Are you a girl?

Last week I was having a conversation with another parent about play schemes. I was telling her about Sports Camp as it’s a bit cheaper. Oh good she said that would be better my son doesn’t like crafts arts and crafts are for girls. I was too taken about to respond as my initial response…if you say that to my son again I’ll punch you seemed inappropriate. Last holidays my son went on a scavenger hunt and collected all kind of feathers and leaves then made a collage. He also made an alien out of clay. He loved it and I think he should be allowed to. He also enjoyed climbing and go-karts. It shouldn’t be a choice- you can only be a boy and do sports or a girl and do crafts. Apparently the best go-karter was a girl.

  On the other hand on Saturday my son got mistaken for a girl 3 times and I’m not sure that’s good for him. He’s a stout hearted chap and has a good way of dealing with it. He simply ignores the person who thinks that he is a girl. Clearly the woman leaning down saying…you’re a pretty little girl, don’t you look like your mum..isn’t talking to him. He just completely blanks them. Just to be clear I hadn’t dressed him in a skirt or anything; he was wearing navy waterproof trousers and navy waterproof jacket; and green wellies. He is however growing is hair long to be like his dad, and therefore wears a bandana to hold his hair back from his face. I feel I should do something about it but I’m not sure what. Somebody teased him at school and he came home and said..James thinks long hair is for girls, how silly is that…I don’t want to make him cut his hair.

 Any way tonight I’m going to talk on ‘Raising Boys’ and I’m very apprehensive about it. I’m not sure I really think we should raise our children differently according to their sex. Girls should be able to climb trees, play football and go on adventures; boys should be able to do craft and go to the theatre. Breaking down these stereo types should give us more opportunities to find out what we enjoy and do it.