It’s amazing to me the extent to which gender traits are innate. Obviously, there a people that fall at different places on the spectrum of what is considered boy traits and what are considered girl traits. Despite efforts to keep things gender neutral and not sway kids toward gender dominated activities/toys, children are just drawn toward the toys that are marketed toward their gender.
I was playing dinosaurs with Ben - of course they were wrestling and having a great dino battle. After the match was over, Katie pick up the dinosaurs and pretended that one was the mommy and one was the baby. Yesterday we all were playing downstairs. Ben was playing with his Rescue Hereos when Zoe came over to apply pretend makeup to the action figures. Of course, she had them looking fabulous for their next rescue mission.
It is truely amazing. The girls can be occupied by just crushing their hair and trying out different hair accessories. Ben could care less if his hair was ever brushed.
Of course, they do all play together. They all love playing store. However, the girls spend quite a bit of time getting their babies ready to go shopping. Ben is more interested in making sure they have money before they come to his store (If he is cashier).
It’s just like the old saying “boys will be boys” and (I would like to add) “girls will be girls”.