Does your son prefer playing with girls?

Did anyone go through this? My son is 4 1/2 now and still prefers playing with girls. Is it because he has a twin sister? He doesn't want to play typically girly things (dolls, dress up etc.) - he just prefers to be with girls. He'll make comments like, 'the boys were being mean to us on the playground' - by 'us' he means he & his 'girls' He keeps attaching himself to different girls at school.

How unusual is it that he's not identifying with boys still at his age? I expected him to have outgrown his preference for girls by now, and I'm concerned he will be teased by Kindergarten. I don't see any other little boys doing this!

Thanks

 

My son doesn't care if his friends are girls or boys. I organized playdates with my b/g twins last year in first grade and the first person he wanted to bring home was a girl (who has a twin brother). I invited them both and the boys paired up and the girls paired up while playing.

 

Yes, mine does. It's pretty much all he knows, since he plays with his sister all day long. Our neighbors all have girls, our friends all have girls, most of our family has girls. He was at a point where he used to say "I just wish I was a girl". I think because my daughter would get more attention for cute clothes and girly stuff and they usually played with her toys more (because he just wanted to play with her, and that's what she wanted to do). He has since dropped that in the last year and he definitely gravitates toward boy things now (the meaner and scarier the face on a dinosaur or monster, the better in his eyes!). But it's still hard to find boys around for him to play with. He's never been as wild or rough as they are. I'm not sure what he does at school. I have a feeling he plays mostly with his sister, and together they talk about a few little girls they are friends with. I'm anxious to hear what the teacher has to say at parent/teacher conferences in the fall. Last year she didn't seem concerned at all - I think mostly because it was pretty much parallel play at that age anyway. I'm hoping it's just the age for now. But I'm interested to hear what others have to say.

 

Luke just turned 6 & he still likes playing with the girls at school. He has boys over to our house to play & he prefers playing all the typically boy things but, at school, given the choice he will hang out with the girls. I really think because he & Lila are so close that he has an easier time relating to the girls and feels comfortable with them. I have no idea, but it is quite cute to see him running across the playground holding one of their hand's, and according to the moms they all love him.

 

Thanks for your replies.

tinalb, given that your son is a few years older than mine (1st grade?), is he ever teased at school for playing with the girls? I find it sweet that my son likes playing with girls, but I worry about him on the playground since kids can be so mean to one another...

 

So far, nope. I haven't seen or heard of any problems. He does have friends who are boys & will play with them occasionally, but he just really likes the girls. If there are toys involved, he will often choose to play with the boys, probably because their interests are more similar, but on the playground for recess & lunch he prefers to hang out with the girls. When he is older & still feels more comfortable around them than many of the boys will, the other boys will probably be jealous! :lol:

 

Mine is almost 5 and prefers playing with the girls. I think he is getting better playing with the boys, since our neighborhood is all little boys around his age and when he comes from school it's always a boy he's been chatting with or playing a game with. But I would say this has been a very recent development. My son has said to me that he prefers to play with the girls because that's where his sister is.

 

['My son has said to me that he prefers to play with the girls because that's where his sister is']

Aww, that's so sweet itsnancycozzi. My son definitely defaults to his more outgoing sister. I've noticed when they enter new situations he will hang back and let her make the friends, then he swoops in and steals their attention! Sigh.

I'm hoping over time he will branch out and make some male friends. Concerned it could become more and more awkward the older he gets. He seems almost fearful of boys ('they're mean, they're rough'). He doesn't feel comfortable around most. My son is very chatty and definitely NOT 'rough and tumble' - so the girls are a safe bet for him I suppose.

Thanks again for your insight/replies!