6 surprising things about being a girl mom
I feel like I was a little girl not that long ago, so when I ended up with a daughter of my own — and then three more after that — I figured I knew what life with little girls would be like.
It turns out that being the mom to a hoard of little girls is a far cry from being little girl yourself (much like being a parents is basically nothing like having HAD a parent).
Here are six things I didn’t expect about being a girl mom:
6 surprising things about being a girl mom
1. I spend a ridiculous amount of time doing hair
I am not doing fancy hairstyles over here – we’re talking mostly a ponytail, a pair of braids, or maybe a topknot – and still it takes forever to get all three girls looking presentable each morning. I’m so glad that Tally still has short enough hair that I can just slip a headband on and call it good (for 15 minutes before she yanks it off and drops it somewhere I’ll never find it). I’ve never been sad about being a girl mom except when I think about boy hair and just giving everyone a buzz cut.
2. Glitter is everywhere
This stuff multiples the moment I go to bed, I’m sure of it. And every mom – girl mom or boy mom – knows that glitter is impossible to get out of carpet. Or anywhere else, actually. Bart was not a fan of glitter eight year ago, and now he REALLY can’t stand glitter. It goes without saying that our girls live for anything with glitter.
3. The feelings about shoes are DEEP
I should have seen this one coming a mile away because I too am a shoe lover, but I somehow didn’t realize that all four of them – the 18 month old included – would each select a single pair of shoes that they loved with all their hearts and refuse to wear any of the other (many) pairs of shoes they own. Lose that pair of double-hand-me-down $1 flip-flops and life as you know it is over.
4. The talking NEVER stops
At swimming lessons last summer, my girls’ swim teacher smilingly informed me, “Your daughters just don’t stop talking!” And it’s true for every one of them, Tally aside. Pretty much from the moment they open their eyes to when they finally fall asleep, they are talk-talk-talking. Bart jokes that when he comes home from work, it’s just a barrage of all of us trying to talk to him at the same time, so there is a slight possibility they come by it honestly.
5. The tears – there are so many
I absolutely do not remember crying this much as a child, but now I’m too afraid to ask my own mother if there was this much crying in the three-girl household I grew up in. Our family could on, on our own, alleviate drought conditions of several good-size countries with the tears produced here on a daily basis.
6. Almost a day won’t go by without someone asking if you’re going to try for a boy
This question never bothers me, but I hope my girls never hear it and think I’m disappointed to only have girls (I am 100% not disappointed at all). I probably should have expected it, because I’m the oldest of three girls with two much younger brothers, and I heard those same comments about trying for a boy all growing up, especially with regards to how much my dad must be DYING to have a son. I always thought to myself, “He likes US! He’s not disappointed that we’re all girls.” He used to quote us that line from Anne of Green Gables, “I wouldn’t trade you for a dozen boys.” Similarly, no matter how much I love having girls, I would never assume that a mom with all boys must be just desperate for a girl or feels somehow incomplete with only sons.
I’d love to hear what things have surprised you about being a girl mom or a boy mom (even if you have both!).
Photos by Christie Knight Photography
My four boys cry a ton, too. I had no idea this would happen.
Why, kids? Why so many tears all around?!
You are so right about the talking and the tears!! I have two girls, 10 and 12 and the amount of words and noises that come out of those girls is crazy!! I have to call a quiet break every now and then to gather my own thoughts. And the tears…we should have our own lake in my backyard after all this time, once the hormones start forget it!
I need a quiet break too!
I have four children–three boys and then one girl. I still think of myself as a “boy mom,” because my daughter is only 11 months and thus hasn’t revealed to me the secrets of girl children.
I do love just shaving off my sons’ hair every month (line ’em all up and whip out that #2 guard), I’ll tell you that. My daughter shows signs of having at least some of my abundant curls, so I think the frustration my mom had doing my wild hair as a child is going to be visited upon me.
If you would like some positive sabout not having boy children, you can count yourself lucky in a few areas: 1) bathrooms–so disgusting around the toilets, 2) scatalogical humor–NEVER STOPS, and 3) random punching and wrestling–as a former little girl, I totally do not get this, but it doesn’t seem to bother them at all.
Hooray for babies that grow into awesome little girls and boys, though!
That bathroom item is so funny because my main complaint about having all girls is that I’m ALWAYS the one who has to take them to the bathroom when we’re in public.
I have all girls and this is my biggest complaint as well. In day to day life, it’s not so bad, but whenever we travel extensively, it’s exhausting.
Why is that?
Yes on the bathrooms! So gross! Our new house has a bathroom for just the boys. I swear it smells like pee no matter how often or what product I use to clean it!
That last photo!!! ?
And I have to say, I loved the bit about the tears (?) – as a mother of only two daughters ( and two sons), I can totally relate!
xoxo
So. many. tears.
Although, we had a family of all boys visit us a while ago and afterward, Bart said “I guess boys cry just as much as girls!”
I actually feel like my son cries more than my daughter and is more emotional overall! That could change though as he gets older.
As a mom of all girls, I second this list.:) Haha, SO many feelings and tears! Number 6 is especially true- for our 4th we didn’t find out the gender (so many comments from strangers!) and not that I would have been disappointed with a boy, but I was really hoping for another girl. Every set of siblings has a special dynamic and I’m grateful for what our girls currently have.
I have 4 boys and definitely heard the “are you going to try for a girl” thing all the time. Our 5th was a girl and because of medical reasons we couldn’t have any more. I had so many people assume that we stopped because we “finally got that girl!” I always tell my husband that if we had to have 4 of something it’s a good thing it was boys! I don’t think I could handle 4 girls!
Ha! Four of anything is a lot, I think!
I have one of each. The thing that has surprised me the most about being a boy mom, having grown up in a house of 6 girls, is that some of the gender stuff really is innate. For example, being a drama llama about getting sick or not being able to find things that are right in front of him. The thing that surprised me about being a girl mom was how un-“girly” she could be. No doing hair, love of shoes or glitter here. My girl even ikes to wear all boys clothes, including underwear and bathing suits just because “they’re more comfortable” (can’t really argue that point!). Yet, she is still very into her baby dolls and Barbies. Go figure!
This is so fun to hear! (And I’ve never heard the term “drama llama” but I’m stealing it immediately).
I hear you on the shoes! I just picked up new Frozen t-shirts for my two girls, and a pair of kitten shoes for each. I thought they’d be over the moon about the shirts, but nope – they really just wanted the shoes!! (They had the same shoes last year and wore them to death – I should have known)
Ha! Glad it’s not just our family.
I grew up in a family of 6 girls and my dad always told everyone when they asked if he wished he had a boy that he always wanted all girls! Who knows how true that is but it always helped me feel loved!
What a great dad!
I’m from a family of 6 girls, no boys too!
As a mom of 6, three girls and three boys I can say that I experience these from all the kids regardless of gender! Except the thing people ask me in public is if we’re having more. It’s none of their business!
One thing though, just because you have all girls I hope you won’t let that separate you from other moms. Kids are hard and good and challenging no matter what gender or number you have and I wish moms would bond together more instead of finding things to divide or categorize ourselves.
Great list! I don’t hear the specific question about having a boy, but we definitely get the “when are you going to have another” question all the time. We’ve managed to avoid the glitter so far, but I can’t say the same for stickers. I’m not looking forward to the glitter…
I have 5 sisters, no brothers, and my sisters and I all heard the “I feel so bad for your Dad!” comment SO MANY TIMES. I always replied with some version of “I don’t, he loves us!”. I’m sure my Mom would agree with you on the having to take all of us to the bathroom on family trips, and even shuffle us all through the showers when camping. Hahaha, there were benefits to my Dad only having daughters. And now he has 6 sons-in-laws and 8 grandsons so it all balanced out eventually!
I have two sons myself and it’s amazing to me how everything can be a gun and there is so much bathroom humor, as much as I try to stop both! I would like a girl too but with our boys both being adopted and not knowing if we’ll be able to get another, either gender, I think I’ll feel pretty lucky to get a #3 regardless. But still, I would like a girl.
This post is just the sweetest! I’m one of 5 girls (no boys) and I can’t even remember my parents ever being asked if they were going to try for a boy. I’m sure it happened but I think it was such a non-issue to my parents that I never even noticed it. I don’t remember hearing them talk about it at all. What I do remember is my dad always saying how lucky he was to have his 5 girls to hang out with! 🙂 I like to think that anything he could have done with a son, he did with us.
Something surprising to me is that after I had my first baby ( a boy), I was constantly asked if we were going to try for a girl. I guess maybe that’s just what people like to ask about?
I too have 4 girls and I never knew how much toilet paper we would go through. I feel like I’m always replacing the empty roll.
HA! That’s hilarious.
I love seeing how much my husband adores his daughters. totally melts my heart. And ELla carrying the baby! The sweetest photo
I came from a family of 5 girls and 1 boy and have 3 girls and no boys myself. I was pretty prepared for the emotions, the talking and noise and all the time it takes to get all that hair done, but I was surprised by how quickly I got sick of the color pink!
I think the most surprising thing to me is how much those stereotypes are really just that – stereotypes. I’ve found way more differences because of kid personality than I have because of gender. My most emotional, prone-to-tears is a boy, and k is the most flexible with shoes of the bunch. ??♀️ I DO spend way more time on her hair, though! ?
I had three girls and when I announced I was expecting my 4th, of course the comments starting coming: “are you hoping for a boy this time?” I never realized what a stupid question this was when I was the one asking it… Now I know better. When I found out he WAS in fact a boy, then everyone said, “you finally got your boy!” *sigh* Why is this a thing? Even gendered families? Like someone is missing out if they only have boys OR girls? I just smiled and nodded, because how do you explain this to someone who’s been been in this situation? And what would be the point anyhow? Let them think what they will. The truth is, I absolutely ADORE my little boy. Although at first I honestly wasn’t sure I would love a little boy as much as I loved my girls–Boy was I wrong, haha! And if the baby had been a girl I’m pretty sure I would have adored her just as much.
I have 3 girls and 1 boy, and he’s the youngest. When I was pregnant with him, my friend’s young son (who has an older sister) exclaimed, “He’s going to have four moms!” That has proved to be pretty accurate ?.
This is amazing! I laughed out loud.
Your girls are adorable!!!
Thank you!
I grew up in a family of eight kids, and it was an even split—four boys, four girls, pretty evenly distributed down the line. I think that dynamic of both was so fun and actually led to us giving up some of the gender stereotypes because we were each other’s playmates from a very young age. My husband and I just had our first (a girl) and although it’s certainly a possibility, I honestly can’t fathom not having boys AND girls! My siblings were such an important part of my life growing up (and still are even though all but the last two are grown & flown), and I’d love for my kids to have the same experience.
The hair thing is a real issue. ? When my oldest decided she wanted short hair, I was all on board because it limited the amount of hair styling I needed to do on a daily basis. Then her younger sister got wise to the plan and also cut her hair short. Now just my middle one has long hair that requires styling, but it’s fun in just a small batch.
I have three girls (ages 17,14 and 7) and I’m living that as my oldest is starting to transition into adulthood, and my role is parent is evolving, a close friendship bond is emerging. I love it so much. I’ve also been asked about having a boy for many years now, but I just tell people that I plan on having three sons one day, but I’ll get them with fully formed brains and my daughters will be responsible for them. I can’t wait!
I’m an all girl mom, too, and absolutely love it! You summed it up perfectly! I do, however, get annoyed when people ask when (not if!) we’re trying for a boy. I started responding that I’d be thrilled with all girls…because I really would be!
The hair! Yes, that struggle is so real for non fancy hair dos! All our visitors laugh because I keep a wet brush and extra rubber bands in the kitchen junk drawer, in the car and in every single bathroom in the house. It really does make my life easier so I don’t have a line up every morning after they get dressed… I just catch each one when they hold still long enough wherever that may be.
I always love it when people tell me that my house is GOING to be crazy in a few years when I have 4 girl teenagers…. because I like to let them know that tears and feelings don’t kick in with hormones. My house is crazy today. And has been for – how old is Emery? – oh, 10 years! Wowsers we have a lots of tears over here. Glad we aren’t alone.
My girls are always talking and always singing!! I’m used to it now, but people are always commenting on it when we’re out all together!
That they too pee everywhere and will play in the mud!!!
Oh, wow – for some reason I has always assumed that Merrick was the oldest. Now I’m curious to the age spacing of you and your siblings. I’ve got three girls (aged 9, 6, 15 months) … I’ll admit that I was a teensy disappointed that I didn’t get a boy in the mix. I had really looked forward to being a baseball mom (girls’ softball just isn’t the same).
I’m 22 months older than Merrick and she’s 24 months older than Landen. Landen is 7 years older than Crawford who is 15 months older than Shepard!
We have 2 girls and just found out today that we are having a third girl. I love having my girls and know they will love another little sister. But I just get a bit tired of comments like dont you wish you had a boy. Even third one ended up being a girl. I hope and pray that my girls never hear those comments and I hope they always know mommy and daddy love them too much