Does anyone else hate when people use the excuse that “boys are just different than girls” and therefore are always less well behaved?

I know I shouldn’t let it bother me, but it honestly drives me crazy when people make the assumption that “boys are different than girls” and are just wild and not well behaved because of that or when a little boy does something that should be corrected by their parents but instead the parents laugh it off and say “boys will be boys.” I also hear it when it comes to academics/learning problems, “he has a speech delay because he’s a boy” or “he won’t learn like my girls did because he’s a boy.”

I understand these statement have been pushed down from generation to generation, but there are so many well behaved, smart, lovely little boys that do just as well or better than some little girls. It has nothing to do with whether that child is a boy or a girl. It is completely dependant on how the child is raised, the guidance they receive, their individual personality, etc.

I have heard these remarks countless times about different little boys and I honestly feel like it’s putting boys as a group down to talk this way. It’s almost like some people just assume little boys should be dumb and unruly so they do nothing to guide them which is so unfair to the little boys.

It’s starting to get to me because I have a very close family member that routinely says these things about her two boys. They can do whatever they want and she gives them no consequences whatsoever, laughs and says “boys will be boys” or “my daughter was never like this.” They are 6 and 4 and can throw things at people, throw things at breakable furniture like TVs, talk and yell back, throw fits, refuse to do what they’re asked, etc. and it’s all blamed on them being boys. 🙄

We’ve honestly started avoiding visiting because it’s so annoying to be around. When we go to visit it happens over and over and over again and the parents just laugh it off. Then after the 100th time they yell at them and my husband and I are just thinking, but this is your fault for not stopping their behaviour in the first place, why do they now deserve to be yelled at because you guys couldn’t be parents?

We’ve tried to talk to them but are always told, “they’re just being boys.” No no no, not all boys are like that and they shouldn’t be treated as such.