Some would think that ‘football’ was a good enough word to describe playing ball with your foot but my clever (nearly two year old) has renamed this sport running ball. Not a bad alternative to call it. 

I have never read too much into nurture versus nature and gender differentiation until now. My little one is growing up in a house full of women so it would be presumed that ‘boy’ activities and passions would only come when he starts school and starts to realise the difference between a boy/girl play. However, despite little encouragement either way from me I have a full blown male in the house. Since he was very young he has shown a great appreciation for anything that bangs and makes lots of noise. Over time this has developed to a love of screwdrivers, hammers and drills. With his little workbench (courtesy of Santa) many a chair, toy or table has been fixed. Anytime I need to mend something Red is there with his trusty screwdriver. 

One Saturday morning, while searching for his usual Sesame street weekend entertainment, we landed on football. He hasn’t looked back since! Every Saturday and Sunday morning, football is on in our house. In fact 7 days a week football is played for hours on end. As a result, he’s pretty good at it but I still don’t know where it comes from. He has a love of all sports but there is a special focus on anything with a ball. I have every faith that soon he will be explaining the off side rule and emblazoning his room with team memorabilia. 

Cars and motorbikes are also given great love and attention. We often have to stop and admire the motorbikes or scooters whizzing past. Parked bikes are given great examination. ‘That’s a scooter mummy’. ‘No that’s a motorbike’. I don’t have any issue with boys being boys or girls being girls but just find it fascinating that without any push either way my little man is turning into a boy right before my eyes. I just wonder what way the girls will go! I already fear the explosion of pink that will appear soon but who knows, there might be a running ball fan there too.