Is this typical of 9-year-old boys?

[cdrumm4448]

I was at my son's baseball game tonight and to keep my daughter occupied for 2 hours we frequented the concession stand. During one of these trips, there were two boys sitting right next to the stand eating freeze pops. I was making small talk with them while the girl working the stand filled my order. There were actually two teenage girls working. I asked the boys,"What do you like best in the concession stand?" meaning which food. One of the boys thought about it, and said he liked the girls the best. I asked him how old he was and he said he was 10. The boy next to him said,"You'll only 9!"

 

I have an 8.5-year-old-son and girls are not even on his horizon yet. Is 9(almost 10) the age when boys get interested in girls now? Kind of freaked me out.:001_huh:

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I have an 8.5-year-old-son and girls are not even on his horizon yet. Is 9(almost 10) the age when boys get interested in girls now? Kind of freaked me out.:001_huh:

 

 

I think it has alot to do with what they are exposed to. If they are allowed to watch MTV, desparate housewives, stuff like that they are forced to grow up way to fast! Its really very sad actually!

[joannqn]

We are good friends with a family that has two girls. My son is 8 1/2 and likes their 8 year old in a shy, she's pretty, kind of way.

[jewellsmommy]

I do not have a 9 yr old boy or any boy for that matter... however, my experience with young boys through church and friends etc. is that like everything else, it is highly dependent upon the individual child and how he is being raised. Having older siblings seem to make a big difference. That boy could have a teenage brother that has highly influenced his behavior.

[DarlaS]

I have 13 and 16 yo boys. Neither would say anything like that--even if they were thinking it! Good grief! :001_huh:

 

They were definitely still firmly in the girls-have-cooties camp at 9 & 10.

[phathui5]

My nine year old boy would have said the food.

[DarlaS]

We are good friends with a family that has two girls. My son is 8 1/2 and likes their 8 year old in a shy, she's pretty, kind of way.

 

That sounds kinda cute. :001_smile:

[RoughCollie]

They were definitely still firmly in the girls-have-cooties camp at 9 & 10.

 

So were my boys.

[Joanne]

Yes. And, frankly, you can't read too much into it in terms of the child, their character, the parenting they've had or even the media exposure.

 

Boys like girls. It could be as simple as he has a teen brother and his "come back" answer is accelerated due to that.

[DarlaS]

Boys like girls.

 

And let's face it moms, some of these little guys ARE born lovers. :D I've even seen toddlers "flirt" (ETA: In an innocent sweet kind of way).

[babysparkler]

My nine year old boy would have said the food.

 

:iagree: The only interest my 10 year old boy has shown in girls is just in bothering his younger sister :lol:.

[Gratia271]

No, it is not typical behavior in my experience. As some suggested, it could be partly attributable to an older sibling at home, but this kind of response/behavior reflects the culture in which a child lives. It is akin to crudeness IMO. Some peers, siblings and even fathers promote these things in boys for whatever reason... as well as the entertainment industry.

[Dobela]

My dh is 46 and says there was never a time in his life that he didn't like girls or try to have a girlfriend that he can remember. But he did have 2 much older brothers and 2 much older sisters that may have influenced some of that.

 

My ds9 (almost 10) has lived a very restricted life and last year had a big crush on one girl at church. She had a huge one on him. It was sweet in a awy although we didn't in any way encourage it. Then it went away and he is not interested in them. However, he might make the same comment at a concession stand if he was getting free or discounted food :)

[Dawn in OH]

My son turns nine on Friday, and thinks girls are gross, except me.

[Cindyg]

I don't think it's typical, but that doesn't mean it's abnormal.

 

Those words would not have come from my 9YO's mouth, nor would those thoughts have been in his mind.

[mcconnellboys]

The kids we know who are in public school are like that now. Children are sexualized at a younger and younger age.....

[SonshineLearner]

I'm thinking... k... hoping.. that he didn't mean it like *that*!!

scary if he did...

[Desert Rat]

My 9yo ds (10 on Sat.) is still firmly in the cootie girl phase. But, if we ask him if he likes a girl, he'll give a smirky smile. I can tell he's starting to think in that direction.

FWIW, I think this does have to do with the tendency in my dh's family of boys hitting puberty on the earlier side.

The concession stand incident would freak me out a bit. I think it does depend on whether those boys have older sibs. I've noticed the boys who hang out with my ds who DO have older brothers/sisters, tend to be more aware of girls.

[KidsHappen]

Actually, I don't think it is unusual at all. Many boys develope crushes on older girls and women like teachers, baby sitters, neighbors, etc. in elementary school. Fifth grade seems to be the turning point for a lot of boys.

[CLHCO]

They were definitely still firmly in the girls-have-cooties camp at 9 & 10.

 

:lol: I have a 9yo firmly there now!

[Annie Laurie]

When I was 9, a boy in my class showed me a book with a picture of two horses nuzzling on the cover, and said that it was him and I. He was always telling me I was pretty and bringing me flowers from the playground and things like that but that's as far as it went, he didn't try to kiss me or anything like that and he wasn't crude about it. I think it is typical and doesn't necessarily indicate anything bad.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Just like girls develop at different rates, so do boys. This is within the range of normal.

[Sasharowan]

I think it depends on the individual. My ds14 still thinks girls are aliens with cooties ( except mom cause "you're not a girl, you're mom." Ds9 has been interested in girls since he was a baby. I remember when he was 2 and nudging dad "Yook, girl!"

[DarlaS]

I think it depends on the individual. My ds14 still thinks girls are aliens with cooties ( except mom cause "you're not a girl, you're mom." Ds9 has been interested in girls since he was a baby. I remember when he was 2 and nudging dad "Yook, girl!"

 

That's what I'm talking about. Extra intense girl radar. :D

 

I had a little boy when I was in first grade who liked to hold my hand and tell my how pretty my fingernails were. Of all things. He had clearly noticed girls had more delicate fingers & pretty nails--and he clearly approved of the differences! I was a little befuddled, but it was cute.

[Laurie4b]

I've had boys interested in girls that early and they were not exposed to a bunch of sexualizing influences. Oldest ds maintains that there was never a time when he wasn't interested in girls, but that he felt pressured (by the other boys who were his peers who were saying they didn't like girls) not to admit it. Second ds certainly didn't look interested until about age 15. Last two ds's have definitely expressed interest all along.

 

I'm not sure that any would have made the remark at a concession stand, but it might happen to your boy before you're ready, Mom!

[Carrie12345]

My 11.5yo son would never SAY it, but he'd think it! Not at 9 though.

 

My girls, otoh, have been crushing on boys for a LONG time now. They're about to turn 8 and 7. The idea that I've raised them in some crude, oversexualized way is insulting. They like boys. So what?

[lauranc]

I have 2 sons: 15 and 9. Neither one has ever said anything like that, and I can't imagine they ever would. I've known a lot of boys over the years, and haven't come in to contact with many who would say something like that. Not sure it's typical of a 9 yr old.

 

Laura

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Ds1 is 7 and has been interested in girls since birth. He has been "engaged" to several of his little girl friends, and would definitely say that he liked the girls best at the concession stand.

 

Ds2 is almost 6 and thinks girls are gross. He will get angry if you even suggest that he likes a girl. He would definitely have answered with a food item, and I think that will be the same with him for quite a while.

[DarlaS]

I'm not sure that any would have made the remark at a concession stand, but it might happen to your boy before you're ready, Mom!

 

:iagree:

 

Also, boys do get this "false bravado" when they're in a group. Each one trying to outdo the other. Maybe that's why it's a bit less likely among home schooled kids. They're not trying to impress anyone (or freak out passing adults--which is SO MUCH FUN :D).

 

Girls have pack behaviors also--just different ones.

[NanceXToo]

My girls, otoh, have been crushing on boys for a LONG time now. They're about to turn 8 and 7. The idea that I've raised them in some crude, oversexualized way is insulting. They like boys. So what?

 

Yep. My daughter's 9 1/2 and she's had crushes on boys since she was probably about 7, talking about who she's going to marry and saying somebody was her "boyfriend" (she said that he and his mom and her and I should all go on a picnic together), and commenting on whether a boy is cute. It's innocent and normal. Not to mention sometimes they just copy what they hear other, older kids say. I wouldn't read too much into that boy's comments or what that means about how he's brought up. Seriously.

[Renee in NC]

Yes. And, frankly, you can't read too much into it in terms of the child, their character, the parenting they've had or even the media exposure.

 

Boys like girls. It could be as simple as he has a teen brother and his "come back" answer is accelerated due to that.

 

My 9yo boy has *2* older brothers, including a teen brother who has always gone to ps. He isn't sheltered in that my dh lets them watch all kinds of inappropriate (to me) things on TV.

 

He *still* wouln't have answered that way. My 12yo - probably not, even though he is interested in girls. My oldest son would have noticed the girls, but I think he is mature enough now not to say that aloud.

 

Maybe his Dad is one to say things like that (my dh doesn't oogle and joke about pretty girls like my Dad would, for example.) Maybe his best friend in school says things like that. Who knows!

[cdrumm4448]

Some of these responses have really made me laugh out loud! DS is my oldest child, so 8.5 is as far as my knowledge of kids goes. I never thought about the older siblings being an influence, but of course they can be.

 

And I am really not ready for ds to express an interest in girls. Although then he might also express an interest in clean clothes, bathing himself, brushing his teeth or keeping his nails short.

 

BTW, we were recently reading in WWE2 the excerpt from the story about the girl who refused to bathe and got so dirty her parents planted seeds on her forehead that grew. DS was so shocked by the whole thing, it was hilarious! He wanted to know if that could really happen. I told him there's no way we're finding out, so he needed to use his imagination.

[AngelaNYC]

My ds (newly 9) would have said the food, too.

 

But...he is definitely noticing "prettiness" in girls now. Girls tend to like him and tell him so - usually they are the 10 and 11 years olds and ds has admitted to saying he's 10. He also gets all "cool" and flirty and shows off his manly athletic skills, lol. He does make a point to look good before he goes out (clothes, hair gel, even Axe cologne a few times :glare: ). I keep my eye on him. It's harmless and cute (now). He understands appropriate behavior and talk so I'm not worried. Of course dh loves that his son is such a "chick magnet" :glare: .

 

I've asked him not to let ds hear him say that.

[Impish]

And let's face it moms, some of these little guys ARE born lovers. :D I've even seen toddlers "flirt" (ETA: In an innocent sweet kind of way).

Yes. I wouldn't have believed so...before Tazzie.

 

Tazzie has always flirted. And preferred blondes.

 

He was about a year old, in a high chair at a restaurant. The waitress was standing beside him, taking our order (he was at the end of the table, we were in a booth). After she was done, she turned to Tazzie, brushed her fingers through his hair, and told him that if he weren't so cute and 18 yrs older, he'd be in big trouble.

 

My one year old had been rubbing her butt the entire time she was taking our order! :eek::o:svengo:

[Old Dominion Heather]

I have a four-year-old who would definitely have said he liked the girls the best. I have a 10yo and 8yo who would be totally disgusted with him for saying it.

 

The little man loves the ladies.

[myfunnybunch]

LOL.

 

My 7 y.o. ds would have said that. (His older brother (9) would have said the food and wouldn't have noticed the girls at all.)

 

Ds just likes pretty girls. :001_wub:

 

He had a huge crush on one of the 10 y.o. twins who take piano lessons before his brother's lesson. (He even whispered to me that he wants to marry her when he's grown.) He says he can't wait until he's a teenager so he can have a girlfriend so he can take her on dates and buy her flowers.

 

He is very shy and sweet about it, and if he went to a food stand with pretty and nice teenage girls working, they would probably be his favorite part.

 

Cat

[cathmom]

When my oldest son was 2 or 3, we were at church waiting for mil to finish chatting. We were standing in a relatively deserted hallway. Several non-descript ladies had come down the hall (one at a time) and ds ignored them. Then a pretty lady with long blonde hair walked by and ds said, "HELLO!"

 

When one of my twins was 2 or so, we were walking the movie Elf, and when Buddy first sees Jovie up on the ladder, my son said, "Oh-oh-OH!"

 

The day before Easter this year, my twins (age 4 1/2 now) were running around talking about how their "girls" were going to come visit. I mean all afternoon, they went on and on about their girls. Apparently some were coming from TX and some from MN.

 

So I wouldn't necessarily think anything of what the boy said.

[SilverMoon]

Girls in that context weren't even a blip on my ds's horizon at that age.

[AuntPol]

Girls are not on my 9 yo's radar. However, boys are on my 10 yo dd's radar. It's all she thinks about. There are a couple boys in her youth group that think about her a lot too.

 

DRIVES ME NUTS but then I started liking boys at ten too (I was just fortunate none liked me back until college).

[Cindyg]

When I was 9, a boy in my class showed me a book with a picture of two horses nuzzling on the cover, and said that it was him and I. He was always telling me I was pretty and bringing me flowers from the playground and things like that ....

 

When I was 9YO, I was a dedicated tom boy and had no use for boys in that context. However, if a boy used a horse picture on me that way, I bet it would have melted my heart in a way I would never have gotten over!

[mama2cntrykids]

While my 9 y/o ds doesn't think girl's have cooties or they're gross, he's not Mr. Don Juan either. There are a couple of girls from Church whom he thinks are "nice" and he's really sweet towards them. It's quite charming, actually (in his instance). That being said, he's my boy that has a soft-heart and is shy.

 

Don't know if that's what you're looking for:001_smile:, but it's what it's like for my oldest ds.

[k2bdeutmeyer]

I have not read all the responses, but wanted to say that at DD was in 4th grade at the public school until we pulled her in March, and there was A LOT of talk of dating, kissing, etc. I was completely disgusted.