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Boy or Girl

Who is easier to raise?

By Joseline BurnsPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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The word "easy" has never been in my parenting vocabulary. Being a parent, in all situations and circumstances, is hard work. Parenting also brings satisfaction, happiness, fulfillment and a myriad of other joyful benefits too numerous to list. That being said, I must tell you truthfully, raising girls is easier than raising boys. I speak with no prejudice, for I have children of both sexes. For me, it was easier to raise daughters because I have a frame of reference. I was a daughter, a girl, a sister, and I understood firsthand what was going on in each stage of my daughters’ growing up years.

Not so with my son; it was all guesswork. I hadn’t been there and done that. Perhaps there was some quirky benefit for my son, because I gave much conscious thought to every detail of his upbringing. I could never assume, presume, guess or take for granted what was going on. I did more worrying and second-guessing in relationship to raising my son than I ever had to do with my daughters. Here are the differences as I perceived them:

  • Girls talk, whine, and cry. One almost never has to ask what is wrong with girls. They are only too happy to tell and retell every real and imagined grievance. Boys tend to keep their emotions under cover and a parent has to be more vigilant to recognize when a son’s life is not working.
  • Girls will shop with you until you both drop. Boys are little men; they are not entertained or amused by shopping. They just want to get what they need and get out of the store. Girls will try on items and prance around for the entire mall to observe and appreciate. Boys have a phobia about store dressings rooms, so there is much purchase and return involved.
  • Girls are joiners. With almost no encouragement, they will be begging for dance lessons, gymnastics, cheerleading; any activity which puts them center stage. Boys are more likely to need coaxing and guidance to participate.
  • Girls gossip, cannot keep secrets, and often brag, so one does not have to wonder or speculate about what is going on in their lives. It is all laid out with enthusiasm. Boys, on the other hand, are less talkative, more secretive, and more modest. If one wants to know detail, much prompting, prodding and prying is necessary.
  • All children are moody at some point. When girls are moody, they act out publicly. Boys hide out in their room. It is difficult to be supportive and sympathetic to a nonpresence. When a girl is asked "What is wrong?" she will talk your ears off. The same question to a boy elicits the dead end response, "Nothing." With girls, one just has to be a good listener. With boys, one must also be a mind reader.

All other components to parenting girls and boys are equal in my book. Food, shelter and clothing are all equally required and equally expensive. Love and nurturing must be administered in equal portions. The need for discipline is dictated by the rules and standards of the family, so no inequality there. The sex of the child does not enter into the teaching of morals, values and socially acceptable behavior. Education requirements and goals are the same for both girls and boys. In the big picture of parenting, girls and boys present an equal challenge. It is in the minute details the differences become apparent. Girls are familiar territory and therefore easier to raise. Boys are an unknown entity and require more thoughtful consideration in that respect. Now if you query my children’s father on the same debate, I have no doubt he would take the opposing view. Is it easier to raise girls or boys? It depends on whom you ask.

About Author:

Joseline Burns is a teacher and writer at educational centre with over 9 years of experience in the educational field. She has been writing and editing content for social media, led her travel blog for 5 years. She has many hobbies and she can write thesis writing about everything. Her main goal - to help people with self-development, to teach them to look at the situation from different sides. Also, She is a big fan of fantasy movies, science, and psychology.

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