Boys vs Girls

Having worked my way through 2 chapters of "Bringing Up Boys", I'm now at Chapter 3 which talks about the biological and neurogical differences between boys and girls. (In case you're thinking 'What! Only Chapter 3! That's pretty slow reading, isn't it'... Let me just say I prefer to think myself as a 'detailed' reader :)).
Here's an excerpt of a few paras which I thought was quite interesting. (Italics my own)

Start Quote>> We have considered 3 critical components of male neurophysiology: testosterone (hormone largely responsible for maleness - males have more), serotonin (hormone which pacifies or soothes the emotions - males have less) and amygdala (not the princess in Star Wars but a portion of the brain which orders the adrenal glands and other defensive organs to swing into action when threats are perceived by the brain). Together, they determine what it means to be masculine and why boys are a "breed apart." Having considered what might be viewed as the downside of these features (males can be aggressive, impulsive, risk-loving, yadda yadda... characteristics which lead to greater violence), I must hasten to say that boys and men have their share of neurogical advantages too. Because of the specialization of their brains, males are typically better than females at maths, science, spatial relations, logic, and reasoning. It is also interesting that males are more responsive to stories than women. When males get together, they share experiences that convey emotional meaning to them, whereas women almost never do this. Women talk more openly about their feelings rather than playing the games called "Can you top this?". In short, the sexes are very very different in ways that may never be fully understood.
How about it then? Is masculinity good or bad? right or wrong? Are the boys biologically defective? At first blush, it would appear that girls have all the right stuff. On average, they make fewer mistakes, take fewer risks, are better students, are more thoughtful of others, and are less impulsive than boys. Was testosterone one of God's great mistakes? Would it be better if boys were more like girls and if men were more like women? Should men be feminized, emasculated, and "wimplified"? Most certainly not. First, because it contradicts masculine nature and will never succeed, and second, because the sexes were carefully designed by the Creator to balance one another's weakness and meet one another's needs. Their differences didn't result from an evolutionary error, as it is commonly assumed today. Each sex has a uniqe purpose in the great scheme of things.
How incredibly creative of God to put a different form of dominance in each sex so that there is a balance the two. When they come together in marriage to form what Scripture calls "one flesh", they complement and supplement one another. Wouldn't it be boring if men and women were identical?...
...I talked to a couple, they said that he was the "pedal" and she was the "brake"...My father and mother disagreed on everything, fortunately, they used their differing perspective to advantage, as Dad said, "Any proposal that gets past both of us must be pretty good."...
That brings us back to our understanding of boys. Remember that they are men-in-training. Their aggressive nature is designed for a purpose. It prepares them for the "provision and protection" roles to come. That assertiveness also builds culture when properly channeled. I urge you as parents not to resent or try to eliminate the aggressive and excitable nature that can be so irritating. That temperament is part of a divine plan. Celebrate it. Enjoy it. Thank God for it. Buy also understand that it needs to be shaped, molded, and "civilized." << End Quote.

As it is, Gen and I have already noticed the aggressive nature in Caleb. When excited, he can charge on all fours from one end of the room to another, complete with war cry and all, and sometimes even with eyes closed as he tries to gain additional speed. He can be very determined to get what he wants and spares none trying to get his message across. It is quite clear that he is "all boy" and it is comforting to know that we need not be overly concerned about "taming" his aggressiveness, but that we should help channel it correctly. Hope this is an encouragement for all "boy" parents :).