Why my daughter is not a tomboy

Eliza is 2. She likes to run, climb everything she can (and all the things she shouldn’t). She likes to blow bubbles, play on swings and slides, push dollies in buggies, play with cars and dinosaurs. She likes cuddles, stories, biscuits and CBeebies. 

She is 2. 

Everywhere we go, she grabs peoples attention – because she chats, she sings and she interacts. And everywhere we go, she gets called a tomboy. 

This is partly because she likes to get stuck in, and partly because I rarely dress her in pink and frills. It just doesn’t suit her colouring or her personality. She suits blues, greens, reds and yellows. She doesn’t like frills and ribbons which get int the way of her exploring. 

I choose clothes that suit her, are comfortable for her to run around in, and that I like. Because, lets face it, this age is the only time you can get away with choosing their clothes. As soon as they start school and get an opinion, they want to choose their own style – which is fine. But I intend to make the most of this time where I can choose what pleases me. 

Does all of this make her a tomboy? I don’t think so. I don’t even know what that phrase is really supposed to mean nowadays.

A girl who likes to roll down hills, climb trees and make mud pies? A girl who rocks dungarees, trainers and baseball caps? A girl who plays with scooters, bikes and skateboards, who likes to push dinosaurs round in her pram just as much as she likes pushing dolly down the slide? All these things just make her a child, in my eyes. 

A well rounded, active and curious little child, who just wants to know as much about the world around her as she can. 

So no. My daughter is not a tomboy. She’s 2. 

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12 Comments

  1. July 10, 2017 / 1:53 pm

    Your daughter is a powerful woman in transition – She is 2.. Can’t wait to see where she lands.

    • kate
      Author
      July 10, 2017 / 2:11 pm

      She certainly is! I can’t wait to see who she grows up to be either 🙂

    • kate
      Author
      July 17, 2017 / 2:28 pm

      Thank you!

  2. July 11, 2017 / 8:44 pm

    Right there with you. People are forever calling my daughter a tomboy or – worse – saying she “should have been a boy” because she likes to run and climb and shout and splash around in the mud. None of that seems like BOY behaviour to me; it seems like the behaviour of a healthy, curious, average two year old.

    (Shameless plug: I ranted about it at http://www.sarahrooftops.co.uk/2016/06/the-daddies-on-bus-say-nothing-of-sort.html)
    Sarah Rooftops recently posted…My Birth Plan Last Time (And How It Differed From Reality)My Profile

    • kate
      Author
      July 17, 2017 / 2:29 pm

      Eurghhhh – I hate the people who say ‘she should have been a boy’. Ermmmm – NO. She’s perfect the way she is!

  3. July 12, 2017 / 1:48 am

    Love this! You make a great point that I don’t think many of us stop to think about. Beautiful child!

    • kate
      Author
      July 17, 2017 / 2:30 pm

      Thank you!

  4. July 12, 2017 / 10:21 am

    Your daughter sounds amazing and no, she isn’t a Tomyboy she is herself. A active fun loving 2 year old. People shouldn’t label others. As my daughter was a lot like her and ended up being the most kindest caring person ever before she was killed.

    • kate
      Author
      July 17, 2017 / 2:31 pm

      Oh, I am so sorry to hear of your loss 🙁

  5. July 17, 2017 / 11:40 pm

    You know I am the same with Lily for the most part and she often gets mistaken for a boy or called a ‘tomboy’ as well. Aside from the fact that she’s only 2 and still a baby really, let alone a child, she can be as girly as she likes and STILL like all of these sorts of things. I agree with you completely and think the term ‘tomboy’ is outdated in modern society tbh.
    xx
    Lucy Melissa Smith recently posted…HOW TO SAY GOODBYE TO ACNE ONCE & FOR ALLMy Profile

    • kate
      Author
      July 18, 2017 / 8:20 am

      It’s so outdated! I wish people would just let children be who they are, without ANY labels.

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