Boys vs Girls

Boys and girls are different in so many ways. How does the poem go?

What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails
That's what little boys are made of !"
What are little girls made of?
"Sugar and spice and all things nice
That's what little girls are made of!"

Today we went to Andrew's little brothers' birthday party. They turn 9 next week. The birthday party was at Wallnuts and 8 of their classmates attended. Charlotte and another little girl were there, but they didn't climb the wall. Instead, they played upstairs, amusing themselves the entire time.

Happy Birthday Dominic

Happy Birthday Joshua

As I watched the kids climbing the wall I also noticed how they interacted with each other. The girls kept up with the boys in all aspects of the climbing, in fact, there were a couple of girls who were better than most of the boys there. They were just as strong and able to climb to the top. It was the way the kids acted while waiting for their turn that I found interesting. The girls, they stood patiently, waiting for their turns. The boys, they ran around, climbing the walls (literally) and goofing around. Why is it that they act differently?

We've been raising a princess for the last three years. Not intentionally. I have no idea where she came from. Growing up, I was the total opposite to her. With Charlotte, everything is pink. She only wears dresses unless the situation does not call for one (like climbing a wall) and Barbie is her best friend. Don't get me wrong. She always has a rock in her pocket and is fascinated with worms and snails. But yet, there are subtle differences with the boys in her daycare. Boys just seem to do things differently. While Charlotte will walk down a set of steps, a boy will run and jump down them. Of course, seeing that, she then wants to as well, but it wasn't her first instinct.

When the kids came upstairs to eat, it was like watching two different species. The girls all sat down quietly, waited their turns, ate their food and spoke quietly. The boys, well, all but two of them, shouted, grabbed as much food as they could, and sat on their chairs like they were ready to pounce at any moment. They were all having a great time, but in two completely different ways.

I looked down at Harrison who was in my arms and I wondered what he was going to be like at 9 years old. I looked over at Charlotte who was sitting quietly with Holly, eating her cupcake. I wondered what she would be like. Will she still love dresses and dancing as she does now or will she be interested in something else? I look forward to watching the relationship between Charlotte and Harrison grow and change. I know they'll have their differences and they won't always see eye to eye, but I also know that they'll always have each other and will look after each other as they grow.

Look Mom! One hand!

Now where do I go?

As the kids got their loot bags and left with their parents, they all had one thing in common. They'd all had a great time no matter how they went about doing it and that was the most important thing.