Chromosomal Values
Clearly, my son has both gender chromosomes. I know this theoretically thanks to my 8th grade science teacher, Mr O’Connor. But I have recently been able to see it for myself as well.
First, the Y:
“Mommy, which weapons can I bring to school?”
(Now, don’t go judging me to be a pistol-packing mama. Our son, despite the fact that we didn’t introduce him to guns, either in toys or in movies, Reed managed to turn everything — a broom, a stick, a playing card, a chicken leg — into a weapon. As a toddler, he had all of his older sister’s babies to play with, but still he would rather form carpet lint into a “shooter.” I’m convinced this behavior is hard-wired into that Y ‘zome.)
“Honey, they don’t allow weapons at school.”
“How about I leave my guns at home and bring just swords.”
“No, Sweetie. Schools don’t let you bring guns or swords.”
“Can I bring my light sabers? Just one?”
“No, Honey. Sorry.”
“OK. But school doesn’t sound like much fun. When I come home will you sword fight with me?”
“Sure.”
“Yay, Mommy!”
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Now the X.
Reed and two friends are playing in the cul-de-sac as I sit on our front step one sunny winter day. I see the three of them begin to congregate in the middle of the circle.
“I’m gonna kill it with my gun!” says Will as he rushes in bearing a plastic rifle.
“Let me run over it!” cries Evan, barreling over in his wheelchair.
“NO!” shrieks my son. “Don’t kill the roly-poly!” And he puts his body in the way of the poor creature’s would-be tormentors.
That is one balanced boy. My boy.
In what ways does your son and/or daughter show both X and Y tendencies? Or extreme characteristics of just one chromosome?
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That’s funny! My little girl likes a variety of activities, but she’s definitely a “girl.”
Case in point…I’ll never forget the day she said she wanted to play cars with one of our friends. He got out his car collection to show her. He then got very upset with her when she named them, gave them all shrill-voices, and then put them in very girlie situations.
“This is the Momma Car! And, look! This is the Baby Car!” Claire said, as she snuggled them all together into a makeshift bed.
“That’s NOT a Momma Car! That’s NOT a Baby Car! Those are RACE Cars!!” yelled the rather unamused 5-year old boy.
I guess you had to be there…it was hilarious.
CP — that’s priceless!
We let our son play with swords. No really. 2-3 times a week, he attends fencing classes — and loves them! When we tossed around the idea of enrolling him in fencing classes his eyes lit up and he looked at us with complete amazement as the thought that his parents would actually ENCOURAGE him to play with sharp objects. He loves fencing and it definately lets him express his Y’zome.
As for the X. Somewhere between watching Spongebob and Clone Wars, he saw an infomercial about starving kids in Mexico, became teary-eyed and decided that to help save the children, we must buy pottery…made in Mexico. That’s my boy!
It’s funny because my kids are the opposite of what I had expected girls and boys to be. My daughter is aggressive and fearless, while my little guy is snuggly and sweet. Of course, age and a little things called testosterone and estrogen will change that!
Great post, Lori! I’ve been working up a post along this vein of thought. Sometimes I find it hard to parent my son because of the X factor. I need to remember it’s there!!