Search Results for: blog are boys and girls different

James and the Emerald Night Train

An eleven year old boy who has autism saved up his money for years in order to buy a very special LEGO set. Imagine the disappointment he must have felt when, after reaching the amount he needed, it turned out that he still could not afford to buy it! Fortunately, this story is one that ended in a very happy way. You’ve heard of LEGO. It is the company that makes little colored plastic bricks of different shapes that can be easily snapped together. The bricks can be popped back apart later on, and used to build something else. LEGOs … Continue reading →

Bald and Beautiful Barbie

There is a lobbying campaign that is asking toy maker Mattel to create a new type of doll. The would like to see a Barbie doll that is completely bald. This doll could help raise the self-esteem of girls who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, (or for other medical reasons). Lots of little girls, (and some little boys), play with Barbie dolls. Since the doll was first created, Barbie has been considered to be an example of what it means to be beautiful. Sure, Barbie’s proportions are not something that match up to what real women actually look … Continue reading →

Asperger’s Syndrome Symptoms in Girls

Asperger’s Syndrome, like other autism spectrum disorders, is something that we still have a lot to learn about. One thing that seems to be true is that the symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome in girls may look a bit different than how it tends to appear in boys. It has been said that Asperger’s Syndrome is a “high-functioning” form of autism. It is still part of what has been called “the autism spectrum” or an autism spectrum disorder. There seem to be more boys diagnosed with autism than girls, but I don’t know what the reason for that is. There is … Continue reading →

This is Boys on Adolescence

Once I saw a great illustration of the difference between men and women. It was grossly simplistic, of course, but like all great illustrations, it captured the core of so many things in a single image. Actually, there were two images. The first image was of a rectangular box. It was completely covered in dials, knobs, levers, and latches. The heading on the image was “Woman.” The second image was of the same rectangular box — but with only a single on/off switch in the middle. The heading on the image was “Man.” I remember laughing out loud when I … Continue reading →

Bystanders to Bullying

I have written a number of blogs on the topic of bullying but a recent “Dateline” special got me thinking about another aspect of bullying…the role of a bystander. As one expert on the show said, “Bystanders are absolutely the most critical part of stopping bullying.” She said that most bystanders tend to think they are doing the right thing, by not participating. They think they are in a neutral position. However by refusing to intervene and stop the bullying, they are really siding with the bully. I had never given much thought to that. I have talked to my … Continue reading →

Secondhand Smoke Affects Mental Health of Children

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Everyone knows that smoking can cause some very serious health problems. In the past few years, bars, restaurants, and other public places have banned smoking in recognition of the health risks that come from breathing in secondhand smoke. A study indicates that secondhand smoke could increase a child’s risk of developing mental and behavioral disorders. A study was done by researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The researchers looked at around 3,000 children, from all across the United States. The children in the study ranged between eight years old and fifteen years old. A blood sample … Continue reading →

“Princess Boys”

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Boys who love dresses and the color pink aren’t exactly considered “normal” in our society. While girls who play with trucks are often simply referred to as tomboys, boys who want to play with dolls or wear dresses are discouraged from doing so. And as we know all too well, people who are classified as different, especially from an early age, are often ridiculed. They grow up with less self-esteem and the bullying they often endure has led some to take their own lives. Cheryl Kilodavis was a mom much like many of us, encouraging our girls to play with … Continue reading →

Boys VS. Girls in Scrapbooking

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I had a little girl first. That’s when I dove head first into the world of scrapbooking. I loved all the adorable papers, and embellishments, flowers, bling, etc. etc. etc. that I could put on her layouts. It was so much fun, and so girly. Since that is how I started doing the more modern style of scrapbooking, I am a little lost when it comes to how to scrapbook for a boy. Does anyone else have this problem? So, I find that I want to put things on the layouts that maybe aren’t quite appropriate like papers that look … Continue reading →

Textual Harassment and Teen Dating Violence

Yet again last week Dr. Phil had a show that addresses teen issues. This time it was “End the Silence on Domestic Violence: Teen Dating.” It was during this show that I heard a new phrase, “textual harassment.” I looked it up online and found it to be included in the Urban Dictionary. It simply means to harass someone through text messages. It’s amazing how technology forces us to come up with new terminology. We are definitely living in different times than when I was a teenager. Violence in teen dating is apparently not an uncommon occurrence. It used to … Continue reading →

Should Girls Be Treated Differently?

I have often heard parents say that raising girls is harder. There is something about a girl that I think makes us want to be more protective. There is a special innocence about her that we want to see kept in tact. Don’t get me wrong, though. Parents want to protect their boys as well. I have two of them so I understand. But I think there is just an assumption that they will somehow make it. Girls seem to need more protection. So my question is should girls be treated differently than boys? In More Musings of a Mom, … Continue reading →