Why do parents sign their sons and daughters up for different activities?

[Anonymous]

I was talking to another parent recently, and she mentioned that because I have 2 daughters, they can do the same activities. But she has a boy and a girl, so they're signed up for completely different sports. Her son doesn't even like one of the sports he's in.

Why is that? Are boys and girls interested in different things, or do parents tend to not want to sign their sons up for dance, gymnastics, cheer, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t happen in my house and I have G/G twins plus a boy.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the girls don’t want to play baseball and football.

[Anonymous]

We put them in similar activities but with time they developed different interests. I think friends and exposure influenced few choices but others were personal choices.

[Anonymous]

What does it matter if they are different ages and levels anyway? It doesn’t mean practices and games would be at the same time and place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the girls don’t want to play baseball and football.

Some do, some don't, same goes for boys though more boys are interested because they are exposed by their parents or saw other boys playing. More girls get interested in gymnastics, music or doll playing as they see other girls doing these.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the girls don’t want to play baseball and football.

Some do, some don't, same goes for boys though more boys are interested because they are exposed by their parents or saw other boys playing. More girls get interested in gymnastics, music or doll playing as they see other girls doing these.

Then it should be obvious why parents don’t sign the kids up for same activities.

[Anonymous]

We put the kids in activities they choose to participate in. From a young age, boy, basketball and soccer (although he tried baseball twice, in 1st and 4th), for a girl, dance and soccer. Always their choices, not mine. Although I did veto ice hockey at a very young age, because while at ice skating lessons I saw the amount of gear they had and thought no way!

[Anonymous]

My son and stepson had zero interest in ballet or gymnastics. My daughter and stepDD had zero interest in karate or soccer.

[Anonymous]

My boys are both in ballet

[Anonymous]

I have two boys and they are in completely different activities.

[Anonymous]

Because different kids have different interests.

[Anonymous]

I have two girls. One in damce and one in karate.

[Anonymous]

My kids asked for different activities. I offered each what the other had but she didn't want karate and basketball, and he didn't want track and art. I never pushed anything - just offered what we knew of or looked into what they asked for.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's gender based unless the boy wants to play football or hockey which are not usually offered for girls. And boys sometimes aren't interested in things like dance.