Men Vs. Women

     What makes men and women so different? Are these differences a good thing? In today’s post, I want to point out that I am going to be talking about things that are true on average. There are some outliers and those who do not fit into the average. It just goes to show that everyone is different. We should all celebrate our differences. They make us unique.

    It seems that there are certain characteristics that are generally associated with women, while there are others that are more associated with men. These characteristics help us in who we are, and I believe these distinct differences compliment each other. They help balance each other out.

    Men generally have a more protective nature. They also tend to be more aggressive and active. I have four little nephews, and I enjoy watching the ways they act and interact with each other. The two that are old enough to get around on their own are highly active. It is like they do not like to sit still. Even when they are playing in their imaginary worlds, they are normally the heroes that are saving others from the bad guys. When I am the one watching them, they like to make me the bad guy. They love the fighting and running around. It seems like it is their nature to want to protect those around them and make life better.

    Women tend to be more on the nurturing side. They are more communicative as well. I think women tend to be more relationship oriented. Young girls tend to play house or dolls. They make their dolls interact with each other. I grew up with six sisters. When we were not fighting, we liked to do things with one another or with friends. I see a lot of difference between my nephews and how my sisters and I were when we were younger. Our imaginary worlds often did not involve saving people. They were usually about discovering new things or just doing something together.

    When we bring these two different roles together, we find that they tend to balance themselves. In my family my dad is very much the protector and provider, while my mom is the nurturer. My mom is the one who stays home and is more of a softer-spoken person. My dad is the one who goes to work to provide for the family. He was also the one who would get after us for breaking rules or being disrespectful to our mom. However, I got to watch over the years as they work together as a team to raise their family.

    Now, not everybody fits into a stereotypical picture of men and women’s roles. Circumstances or other reasons may lead to the meshing or switching of roles. Single parents often must take on the roles of both parents. I also know people who grew up in families where the dad was the one who stayed home and had a more nurturing role, while the mom went to work and was more of the provider. In my family growing up there are only two boys while there are seven girls, so the girls did some of the things that are usually seen as the boys’ job. The thing that sticks out the most to me is yard work. My sisters and I were out in the yard mowing, trimming, weeding, and working in the garden as much as our brother.

    Men and women are quite different, but when we work together, our characteristics balance each other out. It is like the saying, “opposites attract.”