Which is more "high-maintenance" --boy or girl?
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Sandra & Evan
Registered User
my son (the elder) is definitely more high-maintenance than my daughter (1 yr 4 months younger). even since day 1. however, that may be a reflection of being an uptight first-time mom and a relaxed second-time mom. but i do also think that their personalities are very different. son was always more "anal" and daughter is just very content. they are now 4 yrs old and 2.5 years old, and they are learning from each other, so the differences are less apparent now.
My daughter was a screamer from Day One. She's only recently settled down.
My son is much more chilled. A much better sleeper!
Of my Mum friends, their girls seem to be more 'challenging', no matter whether they are the first born or not.
However, I'm told that around 3 years, it reverses and the boys become more trouble...and they stay that way!
Interested to see the poll results.
My son is much more chilled. A much better sleeper!
Of my Mum friends, their girls seem to be more 'challenging', no matter whether they are the first born or not.
However, I'm told that around 3 years, it reverses and the boys become more trouble...and they stay that way!
Interested to see the poll results.
This is out of pure laziness of me.
When we are out and about, and when my sons need to go to the toilets, my husband has to be the one to accompany them and deal with that. But if they were girls...I will have to go, so I feel quite blessed that I don't have girls. I am terrible, I know.
Also, I notice that girls tend to go in and out of the playroom trying to cling onto their parents to get attention whilst boys usually dissapear for almost the entire time you allowed them to play in the playroom. So, I can have a very nice solid break just watching the boys play. Don't think I can do that with girls.
Having said that, boys in general are very caring and sensitive towards mommies, making me feel so warm all the time.
Would love to have a girl though. Things may be different from the above, it will be different, but it will nevertheless be a nice difference I am sure.
When we are out and about, and when my sons need to go to the toilets, my husband has to be the one to accompany them and deal with that. But if they were girls...I will have to go, so I feel quite blessed that I don't have girls. I am terrible, I know.
Also, I notice that girls tend to go in and out of the playroom trying to cling onto their parents to get attention whilst boys usually dissapear for almost the entire time you allowed them to play in the playroom. So, I can have a very nice solid break just watching the boys play. Don't think I can do that with girls.
Having said that, boys in general are very caring and sensitive towards mommies, making me feel so warm all the time.
Would love to have a girl though. Things may be different from the above, it will be different, but it will nevertheless be a nice difference I am sure.
i wanted to start a poll exactly like this one. i just didn't know how to...
my girl is definitely high maintenance. i read a baby book that listed 12 traits of a high maintenance baby. my baby had 11 traits, the only one that she doesn't has, is that she smailes & laughs easily.
at 2.5 yrs, she still wakes every 2 to 3 hours every night for milk or to be pat or to know someone is there. i can't even leave her alone in her room for more than 3 mins, she runs out from her room screaming "mommeeeeeeee!!", as if i was going to diwown her or sth.... and the list goes on......
my girl is definitely high maintenance. i read a baby book that listed 12 traits of a high maintenance baby. my baby had 11 traits, the only one that she doesn't has, is that she smailes & laughs easily.
at 2.5 yrs, she still wakes every 2 to 3 hours every night for milk or to be pat or to know someone is there. i can't even leave her alone in her room for more than 3 mins, she runs out from her room screaming "mommeeeeeeee!!", as if i was going to diwown her or sth.... and the list goes on......
I decided to start this poll after having talked to 3 friends who also have 1 of each and so far, all of them have agreed that girls are more high-maintenance. I'm finding it to be true in my case, too (so far!).
Kashismum -
True again in my case... My son was such an easy baby, but now can really test my patience some days (climbs where he's not supposed to, doesn't always want to tidy up, etc.). He's still the sweetest kid and I know part of it is him testing his boundaries, exploring, and also due to the fact that he now has to 'share' our time and attention with his little sister (whom he adores, btw).
Mailmail -
I have to admit that the same thought has crossed my mind and this early on, I am already dreading the time when I will have to take my daughter to the washroom when we're out! I actually don't mind taking my son now, mainly because with a boy, it's a much simpler 'business' compared to the almost ceremony-like process girls have to go through!
Kashismum -
True again in my case... My son was such an easy baby, but now can really test my patience some days (climbs where he's not supposed to, doesn't always want to tidy up, etc.). He's still the sweetest kid and I know part of it is him testing his boundaries, exploring, and also due to the fact that he now has to 'share' our time and attention with his little sister (whom he adores, btw).
Mailmail -
I have to admit that the same thought has crossed my mind and this early on, I am already dreading the time when I will have to take my daughter to the washroom when we're out! I actually don't mind taking my son now, mainly because with a boy, it's a much simpler 'business' compared to the almost ceremony-like process girls have to go through!
carang
Registered User
my girl is wayyyy more high-maintenence than my boy was! although, she is a much better sleeper. now at 2.5 years my boy wakes VERY rarely at night. it's only in the last 6 months, since baby was born that this started.
i think that my boy takes after his father, very laid-back. whereas my girl has way too much of me in her!
i think that my boy takes after his father, very laid-back. whereas my girl has way too much of me in her!
my daughter is much better at everything, eg. first solid food, sleeping, do things when you tell her to etc. even though she is a girl, my husband sometimes takes her to the toilets and gives her her baths. she has only acted up till she was 3 or rather when her little brother was born. He is more of a light sleeper. Wakes up over a little noise, can't be put down when asleep, still wakes up at night and he is 7 months now. Worst still he didn't like eating solids till now! Before, whatever food we gave him, he keep spitting it out and cries! But still has trouble eating equivalent to a meal.
ooooo!!! This is so interesting!!! I have a daughter (just turning 3) and am 20 weeks pregnant with a boy!!!
I have to say, my daughter has been a delightful baby - sleeping all the way through from 6 weeks (yes 6 weeks!!!!!!), eating solids at 4 months with no challenges, napping well, potty training was a dream, very few tears at school, able to play on her own for long lengths of time!! ... Although we did put a lot of work with routines etc, I still cant imagine we would get so lucky as to have another baby that fell for all the tricks in the book so well! .. *sigh* .... but it is very encouraging to find that on the whole boys are easier then girls - so you never know ....
It is funny though, people saying that boys become more 'testing' at the age of 3yrs, because our little girl (who has been the dream baby), is now becoming a little bit of a handful - not tantrums or grumpy, but just sooooo so so hyperactive!! ALL of the time (exhausting for expecting mummy), and forever testing her boudaries ... at the park or playground, if I blink she will be up the tallest climbing frame in a matter of seconds! But her favourite colour is still pink LoL!!
I have to say, my daughter has been a delightful baby - sleeping all the way through from 6 weeks (yes 6 weeks!!!!!!), eating solids at 4 months with no challenges, napping well, potty training was a dream, very few tears at school, able to play on her own for long lengths of time!! ... Although we did put a lot of work with routines etc, I still cant imagine we would get so lucky as to have another baby that fell for all the tricks in the book so well! .. *sigh* .... but it is very encouraging to find that on the whole boys are easier then girls - so you never know ....
It is funny though, people saying that boys become more 'testing' at the age of 3yrs, because our little girl (who has been the dream baby), is now becoming a little bit of a handful - not tantrums or grumpy, but just sooooo so so hyperactive!! ALL of the time (exhausting for expecting mummy), and forever testing her boudaries ... at the park or playground, if I blink she will be up the tallest climbing frame in a matter of seconds! But her favourite colour is still pink LoL!!
well, i do hear a lot of ppl saying that if your baby is good, then he/she will be a handful after 3, and vice versa. maybe it's just because babies who are difficult to take care of will become normal at age 3. whereas wasy babies will become normal at age 3 also. it's just difficult has become relatively easier & easy have become relatively difficult. but all 3 year olds are the same!
my daughter is 2.5yo, and she has become soooooo much easier compare to when she was a baby. my nephew is also 2.5yo, and become so much more difficult now than when he was a baby (he was one of the easiest, i tell you!). but when the 2 of them are together, i see that they are similar. so i think it's just the relativity that draws the conclusion of "when they turn 3...)
my daughter is 2.5yo, and she has become soooooo much easier compare to when she was a baby. my nephew is also 2.5yo, and become so much more difficult now than when he was a baby (he was one of the easiest, i tell you!). but when the 2 of them are together, i see that they are similar. so i think it's just the relativity that draws the conclusion of "when they turn 3...)
Girls are so much harder. I have a 4 year old boy who is so easy and a 2 year old girl and she has been challenging from the get go. She is stubborn, mood and has so much attitude already. I am terrified for the teenage years. I phycholigist friend of mine says she has enough "personality" for three kids.
nicolejoy
Registered User
I like that quote
When I had a daughter last year, my Dad told me "Girls are definitely harder, much more complex, much more emotional and less rational - but the emotional rewards are much greater too". That's his perspective on it.
karmah1
Registered User
Oh so true....my son is only 11 months old and so far he has broken our BOSE sounddock and one of my necklaces, we have teeth marks in the furniture and numerous stains in the carpet from spilt milk and food...what is next??
In my case, it's my girl who has caused the more "damage" -- marks on the wall, table, floor, TV(!), wrecked toys, tore pages off books, etc. I don't know if it's the second child "look at me" syndrome. But what nicolejoy's dad said about the emotional rewards being greater? I find that SO true. Z can be SO, SO naturally sweet in ways that my boy never was at the same age. I think they are just wired naturally that way. 
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bridiemexico
Registered User
I have twins, boy/girl. My boy is more demanding and less independant but when my girl explodes she really explodes. She is still a lot easier than he is. I do agree that she might be a handful as a teenager!
I personally think it's more about individual personality than gender.
I don't think "high maintenance" is the right term to describe my son--he was and is high energy which meant more work for me but when I think of "high maintenance" I think of a child who is fussy and hard to content. My son was just very busy and so required a lot of energy to play with. He wasn't a great sleeper until he was six months old but I think that was partly our doing as we only finally got a clue about how to put him on a schedule--then he was and still is a great sleeper. This has a lot to do with us maturing in our parenting skills, I think. My son has an entertainer's personality--he loves to laugh and make others laugh--and at nearly 4-years-old he's just starting to understand how to play practical jokes on people so we'll have an interesting future ahead with him, I'm sure.
My daughter has a very quiet personality. She is very watchful and was an "angel baby"-sleeping through the night only a couple of weeks after she was born. We didn't really have to work at scheduling her like we did with our son. Maybe she just fell into our routine more easily since we already had one established. Now she's 8-months-old and she's pulling up on furiture and getting into everything. I can see the active streak her brother also has coming out but she's just more mellow than he was and is.
But, none of this I credit to him being a boy and her being a girl. Because, as a child I was just as active as my son is and my younger brother was way more passive and quiet.
I don't think "high maintenance" is the right term to describe my son--he was and is high energy which meant more work for me but when I think of "high maintenance" I think of a child who is fussy and hard to content. My son was just very busy and so required a lot of energy to play with. He wasn't a great sleeper until he was six months old but I think that was partly our doing as we only finally got a clue about how to put him on a schedule--then he was and still is a great sleeper. This has a lot to do with us maturing in our parenting skills, I think. My son has an entertainer's personality--he loves to laugh and make others laugh--and at nearly 4-years-old he's just starting to understand how to play practical jokes on people so we'll have an interesting future ahead with him, I'm sure.
My daughter has a very quiet personality. She is very watchful and was an "angel baby"-sleeping through the night only a couple of weeks after she was born. We didn't really have to work at scheduling her like we did with our son. Maybe she just fell into our routine more easily since we already had one established. Now she's 8-months-old and she's pulling up on furiture and getting into everything. I can see the active streak her brother also has coming out but she's just more mellow than he was and is.
But, none of this I credit to him being a boy and her being a girl. Because, as a child I was just as active as my son is and my younger brother was way more passive and quiet.
I have a girl and then boy/girl twins. I wouldn't call any of my children high maintenance because they're all fairly easy, not perfect but very good, in general. My boy was the worst when he was little but he's very easy now. My twin girl is very outgoing and extravert but not difficult. If I look around me, it's usually boys who seem higher maintenance. We all have our issues with our children but if I look at mine at the end of the day and compare with what I see around me, I realize I am quite lucky. Their teachers also never mentioned any major issues. Again, they're not perfect, but definitely not high maintenance.
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