I love hairdresser conversations. Yesterday we talked about kids and toys. The woman in foils said her 14-month old son cradles dolls when shown how. While my hairdresser’s 18-month old daughter rocks, dresses and feeds her dolls like a natural. Then there’s research that concludes boys usually choose toys that move –trucks and trains etc –above dolls.

So where does this leave poor Stuart (above)? Stuart joined our family when our son was two. We wanted him (our son) to grow into a compassionate adult –and to have choices about his toys regardless of gender. (I was studying sociology at the time) 🙂

What did it mean then, when our son and his older cousin crafted ropes and a shoebox and hoisted poor Stuart high into a tree –then with riotous peals of laughter, pummelled him with pebbles?

You would not meet more compassionate men than our son and his cousin, now in their thirties. But yesterday’s hairdresser conversation reminded me that little girls in general have an intrinsic bias towards nurturing (yes it’s proven). But compassion and caring has nothing to do with gender. It’s simply about being lucky enough to have grown up with it.