Hi
Bit of background - I have a son and a daughter, both go to mixed schools. That is, a school with girls and boys in the class.
My son in a scout group. There has been a big push in recent years to bring girls into the scout group. My daughter is in the Girl Guides. There has been no push to bring boys in.
My son was in an all boys group, but for several reasons I recently moved him to a different scout group. I knew the leader of the new group, nice guy but I never asked if he had girls in the group. And it was so obvious to him that he never mentioned it. So I didn't realise until the first night I brought my son and his friend.
After the meeting I asked him how he got on, and he seemed just ok about it. But I know its hard joining any new group of people, I thought it would get better. Now 4 weeks later, he doesn't want to go any more. Not a particular problem with anyone, he just doesn't want to be in a group with girls. He'd rather find a different group, one with boys only in it.
He gets on well with the girls in his school, so its not a problem with girls in general. But more he just wants man time I guess.
I'm not sure what to make of it. If my daughter said she didn't want boys in her group, I'd smile and say of course you don't. But society, and probably myself as well, seem to have a problem with boy only groups.
So now I've got to decide if I make him keep going. Or move him to a different group.
But it leads to a more general question - should boys have time where "boys will be boys". Or should we be moving past those times?
I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, just interested in others thoughts on this.
Bit of background - I have a son and a daughter, both go to mixed schools. That is, a school with girls and boys in the class.
My son in a scout group. There has been a big push in recent years to bring girls into the scout group. My daughter is in the Girl Guides. There has been no push to bring boys in.
My son was in an all boys group, but for several reasons I recently moved him to a different scout group. I knew the leader of the new group, nice guy but I never asked if he had girls in the group. And it was so obvious to him that he never mentioned it. So I didn't realise until the first night I brought my son and his friend.
After the meeting I asked him how he got on, and he seemed just ok about it. But I know its hard joining any new group of people, I thought it would get better. Now 4 weeks later, he doesn't want to go any more. Not a particular problem with anyone, he just doesn't want to be in a group with girls. He'd rather find a different group, one with boys only in it.
He gets on well with the girls in his school, so its not a problem with girls in general. But more he just wants man time I guess.
I'm not sure what to make of it. If my daughter said she didn't want boys in her group, I'd smile and say of course you don't. But society, and probably myself as well, seem to have a problem with boy only groups.
So now I've got to decide if I make him keep going. Or move him to a different group.
But it leads to a more general question - should boys have time where "boys will be boys". Or should we be moving past those times?
I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, just interested in others thoughts on this.