He was 7-8 weeks early due to complications, so we have been busy visiting him in the hospital and taking care of our other 2 boys.
My hubby is already back to work offshore, so I am doing it all myself as well.
Being home with both boys this summer has made me do some thinking.
I remember hearing when I had my first child and second child that boys were so much easier than girls and I should thank my lucky stars that I have boys.
Now that my children are a bit older and I have my third boy (hopefully) coming home soon, I realize that those people that told me boys were easier were either full of crap or completely oblivious to raising boys (meaning, they don't have boys of their own)
Here are some differences:
Fighting
Girls: Evil plotting that takes a long time to enact and typically involves mischevious under handed pranks - serious fights involve hair pulling and crying
Boys: Family Guy vs Chicken Fights - my house gets destroyed in the wake
Drama
Girls: Whining crying and tantrums until they get their way - also gossip and back stabbing and if you have 3 girls, then they gang up on each other, taking turns on who is getting the wrath
Boys: Same as girls (all I hear is tattling and whining), but typically still ends in a family guy-esque fist fight
Eating
Girls: Love to eat but eats mainly at meal times with a possible snack in between- they use silverware and napkin
Boys: Non-stop grazing that makes me think that a plague of locusts has ransacked my house resulting in spending all my money on food - they use hands and food is everywhere as well as dirty plates all over, much like neanderthals. They typically need a hose after a meal
Clothes
Girls: Frilly outfits, tons of shoes and accessories, and spending tons of money on clothes so that they have lots of pretty options to chose from
Boys: Torn blue jeans, muddy shoes, bugs in pants pockets, ripped t-shirts, and still spending tons of money on clothes not for the options factor, but for the fact that they have DESTROYED every article of clothing that they own. Laundry must be done A LOT and there are typically mystery stains on everything. Now, this is also amazing to me since they spend so much time naked. I can't ever get my boys to keep their clothes on, so I find it astonishing that they not only go through so many clothes in one day, but destroy them so quickly. This is also one of the reasons why no one should ever come to my house unannounced. If you do, you will be greeted by a naked child.
Manners
Girls: Say please, thank you, and you're welcome in a cute little voice that makes everyone say "awe" and compliment the parents on raising them well
Boys: Punch each other before being reminded to use their manners, then when they do use them, they do so through gritted teeth and eyes rolling. They NEVER remember to use manners on their own- it just does not occur to them. This includes using inside voices, please and thank you use, calling adults "sir" or "ma'am", being quite in the theater, sitting still for more than 5 minutes, sticking their tongues out at people in public, calling people fat, telling girls that they look like boys just because they have short hair, etc (I could go on forever here)
"Playing"
Girls: Reading books, playing quietly with Barbies or similar, tea parties, nail painting, hair brushing, dress up, etc
Boys: Gun noises, explosions, sword fights, jumping off roofs, dare devil stunts, bumps, bruises, bleeding, screaming, loud noises nonstop, BB guns, fireworks, frogs, bugs, mud, water, messes, streaking, and anything dangerous. There are many Dr visits and ER/Urgent Care trips involved.
So, just upon reviewing these few aspects, I call BS on whoever said boys are easier. They require a lot of work and patience. I have heard that its easier when they are teenagers. I don't think so. I can only imagine that they will be the same boys, just on a larger scale.
