While sitting in the doctor’s office this morning, an article in Parenting magazine caught my eye.

In “Boys vs. Girls,” writer Paula Spencer quotes Spokane author and social philosopher Michael Gurian: “I think parents use ‘which is harder?’ as an expression of whatever our frustration is at the moment. Boys and girls are each harder in different ways.”

Spencer is also quick to point out that every child is different and that her or his personality as well as the environment the child grows up in also play a role.

Here are her conclusions in a nutshell:

Who's harder to raise? In terms of...
Discipline: Boys
Physical safety: Boys
Communication: First boys, then girls
School: Boys
Self-esteem: Girls

“The bottom line?” writes Spencer. “On balance, the general consensus seems to be that boys are more of a handful early on, and girls more challenging beginning in the preteen years.”

I have one of each and I am definitely more challenged by my son. But that could be because of his age and personality. And of course, they’re both so young right now that I wouldn’t really know. I’m just challenged. Period.

Do you agree? Are boys really harder to raise than girls – at least in the beginning?

---

---