My little boy likes fairies.
Yes, that’s right. My three year old boy likes fairies, princesses, and pink. Actually, I think he prefers them. He stops at every display he sees in stores, excitedly looking for a certain red-headed mermaid. And he loves to pretend he is a purple-winged fairy. (That last one started at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, and for very good reason!)
But he also likes Hot Wheels, baseball and Nerf guns. He watches Frozen and DocMcStuffins; he’s also a MythBusters fanatic and can’t stop talking about the “boomas” he sees on the show.
He loves to vacuum and do laundry. And he loves to make messes and build with Daddy in the garage.
Our sensitive son lets tears roll down his cheeks when certain songs move him. He shows a level of empathy that is well beyond his years. And he roughhouses with his daddy every night before bed. He also loves to be loud and fast. He takes any chance he can to show us his “big, strong muscles!”
Our three year old is very linguistic and very communicative. But he is also very analytical. He is imaginative, yet logical.
Our son knows he is male. We’ve discussed physical anatomy for a while now. But he will never hear us tell him which toys, feelings, skills, or actions are for girls and which are for boys. Society will eventually and inevitably teach him about gender stereotypes, but he won’t hear it from his parents.
At this age, we are happy to see him exploring all types of toys, developing all types of skills. We are thrilled to see his brain showing strengths in very different areas. And I love the wide range of feelings he has, shows, and discusses.
I believe that the variety of his exposures and interests will help our son be more well-rounded, more understanding, and therefore more successful in education, relationships, and life in general.
I just hope that society gives him enough space to be who he wants to be for as long as he wants.
