible. Someone told me that the first ten years with a boy is hard but the next ten is easier whereas with a girl the first ten years are easy and then the next ten are hell!

However, having friends with a mix of boys and girls they are all very similar at this age the boys do seem to be a bit more feral though!!

Ah, congratulations! I absolutely adore being a boy Mom 🥰 My son has always been the most wonderful, fun loving boy. Boys are often unfairly stereotyped as boisterous, full on, maybe even bold I think. My boy loved crafts and reading and walks and cuddles, playing games and imaginative play. He was a complete joy as a small child. He’s 17 now and still just as much fun and so so funny, kind, gentle, empathetic, intelligent, determined, we’re super close and he’s the absolute light of my life. I’m so glad I had a boy 😊

Ah this made me so happy to read! He sounds so lovely. I think I struggle to get a lot of the boy vs girls stereotypes out of my head sometimes, which I don’t even believe in myself.

I think the experience is the same 0-4 except perhaps my son is less likely to sit down and do colouring or crafts. At school they start copying peers and he’s a lot more fight-y now. Picking up branches and they want to hit each other. He’s also my most loving child, will creep up behind me and give me a hug randomly a lot. Tells me he loves me all the time. My daughter is more likely to scowl at me!! Second daughter still too young to tell

Very similar to @JustAnotherNameChange2026 - my boy is 11 and has always been into arty stuff, reading and cuddles. He's also very lively and loves being outside (the idea about wearing them out like a puppy with lots of exercise has more than an element of truth!) and with some friends, of both sexes, he's more physically boisterous.

One of his boy friends fits the stereotype more closely - very physical and "laddy" as you describe, but he still loves his mum for cuddles, just not when anyone can see :)

I've always made a point of helping my boy with his emotions, feeling and expressing them, and we are very close as a result - he's very loving and compassionate and I'm hoping those traits will stick as we enter the teenage years...

I think it’s all down to the personality of the child rather than whether they are a boy or a girl. I wouldn’t assume either would fit any stereotype behaviour. I have both and they are a big mix of likes, dislikes, similarities and differences. All are cuddly and kind!
My son is fairly quiet, has never been massively into sports, has never been one to fight or be boisterous. His teenage years have been uneventful.
The only notable difference I would say, from our experience, is girls seem to be more fickle with friendships and have to navigate changing friends and a few upsets and dramas! Boys seem to just have their friends and get on with it.

I have two boys and they are quite different from each other. My elder boy was not into arts and crafts etc. aged 0-3.5 (as a PP mentions) but I think that is nothing to do with sex and much more to do with fine motor skills. He was more advanced in all other areas than manual dexterity and therefore found drawing frustrating because he couldn't do it. Once he got the hang of it, he would - and does - spend hours drawing and colouring.

I have two boys and it’s made me feel like there is no ‘parenting a boy’ I was prepared for a ‘typical boy’ with my first but he is very quiet and sensitive, no interest in sport, loves to sit and cuddle and read together and bake and talk about history. I’m really sad looking back that I tried to force him into sports and typical boy pursuits which he hated and got really upset about. I wish I had just parented him as a child not a boy. My second is very much the typical boy, like an excited puppy, has been dribbling a football since he could walk and causes noisy lovely chaos wherever he goes. I would say parent him in the same way you have your daughter and just see what he is like

Be prepared for checking their pockets. I have three boys and they all loved stones/sticks/tat/snails and collected all sorts of “treasures” in their younger years. To be honest, I kind of miss it 😍

love having a son. Be warned, other women can be fucking horrible about boys . I’ve heard so many sexist comments over the years from women who clearly believe boys are inherently bad and all girls are angels. It’s an eye opener.

I would say boys are individuals so be prepared to be guided by their interests - your son may not be the boisterous, sporty type and that’s fine. They can be as emotional as girls and that’s also fine (although I did find there was less of the friendship dramas with DS than DD). As PP have said, have no truck with “boys toys” and “girls toys”: DS had a toy kitchen, baby doll and toy pushchair as well as cars and trains.

As it happens, I did have a sporty energetic boy and getting outside every day (sometimes twice a day) to run off energy, whatever the weather, was essential.

I love it. My DS (4.5 now) is amazing - thoughtful, kind, smart. He honestly looks after me - it's just the way he is, he looks after everyone, family, friends, our pets. He is wicked funny. And great company now. We do trips together, go to football together, theatre, mummy & son lunches. He is such good company. He is so stylish too, honestly I could eat him, he's so gorgeous. I have lots of mum friends with boys too and we get on so well. He's also very good with girl friends and I make sure his friendship group is mixed. He is really respectful and I have been working from as early as possible to ensure he sees women as equals and that he is a feminist. He is. He tells me most days how awesome I am, and I tell him how awesome he is. We are each others' biggest cheerleaders. I was worried how I'd find myself bringing up a boy but I honestly love it, I'd die for him. Parenting isn't always easy, but it's a great adventure with him. Congratulations OP - your heart will explode loving both of them.

They are utterly fabulous, I was nervous of having a boy as I was an only, although I did have good male friends growing up. But my son is just brilliant. Love all the ones I know they’re unique and generally lovely! But yes sticks and stones are forever being collected even now and he’s 15!

Oh my god, the pockets - this is so true, you've made me laugh so hard 😂 DS collects everything. I mean it. Every rock, stick or shell. He's very active, I find his energy is often endless. Loves sport, but also has the artistic side. Really into building & construction. Inquisitive. How things work, what's on the moon, where's the windpipe in human body 😂 100mph. Boys are more sensitive and emotional than we think, let that be your starting point.

Mine is 18 now and adorable baby and an adorable now 18 year old, still loves spending time doing stuff with me , we’ve always had a an amazing bond.
He also makes me proud of how he has turned out and the choices he makes. ive absolutely loved being a boy mum.

I don't have any daughters, only nieces but from what I see there really isn't much of a difference in the first 5 years or so. Kids are kids. As they get older you start to see some differences in general terms.

My sons were more interested in play fighting than girls of their age, they went through a phase where everything was a weapon but I have no idea if that's a boy thing or if I raised beasts.

As a baby / toddler my DS was much cuddlier and much more energetic than my DD. But in many ways they were very similar. DS was sports made from a very young age and went to loads of sports clubs, still sporty at 23. DD was into arts and crafts and making things and is now a talented baker. But that’s my tiny sample, all DCs are different and they can have interests very different to yours or your husbands. Enjoy your DS, I’m sure you will!

I didn’t have much experience of boys until I had one of my own. I now have two, 12 and 10. Very different personalities but so gentle natured. Not boisterous at all. Younger DS is total mummy’s boy, never wants to leave home and gives me about a dozen firm squishes a day.!

I have friends with similar age girls and they all sound like hard work. My two are pretty chilled most of the time.

Oh and when they are old enough, stereotypical boys toys (if they like them) are lots of fun

Mum of two adult sons. Never given me a day’s trouble. Now also grandma to a little boy who is good as gold

I have 2 and they’re both so different, so you won’t know until he’s here :)

They’re like puppies, so need to be run!

It’s so reductive to talk like this but in my experience it’s true:
they love their mama,
they will run, jump and climb on anything;
a harder, faster, bigger, stronger mentality;
all sticks are desirable and necessary;
bin trucks, tractors and diggers are wondrous.

Luckily mine are not into sports 🙌 but you may end up standing on the side of cold fields for years. Buy a warm coat.

Its the best!

My daughter did this but not my son.

I have boys, and having a cuddly little boy climb on your lap and tell you that you’re ’the beautifulest mummy in the world’ 😭is truly wonderful. They’re all teens/preteens now and it just gets better every day. They’re funny, smart, thoughtful, great company. They make me morning coffees in bed and tell me they love me and cuddle up to me to show me their minecraft worlds or comic books or silly videos of dogs. They still love it when i knit them jumpers or sing them songs or bake them cakes. They’re all very different from one another but get along splendidly and always look out for each other.