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Do your kids have good friends of the opposite gender?


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My three boys (14, 13, 11) have become great friends with the two daughters (14, 11) of one of my best friends. It's so much fun for all of them. They play soccer and manhunt, come inside for a game of Mario Kart Wii, and then bake cupcakes. Or they'll just hang out and talk (in the next room, they aren't alone). It's such a neat relationship, and I think it's so healthy for girls and boys to be just good friends, with none of the sexual overtones that seem so prevalent these days.

 

BTW: my boys were homeschooled until last Feb. and are now in public school; the girls have always been in public school

 

Anyone else who has kids with similar relationships?

 

Ria

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DD8's best friend is a boy (also 8). He lives right behind us so they play 2-4 times per week. DD has only been homeschooled. He was in private school until this year (now public school). I agree that it's healthy to have friends of the opposite sex. DD8 has always gotten along better with boys (she's very active and not into traditionally girly things).

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My dd's best friend is a boy in the neighborhood, and my 5yr old son's best friend is the little girl next door. I love how they interact. I do have a rule in my house that they can not hang out in their bedrooms with the opposite gender, even my 5 yr old and his little friend, because I figured it would be easier to have that rule right from the start when they are so young then try to implement it when they are teens

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My oldest daughter has been friends with boys her entire life. She's a "tomboy" by nature and, even when she was younger, she'd rather be out in the woods and climbing trees than playing with dolls or dress up.

 

That hasn't changed at the community college (she's been there for 2 years). She has one or two girl friends...and more than ten boy friends. They all hang out together and she has a great time.

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My almost-19yo and 15yo sons both have very good friends who are girls. My 13yo doesn't really have any good friends, but he does get along with girls just fine.

 

I always had more guy friends than girl friends growing up, and to this day I find myself more interested in what the guys are talking about than the women when in a mixed group.

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My three boys (14, 13, 11) have become great friends with the two daughters (14, 11) of one of my best friends. It's so much fun for all of them. They play soccer and manhunt, come inside for a game of Mario Kart Wii, and then bake cupcakes. Or they'll just hang out and talk (in the next room, they aren't alone). It's such a neat relationship, and I think it's so healthy for girls and boys to be just good friends, with none of the sexual overtones that seem so prevalent these days.

 

BTW: my boys were homeschooled until last Feb. and are now in public school; the girls have always been in public school

 

Anyone else who has kids with similar relationships?

 

Ria

 

Yes, my daughters prefer males as friends because they perceive that males are much more direct and less b***** and cliquish than females in the high school age range.

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Yes, very much so. It's one of the things I have loved about homeschooling- no stigma about having opposite sex friends. Both my kids have many.

A few months ago dd14 told me she didn't want a boyfriend (some of her public schooled friends were wondering why she didn't have one yet!) because she didn't want to choose just one boy when she could have so many friends who are boys. Once you choose one, they will get jealous and you wont be able to be so free with all the others. Wise child, although i do think there might be a boyfriend on the horizon.

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Yes, several of my daughter's friends are boys, and in co-op classes, Awana, etc. she tends to gravitate to the boys more than the girls. One of her girlfriends was such a drama queen and would pout (or yell or stomp off and go home) whenever she didn't get her way, and I think that's been her experience with some other girls her age. Her best friend is my niece, though.

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