Between Boys and Girls
In terms of anatomy, differences between boys and girls are pretty obvious.
But when it comes to brain development, the disparities between the two genders are actually slight. In families, a little boy is likely to choose fire engine and engine truck for toys, while girls opt to choose dolls and kitchen sets.
Why is that?
In a study by the group of Lisa Serbin et.al, 18-month-old boys and girls were shown pictures of a doll and a vehicle. Most of the girls opted for the doll, while the majority of the boys chose the vehicle.
Research suggests that many of the developmental differences between boys and girls are evident from birth, and may even be hardwired. However, there is still a long way to go when it comes to gender research.
So what does science really say about your cute little child? Here's what the website www.parenting.com has to stay:
Boys
There is no doubt that most boys are physically active. They love to move around flying their imaginary kites at home. They love action, either watching it or being part of it! Below are some important milestones that parents should look forward to as their little man grows:
They like motion.
According to psychologists at the University of Cambridge in England, boys prefer to watch mechanical motion over human motion. Recent research shows that boys are about two months ahead of girls when it comes to figuring out the laws of motion. They love watching moving objects such as rolling balls or windshield wipers rather than people talking for hours.
They're emotional, too.
You heard it right. There's evidence that proves that boys tend to be more easily agitated than girls. They also have a hard time soothing themselves after a petty fight or over frustration. Even when six-month-old boys appeared as calm as the girls in the face of frustration, measures of heart rate and breathing suggested that they were actually experiencing greater distress. Yes, it's true. They also cry over simple things!
They are more active.
According to new research, infant boys are more likely to end up in the emergency rooms for injuries or scratches from playing. Boys squirm, kick, and wiggle more than their female counterparts. Basketball and football courts seem to be like their next homes. When they reach preschool years, they sometimes outpace their female peers in most measures of physical ability.
Girls
Raising a lady?
Newborn girls like to maintain eye contact with parents. They also say their first words pretty sooner than boys. These efforts actually thrive on communication. Here are some characteristics that parents should expect from baby girls:
They like to mimic.
As early as three hours of age, girls excel at imitation, a precursor to back-and-forth interaction. In a study conducted last year, newborn girls did better than boys in trying to copy finger movements. Both girls and boys like to mimic things especially when they are playing. Do you see your child pretending to drive a car or water the plants?
They maybe better listeners.
Recent research shows that girls are more attuned to the sound of human voices and seem to actually prefer it over other sounds. Shake a rattle and you'll see no difference between newborn girls and boys, but when you talk, the girls will be more likely to become engaged.
They like face time.
Females tend to be more in tune with people's emotions. Girls are more likely to establish and maintain eye contact. They are attracted to individual faces, too, especially women's. They are also more skilled at reading emotional expressions; if shown a frightening face, for example, they'll get distressed, but they'll grin if you smile.
They talk sooner.
Girls start using gestures like pointing or waving byebye earlier than their brothers, and they play games sooner, according to a study on children ages 8 to 30 months. Girls understand what you're saying before boys do, start speaking earlier (at around 12 months versus 13 to 14 months for boys), and will continue to talk more through the toddler years. At 16 months, they produce as many as 100 words, while the average boy utters closer to 30. Of course, parents should also talk and read to their babies as often as possible.