Friday, May 7, 2010

boys & their toys

I find it very interesting how boys are boys and girls are girls. I am not sure if I am making sense with that sentence, so let me explain!

When I found out I had a little girl, I could not believe it. All I could think about was pink, pink, pink and more pink. Although I am not a pink girl myself so I was unsure about dressing her in pink. But I don't know what happened to me, I was drawn to anything and everything pink. I actually started to like the colour. This however was the only girly thing I put to Keely. I dressed her in a little pink, some purple, but most of all I loved her in red. I let her lead the way when it came to what she would like to play with and what toys inspired her imagination.


As babies they all pretty much play with very similar developmental toys and they are usually unisex, so no real girls toys and boys toys. Once Keely got a little older and she was able to express what she liked in toy stores she was instantly drawn to the dolls, barbies, pink things, and anything with sparkles. I too played with dolls and I had a pretty good barbie collection. I cannot believe I am admitting to playing with barbies.I still bought Keely the train set, the wooden mail truck and other "boys" toys, but she kept coming back to her dolls and barbies. I actually do not remember the last time she played with her train set.


Now I have had a boy I can truly see the difference in their likes and dislikes. I know they are two different people, but the whole boy toys and girl toys is so evident when you have one of each child. (There is no doubt there are little girls out there that prefer boys toys and are little tomboys, and the boys that just love the girls toys). I have never pushed trucks and buses on to Taj. I am not the mum that stands on the side of the street saying about 20 times, 'look Taj there is a bus!' I do not do this due to watching a father do it to his son when Keely was only a baby. I watched this man make a fool of himself. Although he was pointing out the bus to his son, which is lovely, but it was the whole tone, the fact he was more excited about the bus, and his son was over it by the time he had said, "look Oscar a bus, look Oscar a bus," 5 times. Of course I point trucks and buses out to Taj from time to time, but it is more when he is on his tummy having one of his new tantrums, or I need to distract him from something else he is doing. He is always so busy doing his thing and exploring the world and I know if I interrupted I would be a naughty mummy! Taj shows me the trucks and buses before I have even spotted them.


I have not really bought Taj any new toys for his age now. I find he plays with Keely's toys, or he is happy to be out and about exploring our big backyard, the beach. There is so much for my little ones to do and I love how a simple rock is exciting to him. Oh and what is it with boys and sticks?! Seriously Taj loves them! I did however buy Taj his very first Matchbox car from the shops this week. I was standing in the isle with all the toys and little things and another boy from down the beach was choosing a new car. I asked Banjo if he could choose Taj his very first special car. Not only was Taj happy to receive his first car, he was happy to receive it from one of the bigger kids from the beach.


You learn as parents that your children are very different, even when you have two girls or two boys, or if you have one of each. They too are individuals like we are, with their likes and dislikes. They are discovering their world and we are right there discovering it all over again with them. Nice feeling, don't you think?

5 comments:

  1. I have a boy who has just turned 5 and recently had a baby girl. I can't wait to see how different or similiar their little personalities are. My son was so into cars and balls and sticks. Though now he is older he enjoys playing shops and kitchens. Strange huh?! I have always said I would not push girly things onto my girl and I find it hard after having a boy for so long to buy anything pink. But I know one day she will be into pink, pink and pink and dolls of course..it's all instinctive and I will just have to sit back and roll with it. xxx

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  2. Agreed- they're just different!
    an aside - I think we have the same oven :D
    Smeg six burner? say it's true!

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  3. lol! yes georgie we have the same oven but i have the 4 burner. : )

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  4. I've been amazed by how different my kids are. Before my kids were born, I was so sure that I could raise my kids in a gender-neutral fashion, but their interests develop without a care for your philosophy! My daughter is becoming the girliest girl around, and is just so surprisingly different from her big brother.

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  5. I have a boy and a girl and another baby boy on the way! My two big kids are so different and very BOY and GIRL but at the same time they can be very alike too if that makes sense? We are always laughing how our first (boy) was quite content and happy to play by himself and most of the time wouldn't touch things where as our girl is the total opposite and wants attention and will touch everything just to prove a point. Im not overly girl but I have learnt a few things from my Miss Airlie haha and it actually makes me want to celebrate being a girl with her. I grew up with 3 brothers on a farm and am a bit of a tomboy so I have the boys stuff covered too!
    Its amazing watching them grow into these amazing little people.
    I wonder what our little baby boy growing is going to be like?? I can't wait to find out!

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