You never hear of a bossy boy

When a boy does the same bossing around as a girl, it is either called leadership or bullying.

I have a bossy 10 year told GS. Tries to order everyone aniut, adults and children alike. I often wonder if he is on the autistic spectrum with his apparent need for control.

My GD has been organising everyone since she first learned to talk. I'm watching with interest to see if she carries on as she gets older, but with a consultant for a mum and 2 teachers for grandmothers I strongly suspect she will.
My GS is much more devious and manipulative, getting what he wants with various strategies. It's fascinating watching her trying to organise him. He only cooperates when he feels like it.
I think I have called boys "bossy" but not very often. More as a single admonishment "Don't be so bossy" than a general description.

Blossoming

Ah, I think the title confused me! Yes, there is very muca double standard.

I once heard a guy at work describe me as ‘scary’. I told him he was easily frightened. Giving instructions and seeing they were carried out was part of my job.

Yeah, I’ve had the ‘scary’ thing as well. Apparently I have a look!

Probably developed from years of teaching 16-18 year olds.

She has good leadership skills. Not bossy.

Indeed Lucca. Men are meant to be natural leaders while quiet little women are meant to 'know their place' and do as they're told. Not any more, matey. We've have female prime ministers, after all.

My three year old DGS is extremely bossy, and we call it out as being bossy. Trying to encourage him to listen to other’s ideas and take others points of view into account.

Women are/were their own worst enemies. Ever read Mrs Beaton etc about making sure the kids are ready for bed and you’re looking good for when hubby comes home. Been subservient for thousands of years so going to be a long time before words are unallocated from one gender to the other. But frighteningly there are now more than 10 genders!!!!

sodapop

Hadn't really thought about this before but its definitely true. Girls are bossy whilst boys are confident and display leadership skills.
One of my school reports said "Sodapop is a born leader, unfortunately she leads her class in the wrong direction". Wish I could say I had improved

Oh those school reports eh. My first one ever said “an intelligent child with a mind of her own “. And my last one talked about my “complete lack of interest in the subject”. ( a subject I later went on to teach....)
Sorry I digress

sodapop Your post made me chuckle.

Hadn't really thought about this before but its definitely true. Girls are bossy whilst boys are confident and display leadership skills.
One of my school reports said "Sodapop is a born leader, unfortunately she leads her class in the wrong direction". Wish I could say I had improved

Ignore that. I’ve looked back and found your post.

Who?

Lucca - she might called bossy but she’s long since known to correct people! Although to be fair, this mostly happened before she started school and mostly by older people. I found people stoped saying stuff like that once she started school. Her Dad says it now and again but we both correct him.

where does a little boy get those notions about a girl not to play with cars.
and are they not challenged at nursery.

But has it been passed by Carrie NanaDH - apparently said by men to be a bossy woman?
Sorry but couldn't resist.

Sorry meant to start a new post

COVID update. Just listened to news at 10! PM states that all restrictions COULD BE lifted by Easter! Am I the only one who is not surprised?

That goodness that kind of practice doesn't happen in any of the early years settings I go into. All the early years practitioners I work with would be horrified.

Men are assertive, women are aggressive.
Girls are bossy, boys are demonstrating leadership skills.
Men speak deeply and forthrightly, women shriek.
However women nag, men control.
As you can see I haven’t given this much thought Til now but it’s an interesting subject and you’re right Lucca it needs to change.

TerriBull

No Alegrias I don't, she can still give as good as she gets and believe me she does have the upper hand in that relationship being the eldest. I just remember her as quite bolshie when she was under 5, she's not like that anymore, or not with us at least. He, my grandson is a lovely little boy and is always happy to read to me when I ask and play other games such as "Jenga" or "Cat Bingo" but has set idea along the lines of who plays with traditional male toys.

I'm going back well over 25 years as to the "kindergarten Valykeries" the woman who ran that nursery was quite unorthodox but the children were very happy with her.

I’m sorry Terri, but with these descriptions it jumps off the page how you feel about assertive girls, and seem to prefer boys. It’s one thing to prefer boys, but I think it was quite unkind to take the wind out of the sails of those little girls!

Hithere

Absent,

Exactly

100%.

Just another example of casual sexism

Weirdly, only yesterday DD was asking why I didn't question it when similar descriptions were assigned to her between the ages of 3 and 18? I did apologise.

PaperMonster

My daughter’s not bossy - she’s just demonstrating her leadership skills.

Yes but the point is she might be called bossy whereas a boy would not.

OK, thanks for replying TerriBull, I'm sure you can see where I'm coming from.