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Matariki

(18,775 posts) Sat May 25, 2013, 07:22 PM May 2013

The Problem with 'Boys Will Be Boys' [View all]

http://kateelliottsff.tumblr.com/post/51134366578/the-problem-with-boys-will-be-boys

For months, every morning when my daughter was in preschool, I watched her construct an elaborate castle out of blocks, colorful plastic discs, bits of rope, ribbons and feathers, only to have the same little boy gleefully destroy it within seconds of its completion.

No matter how many times he did it, his parents never swooped in BEFORE the morning’s live 3-D reenactment of “Invasion of AstroMonster.” This is what they’d say repeatedly:

“You know! Boys will be boys!”

“He’s just going through a phase!”

“He’s such a boy! He LOVES destroying things!”

“Oh my god! Girls and boys are SO different!”

“He. Just. Can’t. Help himself!”

more at the link

51 replies

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The Problem with 'Boys Will Be Boys' [View all] Matariki May 2013 OP

Excellent blog post, worth reading the whole thing Matariki May 2013 #1

Awesome ...I read the whole thing. SummerSnow May 2013 #2

FWIW... Blue_Tires May 2013 #3

cool story, Blue bettyellen May 2013 #5

But would you read it again? Blue_Tires May 2013 #44

Which doesn't alter the main point. nomorenomore08 May 2013 #10

I get the writers main point Blue_Tires May 2013 #45

Sorry, dude. That doesn't play here. Buzz Clik May 2013 #12

What's wrong with the OP? nomorenomore08 May 2013 #16

Is that what it says? Buzz Clik May 2013 #18

If you saw it differently then fine. I won't try to talk you out of it. nomorenomore08 May 2013 #25

+1 SomethingFishy May 2013 #17

it's about how SOME people raise their kids to be bastards, and how others do not.... bettyellen May 2013 #27

Excellent! redstatebluegirl May 2013 #4

So simple and a great illustration BrotherIvan May 2013 #6

I am so glad that my siblings raise their boys to clean up smirkymonkey May 2013 #48

I applaud them as well! BrotherIvan May 2013 #49

These boys will be considered "catches" some day. smirkymonkey May 2013 #50

That was very good. Thank you. Luminous Animal May 2013 #7

Yup- this stuff starts early. bettyellen May 2013 #8

i had an experience like this undergroundpanther May 2013 #9

probably because she was glad you gave that boy what he deserved, and this was the only way she knew BlancheSplanchnik May 2013 #22

My son attended an all day preschool. He tended to be too aggressive. I have always been grateful s-cubed May 2013 #11

excusing bad behavior no matter the gender should not be tolerated. preSCHOOL Tuesday Afternoon May 2013 #13

hear, hear! defacto7 May 2013 #26

my daughters have no patience for these behaviors sigmasix May 2013 #35

That's what I say! defacto7 May 2013 #36

The problem is daybranch May 2013 #14

But I'll bet Ms. Toad May 2013 #23

When I was growing up, little girls behaving aggressively toward other kids were called unladylike. Heidi May 2013 #29

Yep - Ms. Toad May 2013 #33

And in this way, many girls (of my generation, anyway) learned Heidi May 2013 #34

That is a huge problem. Little Johnnie/Suzie is just a perfect little angel! Behind the Aegis May 2013 #31

His parents are going to be sorry Incitatus May 2013 #15

I have a couple of examples in my own family Quantess May 2013 #37

Yes. He'll become President of the United States. burnodo May 2013 #39

I don't understand why the girl's mom snot May 2013 #19

i don't understand why you're the only one who asked that question. HiPointDem May 2013 #43

I can hardly describe how ANGRY this kind of parenting makes me. BlancheSplanchnik May 2013 #20

back when my girl was little Whisp May 2013 #21

And here is the secret of America DonCoquixote May 2013 #24

I wish people would face up undergroundpanther May 2013 #30

I'd like to throw in a twist... defacto7 May 2013 #28

When I was a toddler I would knock down my brother's block buildings. JVS May 2013 #32

This is a complicated problem, but I do think that the "boys will be boys" meme SheilaT May 2013 #38

I'd say not even an acceptance of that, but actually an encouragement of it Posteritatis May 2013 #40

Of course! SheilaT May 2013 #46

Absolutely. (nt) Posteritatis May 2013 #47

Yes, it's a mess. sibelian May 2013 #41

Ignorant, bullying behavior HappyMe May 2013 #42

While I think the genders could be reversed, Just Saying May 2013 #51