Being a boy in an all princess world can be confusing! At four he already feels pressure to like only green and blue. The world tells him how a boy should act, mama lets play and imagination guide him, naturally and freely.
He is four and most would describe him as “all boy.” He lives for crashing tractors into the wall; wearing Carhartt bibs like daddy; chasing the pups with remote control trucks and playing rodeo in the tub. “Wild Kratts” and “PJ Mask” are his favorite shows. He loves kicking soccer balls into windows; jumping off of everything with a blanket cape tied to his neck; bringing buckets of mud inside; trying to sleep with his tree frogs; simulating war and hunting indoors with one of his many play guns and keeping his pet chicken in his room. He thinks creepy-crawleys are awesome and scaring his sister with them is icing on the cake.
But he has this other side of him. Her name is Sis. She is pink, sparkly and she does not care that he is a boy, with predetermined boy roles. She truly plays wherever her imagination takes them both. She is as big an influence on him as his “Y-Man chromosome”. He does WHATever she wants him to do, without fret and without refusal. He loves her attention almost as much as he loves talking springtime fly fishing with dad. He loves her pink leggings, sparkle cowboy boots and princess costumes. Sometimes they play adoptive sisters. His name is Maddie and he likes pink more than blue.
Internally I shriek YOU GO BOY! Who cares, be you and have fun. Swaddle your baby doll like a pro and be proud to know the importance of lip gloss and sparkly cowgirl boots! I’m happy to let my boy play like how most 8 year old girls play. I always want both of my kids to feel loved and accepted now, and into adulthood. Plus they only have each other, now and after I’m gone. I want them to make each other happy, borrow each other’s clothes, cry on each other’s shoulders and be able to laugh at each other without being so uptight about the stress of life.
Do they roll their eyes when my boy carries his baby doll everywhere instead of a truck. Maybe. Do they think it’s weird that sometimes he wears his sister’s pink cowgirl hat to Walmart and is proud to do so. Maybe. Do I think it’s awesome that he is comfortable in his own skin. Absolutely. I will always defend my child’s right to be himself, even if they think it’s a little too weird. And who cares what they think anyway. We don’t know they and they have no impact on my child’s happiness.
Boys will be boys. And sometimes my boy is a boy in a princess dress. Someday, Lord willing I know he will be an amazing daddy and husband. He is learning those skills now through his play and it’s fun and so, so cool to watch him develop into the man I will be proud to call my son.
Colors, clothes, toys and hobbies do not matter. Be happy being you.
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