Does your girls-school high schooler interact at all with boys (or even date/have a boyfriend?)

[Anonymous]

My daughter is at NCS (she chose a girls school).
Obviously we knew this meant limited exposure to boys. However, I'm now wondering if she will ever talk to boys.
There were a few in her art class this year but that's about it.
My understanding is that there are a few girls (a half dozen max?) in the grade who go to parties with boys or hang out drinking with boys (and have for several years) but that's about it.
My daughter and her friends are lovely, athletic, outgoing, etc.
Her life is turning out to be very different than mine was at her age. I'm just wondering what others are experiencing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is at NCS (she chose a girls school).
Obviously we knew this meant limited exposure to boys. However, I'm now wondering if she will ever talk to boys.
There were a few in her art class this year but that's about it.
My understanding is that there are a few girls (a half dozen max?) in the grade who go to parties with boys or hang out drinking with boys (and have for several years) but that's about it.
My daughter and her friends are lovely, athletic, outgoing, etc.
Her life is turning out to be very different than mine was at her age. I'm just wondering what others are experiencing.

My daughter (high school) is also at an all-girls school. She's thriving, has made some really great friends (she didn't know almost anyone there when she started in 9th grade), is doing well in school and overall having fun. She goes out mostly with her girl friends (movies, ice skating, hanging out, etc.) and I know sometimes they meet up and hang out with boys there -- I think most of them are friends of friends, boys some of the girls know from church, the neighborhood, etc. And of course, there's texting/talking to boys (more than I would like - screen time always being something we try to limit).

So, in my experience, girls and boys are always going to find a way to talk, meet up, etc. My daughter also has three brothers, so she gets plenty of boys around the house!

Taking stock of the experience of being father to a teenage daughter, I can tell you that if she had zero boys in her life I would lose zero sleep over it. I know that there's always going to be plenty of time for that later, and it's nice to see her enjoying her friendships, trying new sports, and doing other things she might not do if she were inhibited by going to school with boys.

As for my boys, one goes to an all-boys school and two of them go to co-ed schools. I haven't really noticed much difference in terms of the time they spend with girls (outside of school, of course).

[Anonymous]

My NCS student has a boyfriend and hangs out with him a lot.

[Anonymous]

My DS went to an all boys school for 9th grade. With the exception of homecoming, he didn't hang out in person with a girl all year. It concerns me a little, but he hasn't seemed to notice/mind. He's too busy with school and sports and is a bit immature. But I also wonder how this is going to play out.

[Anonymous]

I went to an all girls high school. There are plenty of dances, football/basketball/hockey games, theater/plays etc. to meet people. Have her try going or participating in some of those activities. I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

[Anonymous]

FYI: Most of the girls I know from co-ed schools are dating boys from other schools. In fact, every one of the HS kids I hear about (from parent friends or from my kids) that have a girlfriend/boyfriend met via social media. This includes kids from public and co-ed private schools.

[Anonymous]

To be clear - that wasn't meant to say all the girls have boyfriends..... it's that the girls that have boyfriends don't date boys from their school and met them online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI: Most of the girls I know from co-ed schools are dating boys from other schools. In fact, every one of the HS kids I hear about (from parent friends or from my kids) that have a girlfriend/boyfriend met via social media. This includes kids from public and co-ed private schools.

Our daughter dates someone from summer camp a year ago.
Her WDC coed private school is too much a fishbowl to date come 9th grade; she has hilarious stories of group work over the years and little interest in dating some characters. Plus have are openly experimenting with gender and orientations so peers feel like guinea pigs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is at NCS (she chose a girls school).
Obviously we knew this meant limited exposure to boys. However, I'm now wondering if she will ever talk to boys.
There were a few in her art class this year but that's about it.
My understanding is that there are a few girls (a half dozen max?) in the grade who go to parties with boys or hang out drinking with boys (and have for several years) but that's about it.
My daughter and her friends are lovely, athletic, outgoing, etc.
Her life is turning out to be very different than mine was at her age. I'm just wondering what others are experiencing.

You quote about girls drinking with boys is clearly a swipe. Many girls are friends or dating boys without drinking etc.

[Anonymous]

My DD attends an all-girls school and I completely hear what you are saying. The forced interactions with boys' schools are awkward for everyone. Her activities aren't boy centered, but, this summer, she is in a situation in which she is working with a few boys, and she actually engages with them. I don't mean to sound sarcastic; I really wasn't sure how she would interact with boys or if she had the social skills to engage in a conversation. She and her co-workers have common interests and it's really great to see her developing friendships. What I worry about is that girls don't develop friendships with boys and see each boy as a potential date vs. the other way around. Thankfully, my daughter has decided she's too busy to date (at least for now).

In short, to answer your question, during the school year, no interaction with boys. In summer, yes, and she can do so with ease. And she likes it this way. We have two kids. Our other one (a boy) is obsessed with girls and it is very nerve-wrecking. I now appreciate the limited social interaction with our daughter, and, at the end of the summer, I'm delighted that our daughter will have a couple of new "boy" friends.

[Anonymous]

I would have zero concerns. So much time for this in life. DS is at an all boy school and texts regularly with girls. No dating yet but just turned 16 so I view that as a good thing.

[Anonymous]

I went to an all girls school and the lack of experience with boys wasn’t ideal for me. There are definitely benefits - and for some, the lack of boy distraction in high school was definitely a good thing - but personally I felt like it set me back when it came to adult relationships.

I did interact with boys through awkward dances (the worst), a summer job, friends boyfriends, and some extracurriculars but not normal day to day interactions or any starter relationships (other than making out with random boys at model in dances 🙄). That’s just my personal experience though - for others, it was a non-issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to an all girls school and the lack of experience with boys wasn’t ideal for me. There are definitely benefits - and for some, the lack of boy distraction in high school was definitely a good thing - but personally I felt like it set me back when it came to adult relationships.

I did interact with boys through awkward dances (the worst), a summer job, friends boyfriends, and some extracurriculars but not normal day to day interactions or any starter relationships (other than making out with random boys at model in dances 🙄). That’s just my personal experience though - for others, it was a non-issue.

Yep agree. Parents never understand this. This is a developmental time and no interaction can hurt. It will vary based on the individual, their connections outside the school, etc. We had a brother school but you never really got to know anyone over there.

[Anonymous]

Being in a single sex school is a great time to develop and explore, including one’s own sexuality. Let’s drop the leave it to beaver fantasies of a boy coming to court your daughter. Same sex is where it’s at, and we just may save our planet by encouraging its exploration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being in a single sex school is a great time to develop and explore, including one’s own sexuality. Let’s drop the leave it to beaver fantasies of a boy coming to court your daughter. Same sex is where it’s at, and we just may save our planet by encouraging its exploration.

Obvious troll is obvious.