One of my pet parenting peeves is the way some people make a big deal about raising baby boys vs baby girls.

I only have Sonny Jim, but I can’t imagine I’d be doing anything much different if I’d had a daughter.

Admittedly there may have been a few more bows and frills knocking around our house (I am bit partial to them myself!) but surely the core values you teach any child – be they boy or girl – are the same?

Be kind. Don’t snatch. Be gentle. Share.

In as far as under two-year-olds can have best buddies, Sonny Jim’s is Emily.

They’ve been around each other since they were bumps – thanks to their parents meeting at an NCT class.

Now the pair of them are toddlers teaming with energy (seriously how ARE they always SO full of beans?! They’re like blooming real life Duracell bunnies) and there’s still no need to treat them any differently.

In fact, if anything, they defy the gender stereotypes. Emily is so much more adventurous than my boy. The first time they went on a bouncy castle Emily threw herself into it – and Sonny Jim stayed at the edge, looking at Emily and saying “oh, oh” in concern.

When we took them to the beach Emily was straight in the sea, splashing away. Sonny Jim needed soo much encouraging to even get his toes wet. And that’s just fine.

Personally I think it’s just as important that we raise our boys to be feminists, as it is that we raise girls to believe their opportunities are not limited by their sex.

That it’s just as essential our sons learn to be compassionate and to express their emotions, as it is for our daughters to be comfortable doing that.

There is something so wrong in discouraging boys from liking pretty things while telling girls they are pretty. Boy or girl, surely all we want is for our children to anything they want to be?