My son is starting 5th grade and definitely interested in girls. He asked me when he’s allowed to start dating. I’d say a few of his friends talk about cute girls and most have zero interest. The same seems true when we see girls in public. Some speak to the boys and giggle, some say hi and many are still disgusted and ignore.

Anonymous wrote:My best friend's daughter was talking about boys and practicing kissing in the mirror when she was in kindergarten. She's 11 now and it has only intensified.

My daughter (also 11) is irritated that she can't play Fortnight with guys from her class without the other kids singing about sittin' in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

If I had to generalize, I'd say in 6th grade, most girls are still annoyed by most boys.

Most girls are still annoyed by most boys, but they still have someone they like.

Anonymous wrote:The boys are a bit later than the girls in this respect, right? A few of my DS’s friends have crushes, but most just aren’t there yet. They’re in 7th grade. Then again, I’m not sure the girls are there yet, either. At the pool this summer, girls stuck with girls and boys stuck with boys. I remember more mixing when I wa that age.

I'm a middle school teacher and I can tell you that by 6th grade they all are developing crushes.

Anonymous wrote:I think this generation has much more variety on this than when I was a kid in the 70s. I always liked boys, but I grew up w/ Barbie and Ken and princesses needing princes. My kids (14 & 12) have no interest in boys. None. Love it! They are passionate about math, music, literature, cooking, dance and theatre. I'll take that over boys any day!

Don't be too sure of that. I think it's safer to assume they do have crushes on boys, but don't feel comfortable talking to you about it. Really, most kids this age don't like discussing their crushes with their parents.

I would say she started having crushes on boys in pre-school, but she started talking about wanting to have a boyfriend at the age of 12. She's 14 and she hasn't had one yet.

My best friend's daughter was talking about boys and practicing kissing in the mirror when she was in kindergarten. She's 11 now and it has only intensified.

My daughter (also 11) is irritated that she can't play Fortnight with guys from her class without the other kids singing about sittin' in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

If I had to generalize, I'd say in 6th grade, most girls are still annoyed by most boys.

The boys are a bit later than the girls in this respect, right? A few of my DS’s friends have crushes, but most just aren’t there yet. They’re in 7th grade. Then again, I’m not sure the girls are there yet, either. At the pool this summer, girls stuck with girls and boys stuck with boys. I remember more mixing when I wa that age.

I’m fine with a longer childhood and delayed interest in romance. Too many MS girls getting caught up in intra-girl drama and sexting popular boys.

Anonymous wrote:I think this generation has much more variety on this than when I was a kid in the 70s. I always liked boys, but I grew up w/ Barbie and Ken and princesses needing princes. My kids (14 & 12) have no interest in boys. None. Love it! They are passionate about math, music, literature, cooking, dance and theatre. I'll take that over boys any day!

Yep, our generation was much quicker to grow up. Kids now are allowed to have a longer childhood.

Mine got interested in boys around 14. She tried to be interested around 13, when most of her friends had been seriously interested for a while, but it didn't "take" until 14. Now at 15 and 16, it seems like they can take or leave them. 12/13 seemed to be the "must have a boyfriend!" stage for the kids who were into that.

I think this generation has much more variety on this than when I was a kid in the 70s. I always liked boys, but I grew up w/ Barbie and Ken and princesses needing princes. My kids (14 & 12) have no interest in boys. None. Love it! They are passionate about math, music, literature, cooking, dance and theatre. I'll take that over boys any day!

Boy crazy 13 yr old girl.
Clueless 12 year old boy, but he is interested.

My 16 year old daughter is a late bloomer. Just now starting to be interested in boys, but doesn't do much about it. Thank you, all girls school.

I have a seven-year-old girl who tells me which boys she hopes to marry (she can’t decide between two of them) and who she wants to kiss (apparently not somebody she hopes to marry).

She’s so young it’s hard to take seriously, except I have a feeling her teenage years are going to be tough!!

I have a 13 yr old son who is clueless about girls. He is a late bloomer but that's fine with me!