There are obvious challenges that are unique to raising daughters, just as raising sons has its own set of hurdles.  While many parents may disagree about which is the tougher battle to fight, the one thing that stands in common is the fact that they are different.  Despite the fact that our world is much more neutered than it used to be, there are still things that girls have to be taught that are completely different from the things that boys have to be taught.

This process can be especially difficult for young women.  We are growing out of a patriarchal society.  This leaves women now with more freedom than ever to explore who they are and to branch out into new professions and areas of experience.  It can be difficult though, for parents to lead their daughters to places where they never went.  Mother’s might find it a challenge to watch their daughters venture into experiences that they themselves never would have had the opportunity to enjoy.

Teenage boys, on the other hand, tend to get more privileges than their teen counterparts.  However, with these privileges often comes extra responsibility.  A teenage son may very well get to drive at an earlier age, but many times they must also accept the responsibility of working a job to pay the extra expenses that accompany driving a car.  When dealing with emotions, boys tend to “move on” quicker in most cases.  A fight with a friend might involve a quick physical brawl but the relationship typically stays intact following the altercation.  Boys are often granted more independence by their parents, but as a consequence, it is not abnormal for them to get into more trouble as a result of this new independence.

The best thing you can do as you try to help your kids establish themselves is to keep in mind that they are individuals.   They are more than just a gender role and, though that is an important stage of their development, you must remember that those gender roles will only serve to complement the adult that they become.  They will not define them.

So which gender is easier to contend with?  There is no simple answer.  Both experiences have their challenges and rewards.  And to any discerning parent, the positive rewards of raising a teen from either gender will far outweigh the negative challenges that either gender provides to them. The parent’s satisfaction lies in their teen’s fate to grow up and have a child that presents the same rewards and challenges to them.