Gotcha!

[Sheilbh]

My experience as well.

If there is one thing about young kids, they are not shy about expressing their preferences. Give them a lavishly expensive toy they do not like, they will toss it aside without a thought. 

My nieces' favourite toy over Christmas was a puppet theatre I made them.  I cut a hole into a large Amazon box and they were set for hours

[Barrister]

I don't know what I thought it would be like, but it has been incredibly obvious that there's something deeply ingrained when Tim is playing with his toy cars.  My wife bought him a couple stuffed animals, tried to get him to play with them, but no dice.  It's got to have wheels.

My experience as well.

If there is one thing about young kids, they are not shy about expressing their preferences. Give them a lavishly expensive toy they do not like, they will toss it aside without a thought. 

I think I mentioned this, but just in case I didn't:

my kid received a whole bunch of very nice toys over Christmas (and yes, Thomas the Tank Engine figured prominently).  But on Christmas day what was the think that held is attention for hours and hours?  A balloon tied to a piece of ribbon.  He carried that thing around everywhere.

[Eddie Teach]

I don't know what I thought it would be like, but it has been incredibly obvious that there's something deeply ingrained when Tim is playing with his toy cars.  My wife bought him a couple stuffed animals, tried to get him to play with them, but no dice.  It's got to have wheels.

Sounds like he's going to be a city boy who gripes at you when you take him on hunting and fishing trips. 

[Richard Hakluyt]

There was something very noticeably male about my son very early on.

They don't call him "Hawkeye Valmy" for nothing you know 

[Richard Hakluyt]

I don't know what I thought it would be like, but it has been incredibly obvious that there's something deeply ingrained when Tim is playing with his toy cars.  My wife bought him a couple stuffed animals, tried to get him to play with them, but no dice.  It's got to have wheels.

My experience as well.

If there is one thing about young kids, they are not shy about expressing their preferences. Give them a lavishly expensive toy they do not like, they will toss it aside without a thought. 

I think I mentioned this, but just in case I didn't:

my kid received a whole bunch of very nice toys over Christmas (and yes, Thomas the Tank Engine figured prominently).  But on Christmas day what was the think that held is attention for hours and hours?  A balloon tied to a piece of ribbon.  He carried that thing around everywhere.

I think I must have seen that with just about every child I've known well. There is a Christmas or a birthday where THE toy is a balloon. Which is wonderful really 

[Barrister]

I don't know what I thought it would be like, but it has been incredibly obvious that there's something deeply ingrained when Tim is playing with his toy cars.  My wife bought him a couple stuffed animals, tried to get him to play with them, but no dice.  It's got to have wheels.

Sounds like he's going to be a city boy who gripes at you when you take him on hunting and fishing trips. 

We'll see.  He usually loves going outside - we'd go to the park as often as I could.

We're just having crappy weather where it's cold outside, but there's not really enough snow to play in.

[mongers]

First what you said and the second one is the show is meant for boys.  In shows meant for girls every character is a girl except for a few token boys and the opposite for shows for boys.  So her harping on the gender imbalance was pretty funny.  I was thinking 'did this woman never watch TV as a child?'

Maybe I'm just confused but I thought there were shows marketed to both genders.

I honestly do not know if girls like Thomas or not. Every boy I know does. For some reason, boys seem to like things like trains and cars more and girls things like stuffed toys and dolls more. A show composed of trains is likely to have an audience of boys whether its creator intended that or not.

I used to think this was all socialization and kids themselves would like both equally if they weren't prodded one way or the other by their parents or peers. I no longer believe this to be the case. In my experience it simply seems too ingrained and shows up too early and too strongly to be socialization.

What do you parents think? Agree/disagree?

I don't know what I thought it would be like, but it has been incredibly obvious that there's something deeply ingrained when Tim is playing with his toy cars.  My wife bought him a couple stuffed animals, tried to get him to play with them, but no dice.  It's got to have wheels.

I don't think it is ingrained, rather it's in practical consequence of their early experiences of the world; cars are everywhere, big, fast, loud, colourful, they take them places, are present in the many millions compare to the number of encounters they have with non-pet animals, they just become ubiquitous. To me it's no surprise that many boys are fascinated by them.

As for girls, I'm at a loss, perhaps they like car interior decore rather than the vehicles themselves ?? 

[Valmy]

I don't think it is ingrained, rather it's in practical consequence of their early experiences of the world; cars are everywhere, big, fast, loud, colourful, they take them places, are present in the many millions compare to the number of encounters they have with non-pet

Ok but how do you explain the train thing?  Anyway obviously liking cars is not ingrained it is having traits we generally associate with male traits.

[dps]

he did say he was the least intelligent person on this board, bar martinus (which i have doubts of, but that's another argument). that is quite a strong statement, and when we've quality posters such as yis around, it makes one wonder

Just found this thread, which is a hoot.  I must admit I don't recall saying that anyone was the "least intelligent person on this board," and the search function has no capability to find a post with me saying this, either.  Got some context?

I am a believer in the old Confucian idea:
"Tzu King asked: 'What would you say of the man who is liked by all his fellow townsmen?' 'That is not sufficient', was the reply. "What is better is that the good among his fellow townsmen like him, and the bad hate him.'"

The responses in this thread assure me that I am following that principal. 

How can you tell?  There would have to be some good among us for you to check to see if they liked you.

[DGuller]

How can you tell?  There would have to be some good among us for you to check to see if they liked you.

[Malthus]

How can you tell?  There would have to be some good among us for you to check to see if they liked you.

A wonderfully Languish response.

[Sophie Scholl]

Now that my kid is old enough to express some degree of preference in his books, all he wants us to read are books with nothing but pictures of autos and trains, with no story to speak of.   Oh how I long for the days I could at least read his Dr. Seuss.

Vaguely Dr. Seuss-ian: Go, Dog.  Go!http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Read-Myself-Beginner-Books/dp/0394900200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325714051&sr=8-1  I have fond memories of reading it as a small child and having it read to me.  Also, nice catch by dps on the lack of good people to judge.  I was going to throw out a wretched hive of scum and villainy quip about Languish, but he beat me to it.  Well played, sir.

[Barrister]

Now that my kid is old enough to express some degree of preference in his books, all he wants us to read are books with nothing but pictures of autos and trains, with no story to speak of.   Oh how I long for the days I could at least read his Dr. Seuss.

Vaguely Dr. Seuss-ian: Go, Dog.  Go!http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Read-Myself-Beginner-Books/dp/0394900200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325714051&sr=8-1  I have fond memories of reading it as a small child and having it read to me.  Also, nice catch by dps on the lack of good people to judge.  I was going to throw out a wretched hive of scum and villainy quip about Languish, but he beat me to it.  Well played, sir.

I have in fact read him Go Dog! Go! 

[Sophie Scholl]

Further proof you're doing the father thing right then, sir.

[Ed Anger]

I'm going to read Gor to my sons.