Raising Sons Versus Daughters

BabySugar Diaries: I Only Have Sons. Are Daughters Easier?

April 27, 2010

As the mother of two boys, I feel like an expert in the world of dinosaurs and superheroes and have an app on my iPhone to find the latest sports scores at any time of day. While I find myself spending much of my day battling my older son about the use of balls inside our home, I already foresee a future of teaching him what it means to respect women and how to channel his strength into activities beyond what society deems right for boys.

My friends with daughters say they are already tussling with their tots about the clothing choices, have concerns about body image issues, and are worried about the difficult preteen years when their daughters will disregard much of what their parents say.

LilSugar's lists of 10 things moms should teach their sons and daughters got me thinking. Which is easier to raise: a son or a daughter?

6 Comments

Tiffany Carboni 3 years 3 weeks

A fellow mom and I were chatting and walking our kids to school (her two boys and my two girls) when we stopped mid-stride to take in our children's activities. Her boys had found sticks along the way and were fighting each other and my girls were ogling the imaginary contents of a velvet ring box that they somehow procured from our house. I'm not saying one sex is easier or harder, just hugely different in so many ways.

Girl Jen 3 years 4 weeks

I can't really compare the two, since I only have a three-year-old daughter. I will say she is physically mellow and doesn't usually break things (unless she deliberately takes them apart in an attempt to "fix" them). She is polite and empathetic most of the time. But I am TERRIFIED of what's going to happen as she gets older. Being a girl is not easy, and I hope I can help her learn her way and realize how strong girls can (and have to) be.

starbucks 3 years 4 weeks

Couldn't tell ya. I only have one girl and she's still an infant... I thought about this a lot when I was pregnant and didn't know what we were having yet. Like most girls I dreamed about having this little ballerina, but then I thought about her becoming all princess and only care about make-up and boys someday and I thought it might be cool to have a little boy. You know, someone you can just throw up in the air (although you can do that with most girls, too...) When they asked me at the beginnign what I'd rather have I would say 'a girl'. But thinking about it I really couldn't figure out what I'd want. I'm glad nature doesn't let us decide because I never could have chosen!

lickety split 3 years 4 weeks

Depends on the child, for sure. I know people with 4+ kids and things go pretty smoothly. And then people with just ONE child and a more ........ challenging temperment.

MissSushi 3 years 4 weeks

Body image is also something you will have to deal with with boys as well, and ignoring parents is a universal teen habit along with beligerance.

3 years 4 weeks

I don't think either is easier than the other to raise! They both have different challenges and rewards that come with them. Girls are a bit easier in the younger years while the boys become easier in the teen years. Of course, every child is different as well, making every family unique!

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