The moment I found out i was having a little girl I can remember feelings or sheer joy and feelings of panic! I knew how to be a boy mum, but what if raising a little girl was different...
Of course I asked my friends and family. The usual response was that girls we quieter and sat down to draw pictures all day. Two of my three boys were not that boisterous and my second boy spend a lot of his time drawing and sitting quietly at my side. So I thought maybe there really was no difference.
My little madam is now 5 years old. So I think I am starting to get a good idea about the girl boy differences and similarities.
- Girls can and will push your buttons just as much as boys can. They can be loud, messy, grubby and obnoxious just like every other child can.
- Girls tend to talk, but not just talk, the kind of talking that requires a respones, with physical contact, and eye contact and a hug and a kiss. You get me? You need to be present and available on a whole different level!
- Girls are listening all of the time.
- Girls don't always like dresses. In fact sometimes they are very firm about their style, which can be unusual at time.
- Girls love and cuddle just the same as boys.
- Girls can challenge the way you think about parenting in a different way. Being female and wanting to raise a strong independent female has made me reflect deeply about how I talk about my body and weight in a way I had not thought about before. As I said girls are always listening!
- Girls have complex relationships with their friends from a very young age. Sometimes it is like high school in kindy.
