Your little girl has come back from school and she’s furious. She’s been told that boys are stronger than girls, and that she should stick to drawing pretty pictures. Understandably, that’s got your blood boiling too. It’s got you thinking - Why are there different standards for boys and girls? Does a child’s gender actually affect their learning style?

We want to discuss the physical differences between boys and girls, and how that has had a hand in shaping our perceptions and expectations of them in their early years. Then, we’ll go through some strategies for helping make life easier for you and your child, depending on their gender.

So let’s have a look at why these perceptions arise, and if there is any biological basis for these differences.

Why are there differences between boys and girls?

The main differences in development can be traced back to the womb, even before birth! A male fetus will experience a huge surge of testosterone between 7 to 16 weeks, which will affect the development of both the boy's genitals and brain. They will experience another surge after birth, till around 6 months, then it falls to about the same level as girls. That’s a lot of development in such a short amount of time!

Now that we know the roots of these changes, let’s examine the impact of these biological differences.

What are the results of these hormonal changes?

These differences can lead to changes in the development of each gender. It is important to acknowledge that societal and cultural expectations play a big role in shaping behaviour, but a lot of these differences go back to evolutionary roots. For instance, boys show a faster development of visual-spatial awareness. This might stem from the tradition of being a hunter-gatherer, always on the lookout for prey and predator alike! Similarly, girls show a greater sensitivity to reading facial expressions and eye gaze, due to evolutionary roots.

How do these changes affect a child’s development?

In early years and school settings, we see a massive difference between how boys and girls are perceived. In primary schools, an overwhelming number of teachers are female. Whilst this means that there are great role models for girls at a young age, it is harder to say the same for boys. Family members aside, most boys do not encounter a major male role model until secondary school. If a boy is growing up without a father, this means that he will not have a positive male influence until around age 11. This can really impact a boy’s early years, since he may lack someone to show him what he can aspire to be!

Boys' language and literacy skills have been shown to develop at least six months behind girls. Coupled with modern teaching, monitoring handwriting and reading from an early age, this leads to a perception that girls are more successful than boys academically.

But as long as you acknowledge these inherent differences, you can temper your expectations, and not put any unnecessary pressure on your boy if he’s not at the top of his class at age 3!

In terms of expression and communication, girls are normally presented as more emotive and expressive. But it is believed that this is simply because of societal norms perceiving girls as more open. In reality, boys show similar amounts of emotion at preschool age, even though they may express it differently.

Although some see these differences as competitive, this is simply not the case! Neither gender is superior, they simply both bring complimentary skills to the weird experience that we call life!

Once parents and teachers acknowledge these differences, only then can we expect to see improvements in how we accommodate the genders.

So, now that we know about these differences, let’s look at some strategies we can use to guide your child through their early years, depending on gender.

What strategies can I use to help guide my child through these differences?

If your child is a boy, consider looking at the staff in a prospective school/preschool. A male teacher would be a great influence on your child, since young boys often look to adults of the same gender as role models. Don’t be afraid to call or email the school to find out! Taking the initiative will work wonders for your child down the line.

Be aware of what your child’s sex typically excels at. The important thing is to not put undue pressure on your child. If your son isn’t at the top of the class, it’s most likely that the girls are developing their academic skills earlier, so you don’t need to push revision on him to catch up. He will develop in his own time.

On the other hand, if your girl is perceived as smart, it might just be due to her early development. If the rest of the class starts catching up, she hasn’t suddenly lost her academic drive, it’s just time allowing for different children to catch up to the teaching standard.

Does my child’s gender influence how they learn?

Unii looks at whether boys and girls learn differently. Take our Learning to Cycle Journey.