Are boys any different than girls? As a parent who is propagating gender equality in kids, I’d like to believe they are not. However, scientifically a baby boy is known to have higher levels of testosterone than a girl and have lower levels of serotonin. What I am trying to say is that this makes them easily hyper, stressed, and sometimes harder to calm than girls. Generally, parents are known to nurture a baby girl more as compared to a baby boy and this could lead them to have more emotional hiccups. Consequently, there should be no difference when it comes to caring for our kids.
Studies confirm that baby boy brains are more fragile than baby girls. Even when they are in the womb, there are more reactive to maternal emotions and stress. Did you know that at birth, the brain of a baby boy lag behind a girl’s by about 6 weeks?
As a mom to a baby boy who seems like he is on a sugar rush at all times, I have tried to soothe him and settle him in different ways. I have always believed communication, interaction, and engagement are really important and needed to build relationships with children. No matter what age they are, it is necessary to strike a balance. I have seen certain parents let their boys loose completely or pay little attention to their emotional needs because they think, it is not needed. People are shaped by the relationships they form, their experiences as children and adults play a major role in shaping their personality.
Here’s how you can help nurture the emotions of your baby boy.
Allow your little boy and girl to express themselves
As parents, we often want to be in control of everything. We want our children to achieve various milestones and at the same time be able to manage their behavior too. Often, children, esp. little boys are interrupted or asked to hide their emotions. Let them express. Let them talk about how they feel and what could make them feel better.
Acknowledge the perspective of your little boy.
Once you know how they feel, acknowledge their emotion and perspective. Empathize with them, and show them you understand them. This not only boosts their emotional intelligence; it also helps your child reflect on their feelings.
Listen
Every time my baby boy walks up to me to tell me, he wants to talk, I try and listen attentively. If I am on the phone or working, I ask him, if he is ok waiting for a few minutes. We tend to browse through our phones or complete some work when our kids talk to us. Listening attentively and effectively helps your child feel values and also encourages them to be good listeners.
Teach them to resolve matters.
We all get worked up when it comes to a problem and feel like giving up too. It’s normal for kids to fear challenges but we must teach them how to handle them. Emotions are messages and not just mere venting. We need to help our kids breathe through emotions, feel them, tolerate them and act on them when needed. Be there to help them tackle a problem but also teach them how to resolve it on their own.
Make it playful
Make your communication and temper outbursts playful. We tend to lose our cool with the downpour of emotions. However, making it fun can help both you and your little boy relax. Laughter, fun, and enjoyment, can help your children relax and make the expression of emotions easier.
Let’s encourage our children to cry, talk and laugh when they want to. Let us not hardwire any type of stereotypes. Your little boy or little girl is soon going to grow up to be an adult, let us make the entire process enjoyable.
This post is part of the #Blogchattera2z blogging series where I will be writing all about my life as boy mom 🙂
