Husband with Gender Preference

[AuroreDupin]

Hi all,

I just got a BFP last week and am only 4w5d today. (I also had a mc in January, so will be holding my breath for the next 7w2d!)

Anyway, I don't have a super strong gender preference; I can see pros and cons to each. Though I do have a slight bias, I am not worried about my ability to happy with either outcome.

My husband, on the other hand, really wants a girl. I am confident that he will get over this in the long run, but I am worried about how he will react if we find out that we are having a boy. Any tips for helping to manage this in the short term? I'd like to be prepared in case it happens.

I think the major reason he wants a girl is that he generally hates team sports. He is very outdoorsy and likes hiking, biking, rock climbing, camping, etc. He also loves cars and guns. (And cooking, cats, and shoes, but that is besides the point!) But he really has no interest in activities like football, basketball, etc. I think he's worried that our kid will be really interested in a mainstream sport and he will either have to feign interest in something he hates, or feel alienated by his own kid.

I have tried to point out that (1) his dad was the same way, and this did not affect their relationship in the slightest and (2) having a girl is not necessarily a guarantee of a sports-interest-free household!

TIA!

 

[Pearls18]

My hubby is very similar, he's in the military and isn't into football or anything like that, he loves guns and cars! He's a gym nut but as you say not "team sports". DS has lots of cars and trains and when he is older hubby and him are going to tinker with a track car, DH will encourage his own hobbies for bonding but I hope to encourage football and things as I think it is great for team skills, making friends etc and just because DH and I don't like football doesn't mean we can't express our encouragement but I guess we'll have to see what he wants to do. It's easy to panic with the cliches of parenting spouted around, but you will find things as a family you love doing, I bet your child girl or boy would love rock climbing if encouraged congrats and wishing you a healthy pregnancy.

 

[Lara310809]

My husband wanted a boy to carry in the name, but at the same time so he could go fishing with him, and do boy stuff. We have two girls; the first we almost banned pink, and treated her more rough in the hope shed turn into a tomboy. She's three now and obsessed with fairies, princesses and makeup

Our youngest wore more pink, treated like a regular girl and she's naturally more boyish. It's not the same as having a boy, but is pretty close. He can go fishing with the girls, and he can take them to the park and play rough with them because they like it. It's not gender specific, but many people think it is