The difference between boys and girls.

I took my two kids out on their bikes to explore the woods. My eldest is a girl and my youngest a boy. They are 9 and 5 respectively. We hadn't been in these woods before so we were not sure what we would encounter. Both were up for the challenge; to boldly go where no Vogue had gone before. 

We saddled up and with health and safety in mind donned our cycle helmets and headed into the woods...

 

Our first obstacle was a narrow path lined with brambles and nettles. I led the way trying to clear a path for the other two to follow. Once through the path opened up into a large bridle way. This would have been fine but for the sharp incline. I ignored the protests and cycled onwards. When I reached the brow of the hill I shouted encouragement back and watched as they struggled up the path. Once they reached me we had a choice, left up another hill and onwards to further adventure or right down the hill and returning home.

 

My daughter had already, after 15 minutes, decided that enough was enough and wanted to return home. My son, although on a much smaller fixed geared bike wanted to go on. One vote each, the decider was mine, I chose adventure and we carried on deeper into the woods.

 

There was now much moaning about the steepness of the path but as we reached the top we were once again thwarted by a narrow path, this one way too narrow to cycle through. I decided to push the bikes through and once again I led to widen the way. I was three quarters of the way through when I heard a scream from behind and a cry for help. My daughter had been caught by a bramble. It had lightly scratched her leg, not drawing blood.

My son told her this, he told her to carry on that there wasn't even any blood to be seen.

 

Eventually we got through and I thought that it might be better if we headed home. A big path led down through the woods in the right direction and off we went. Momentarily I heard another scream and I looked behind me and my daughter had crashed her bike. She was in hysterics, apparently the crash hurt. I believed her and calmed her down examined the scrape on her leg and fixed her chain. After a few minutes she had calmed down enough to carry on. She cycled on ahead and my son and I followed. The path was steep and bumpy and then another accident. My son went right over the handlebars after awkwardly hitting a tree root. It was a nasty crash and he scraped his arm. His reaction? He picked up his bike, congratulated himself on an epic crash, claimed it didn't hurt and carried on.

 

The difference in reactions between girl and boy was stark.

 

Nature or nurture?

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