Since little girls are not supposed to be tough, much stable, kind – protection, kindness, love, care, and verbal support and interaction are given freely. This creates and ever increasing social advantage (in accceptance by society) in mental/emotional/social/verbal knowledge, skills, and many other areas. This is why girls appear to mature faster.
In addition, I feel when such differential treatment occurs over much against a young Male child (even as early as three or four) and who witnesses much more protection, love, care, and support for a Female sibling or peer, this can create more desire to escape from his gender in an effort to protect him from more aggression posed by such differential treatment.

I don’t know if it breaks down boy/girl or first/subsequent children or just is totally individual. My eldest daughter used words meaningfully at the earliest stage, but her brother was almost exactly the same. My younger daughter was a little slower to develop meaningful language, although she babbled and echolalia-d at the same times they did. She also cut her teeth slower and walked later. My eldest was focusing on your face and moving her mouth like she wanted to talk back at you at about 2 weeks! Her early sentence structure was more advanced also. Her brother, however, read and toilet trained and walked earlier. I really think it is an individual thing.

However, I do think you should surround–bathe–your child in meaningful language from birth. I used to get funny looks when I talked to my newborn and explained what I was getting at the grocery store, but I see too many people treating their babies like they are potted plants.

My grandaughter, a placid baby, has been slower to reach physical milestones than I remember my kids being, and while she speaks with meaning now (22 months), I don’t think she speaks as clearly as my kids did. I CAN, however, easily understand the name-word she has assigned to me! My grandson is very strong and has been quick with the physical milestones and I have noticed that he intently watched faces, especially mouths, from an early age. They are all just individuals, I think, with strengths and weaknesses particular to themselves.

I DO think there is frequently a difference between the maturity of a five year old boy and a five year old girl!

SO sad about John Hughes! His movies provided a soundtrack and reference point for so much of my life from about 14 into my 20s when we would come home late from going out and pop in a video of 16 Candles or Planes, Trains, and Automobiles or Breakfast Club -they’re all great and nostalgic and wonderful!

IF YOU WOULD JUST LISTEN TO ME, THEN I WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE SO BOSSY!

Yes, this is me…..motherjanegoose, I saw myself here. I apologize if I continue to sound bossy on the topics I know well. There are topics I have no idea about ( such as tanning booths this past week). The are those who know me and tell me, do not pay attention to those who make snide comments…they do not know you….just let it go….

I admit that I am not good at letting things go and worse at dealing with those who condemn the ideas I have shared continuously across the country at educational conferences. It is difficult for me to accept criticism on topics where I have previously been admired and congratulated…in that the adviSe I share is valid and really works. , I have oodles of testimonials and clients who hire me over and over. I cannot possibly post my resume on this blog…that would be ridiculous.

I will try ( my best) to realize that NONE of you here need to pay any attention to my ideas and you do not need to respect the fact that I have walked the walk and now talk the talk…due to personal experience. Some of you are kind enough to read my posts and reply…thank you.

It is a FREE country and I cannot make anyone heed my adviSe. I apologize if I have been overbearing, I am passionate about the ideas I know to be true. Maybe my delivery, on this blog, is not working.

Regarding the LOL being used frequently, this is because most folks who know me tell me they love to be in on the conversation ( with me) as there is always laughter and fun…