Here is my request. My oldest child is 51/2 and just started Kindergarten. He is loving it and doing very well. He is very interested in a girl that is in first or second grade. He talks about her all the time, wants her to be his girlfriend, she rides the bus with him and they sit together. He picked a flower and gave it to her. I know this all sounds cute, but is it normal to be THAT interested in a girl at 5 years old. Aren't they suppose to go through a coodie phase? He says she is pretty and he likes sit by her.
Thank you all for your advice, Well it is now into the second week of school and he hasn't been talking about her as much. It is beginng to pass. All of your advice was very encouraging. Thank you again.
Yes this is normal, he has probably heard someone else talking about it. I just told my son, who is 7 now, that we don't need boyfriends/girlfriends, just friends. When he gets older you can tell him that will be a decision that he has to make but for now just have fun and make friends!!
I think it is normal. I have a 4 year old who has 2 "girlfriends" at school. He just loves them and talks about them all the time. He tells them he is their best friend. I don't think he will get to the cooty stage for a few more years. He He! Anyway, I talk to my son all the time about all his friends and he always includes the girls. Good luck. Don't worry!
Wow! Really? That IS surprising, you may need to seek some help with that one like from a therapist or a pastor. But personally I bet if you just pretend everything is normal and don't encourage the "relationship" that eventually one of them WILL get cooties and they will "break-up"! Don't support it but don't be negative either, just say a few "white lies" if he wants her to come over alot, once or twice is okay but not like everytime he wants to see her. Like I say just sort of ignore it by saying things like "that's nice honey" with a smile when he wants to tell you something about her. Don't make him feel bad, he probably got the idea from a story or something on TV, but really he is not ready for that, neither is she! More than likely she'll get "sick " of him! (But really, how cute!) Also, send me some info on your e-commerce business! It sounds great! I am not married but I REALLY want to stay home. Thanks! Good Luck! Keep us posted!
Hello G.!! I have a almost 5 year old son, and he does the same thing. The only thing different is that he is very shy about it. He is always talking about a girl and how pretty she is. He always her to come over and play. It is a very sweet thing, and I do believe it is normal. I think the coodie stage happens when they get a little bit older. I think the reason my son does what he does is on how my husband and I have raised him. To treat people nicely and not to look down on them. Plus him and our soon to be 3yr old like to imitate pet names to us that my hubby and Icall each other (ie. babe, dear, sweetheart, etc...). I hope this helps you some.
S.
G.
I'm experiencing the same thing with my 5 yr old boy. He just started kindergarten also and rides the bus w/ my neighbors 8 yr old daughter. He calls her his girlfriend and has carried her lunch for her. I'm not sure he even really understands what a 'girlfriend' means. I'm sure it is something they will outgrow, at least for a little while.
Dear G.,
My youngest son, now almost 15, had a "girlfriend" in preschool. They were going to get married, and have children when they grew up. This is very normal.
It is natural for your son to notice things about another person that are pleasing to him (from the color of someone's hair, to a nice smile, to "cool" tennis shoes or backpack). He has learned from society that when you like someone of the opposite sex, you refer to that person as your "girlfriend." He doesn't mean it in an inappropriate way, but that's what he knows to call her. As long as the girl doesn't get bothered by him, I wouldn't worry. Plus, since Kindergarten is a new experience for him, and he may have had some worries about riding the bus, meeting new people, etc., the fact that this girl was nice to him, talked to him, and knew how to manuever through the strange situation, it obviously made your son feel secure in the new process and comfortable with her.
His behavior is all very normal. Cooties comes later....probably around 2nd or 3rd grade, depending on the group of kids.
Enjoy this wonderful time in your lives!
It's totally normal. I remember my first "boyfriend". His name was George, and we were 4. We sat by each other at lunch, and played with dolls and trucks, and pretended we were married. I think they go through the "cooties" stage at around 9. Just remember that kids that age have the attention span of a gnat, and will be over his new crush in a week. Hope that helps.
I think it just sounds like he has a friend. I had a friend in Kindergarten that I liked too. I think I even told my Mom he was my boyfriend, but obviously kids don't know what that means. I wouldn't worry if I were you.
On another note, tell me about your ecommerce business. It sounds interesting.
ALL of our kids, including our son, had a "special friend" around 4 or 5 years old. This dissipated naturally by around second grade, when girls started to hang out with girls and boys thought girls had cooties. There was nothing at all unusual about the relationships. They are so devoid of understanding anything about sex or opposite sex relationships. It was strictly platonic, even though they "attached" themselves. I wouldn't worry about this at all. You might invite the little girl over to play. I think if you see how they play together and how benign it is, you might be able to relax about it.
My first grader also had a "girlfriend" last year. It was harmless and I figured it was good that he had connected with another child in his class. I think they are still too young for the cootie phase.
In my own opinion I think it is "normal" that he has a crush on a cute little girl. I'll let you in on a secret(and dating myself too!) It was at this age that I "knew" I was going to marry David Cassidy!~ later, his brother Shaun, and then Andy Gibb! In real life I "loved" my neighbor Blaine Tucker, and then a cute blonde boy named Tim in 2nd grade........my point is it's all natural! The cootie phase doesn't begin until about 10-11, when they insist they HATE girls, but in truth they really like them! Weren't you ever punched in the arm by a cute boy?! Don't worry!! Be glad she's a real person, as my 4 yr. old son has a crush on Dora the Explorer!!!! And anything to do with Thomas the Train!! Yikes!!!
G., don't sweat it. All my kids (2 boys 17 yrs & 13 yrs and 1 girl, 8 yrs) had girlfriends/boyfriends at early ages (pre-K and in Kindergarten) my boys then went through the cootie phase for several years before they were again interested in the opposite sex. The teen years!!
Make sure you take pictures for when he is older (possibly stressing over same thing with his child) to remind him of his little gf. Jacque
My little boy had a crush at 5 too, I think kids are growing up so fast the coodies have become a thing of the past. I do think it is normal, I know he picked up on it from the older kids at school. Anyway, he is in second and every year he has one, I have to warn you to becareful, my son got a bit distracted by the girl in kindergarten and she was mean, I have no clue why he even liked her. He told her, he got her something for Christmas and she said so and told him she was just going to throw it away, then the very next day she and another little girl were chasing him and one of his friends around after they had put chap stick on, trying to kiss the boys.. IN KINDERGARTEN, and the boys got in trouble for running and nothing was done about the little girls trying to kiss. So just be ware.... I told him having a girl friend is very complicated and that he was not old enough to have any more that just a good friend or a crush and that he may not buy gifts unless he gets one for everyone, he was fine with it. I was scared after the kissing thing, I just feel like they are all moving too fast and they have plenty of time for that. Like high school.
Hi G., I think this is pretty normal; I would not draw attention to the issue though, it will eventually fade. He will probably get interested into what boys do. Maybe get him in a sport related event. Everything should be ok. If things get too crazy, just sit him down and have a talk. Good luck.
Ok G.,
my oldest son is 3 1/2 and loves girls so its not too young,
and i jut keep a good watch on it though but its cute and let it go and be natural.ok
