Gender neutral children.

[karlilay]

I was watching something on DMAX yesterday about bringing up your kids gender neutral. Now other than dressing them quite boy and girl ish, nothing has ever been off limits to either of my kids. Zach has never been actively encouraged to play with cars, balls tractors etc, neither Madi with dolls etc.


Tbh I have brought gender neutral toys, blocks, jigsaws etc for them both to share but they always have both favoured their stereotypical gendder toys and clothes. Madi is a TOTAL girly girl, she loves hair, makeup dresses, and Zach Loves wheels, things that move and footballs. They BOTH love Madis dolls house and her pram.

But it's led me to the opinion that I don't think you can really bring up a gender neutral child. I think they just find their own path, and honestly I think boys and girls are different from the outset.

What do you think about it?

 

[MikaylasMummy]

I'm not sure about this.im sort f where u are,allowing them to play with what they want,dress how they want(within reason I buy their clothes do they are clean and appropriate)I would love my daughter to wear the gorgeous shorts an matching shirts she has but it is a MASSIVE fight to get her in anything but a dress or skirt each day.she love love loves princess and fairy dress ups and pretend high heels(the plastic kids ones)getting my lipgloss on and she loves Barbies.she has always been very girly like that although she has blocks and other nuetral toys,she loved toy story and ppl used to tell me that was a bit boyish but she has all the toys from it.my son loves dinasours,cars and trains,growls at everything and only likes the animals that growl(lions,dinasours ect) every toy he has is smashed on a wall or thrown around.thats why he likes cars and trains as they roll around.my daughter was never interested in playing like that Jensen the boy/girl toys.
I think it's fine to encourage kids to be who they want to be but I would still dress my boy as a boy and girl as a girl.society is the way it is and there is no point trying to point your child in a direction that will make it difficult for them later in life.this doesn't mean the boy can't wear pink shirts or the girl wear blue.but I would not let me son wear a dress or skirt every day.
Hope this wasn't rambling it's written on my phone and I had to get up about five times to stop the kids wrecking the house.lol

 

[bumpy_j]

I'll let him explore whatever he wants but he will always know he's a boy and I wont shield him from male orientated things because *gasp* they might influence him to be more boyish. I prefer gender neutral toys and I try to buy bright coloured clothes that could probably pass off as unisex but that's a personal preference namely because decking him out 100% boy would be really boring - but I find these parents are going to be setting their kids up for confusion when they're older.

 

[Ceejay123]

My little one has a variety of toys - most are unisex though. He has blue dogs, pink and yellow balls... I also wrap him in a large pink blanket every night... But that's because I used it on him once (It used to be my little sisters) and he sleeps so much better in it! Haha. It's the thickness and size of it.

I must admit I dress him in boys clothes... But I've never seen the problem with it. If he grows up and wants to play with dolls and Barbies, I'd let him... But that doesn't mean I won't buy him some cars etc... x

 

[OmarsMum]

Omar has all sorts of toys like balls, cars, blocks, kitchen, pram, doll, etc. I buy pink toys when they are on offer. I dress him in pink, red, blue, etc. I clip his hair when it goes into his eyes.

He likes to make bracelets & anklets using playdoh, but he also makes balls & snakes. He was very sensitive but now he's older he's more boyish.

He comments on pretty clothes, he loves paintings & ornaments, he gives compliments like "mummy you're pretty" "mummy you're so cute"

Omar has a feminine side but it doesnt bother me. One of my brothers was the same, he grew up fine & now he's a successful mechanical engineer.

 

[Jade--x]

I watched something that sounds similar on BBC Three with Cherry Healey. They were saying how in every shop it's girls this way boys that way boys have blue girls have pink etc.
My little boy has whatever he wants toy wise. He's never asked for a pink option he's always gone for the boy stuff naturally. He likes being dressed in pink - Though they're boys pink stuff ie. pink polo or a pink shirt etc. and my youngest will be exactly the same..If he wants it - providing it's not dresses and skirts etc. they can have it.x