Of course, I only actually went because my brother really badly wanted to go and it was his treat for getting good grades that year. And my parents wanted a kid free vaction. But I liked space, just not enough that I would have chosen Space Camp above all others at that age. I was much more into horses.

As kids, I loved “girly” things like barbies – but because they were a great creative outlet. I loved legos and my brothers action figures for the same reasons. Still, my brother got all the action figures, star wars toys, etc from extended family while I got girly pictures or jewlery. Despite the fact that I liked his presents much better. My parents tried hard not to fit us into gender roles, but the extend family didn’t help.

Frank: Welcome! When I was in school, at least, girls were in some ways led away from math and science, or led toward more typically “female” professions. I know I’m not doing that with my daughter, though, and so I had thought the habit had fallen by the wayside with a majority of other parents as well. I was surprised to see the discrepancy among kids so young, when the parents have to be the major force in guiding a child’s interests.

I’ve been an engineer for 26 years and all the time I’ve worked, there have been women engineers around. But it is still very much a male dominated field. And it’s not because people don’t hire females, but because there are few females who apply.

Both when I was in school, and in my professional life, it is true that on average female engineers are better than men. What that means is that almost every female engineer I have worked with is above average, whereas you have a much wider variation of capabilities among the male population.

Every female who was enrolled in engineering in College was far superior to all but the top males. There were no female slackers in engineering.

In the past 20 years it has been true that more females attend university than do males. But they are not picking engineering and science. Male attendence at university has been dropping off steadily for years.

I have raised 3 daughters and 1 son. None have gone for science or engineering.

I’m just thrilled that you’re allowing your daughter the opportunity. While I gave up my dreams of becoming an astronaut when I realized that science wasn’t for me, I turned to writing science-fiction instead!

WyldFlamingo: Another mom gave me the brochure from the camp; I don’t know where she got it. I assume parents of both boys and girls learn about the camp, but boys are just enrolled disproportionately. I think you’re right about not pursuing it at that age if the parents don’t suggest it; that’s what I think is sad, is that parents aren’t suggesting it nearly as much for girls as for their boys.

E: Socialization does suck. I am doing the best I can with Blaine to give her as high a self-esteem as possible and to tell her there is no such thing as an activity that’s only for boys or only for girls. I know I’ll have to deal with peer pressure anyway, though. I hope we live in a place as she’s older where there are more people of my mindset.

Green Knight: Yeah, kids absolutely do have their own personalities, and they get interested in things that drive you crazy sometimes. :-) Because the space camp is close to here, I assume most parents know about it, though, and just choose not to interest their girls in it for reasons I just can’t fathom.

I’ve known another girl, about the same age, being more concerned for her clothes than for herself – and came to the conclusion that some girls just *are* like that. I don’t think I’ve ever known a boy concerned about his clothes. Well, not until puberty…

Space camp sounds seriously cool, but I have a feeling that not many mums would consider looking for it.

Dingomama’s daughter came back from her first week of school wondering if she’s fat. She’s six years old, and dead normal weight for her height. Dingomama about had a heart attack.

I gotta say, I would rather have sons than daughters, but only because a comment such as the little Dingoette made would utterly break my heart. I know boys have their problems, too, but I don’t think they would kill me.

I am more grateful than ever to my Mom and Dad for making sure they both did equal time with their kids. My sister and I don’t throw well “for girls”; we both can hurl a football the full 100 yards, which most boys/men can’t.

But the whole gender role issue can’t be *entirely* cultural. My girls (5 & 7) have Barbies and Polly Pockets out the wazoo. But they’re also into Sailor Moon, which isn’t passive girly-girl at all. Upon visiting Six Flags (or any other amusement park) they lock in on the biggest, scariest rides and argue with the attendants if they’re not tall enough to go on. They catch bugs and hapless reptiles and hermit and sand crabs at the beach. Calista (my oldest) has already asked about flying and skydiving lessons.

But even with our parental influence, Keela, our younger daughter, simply gravitates to the more stereotypical girly things. Space Center Houston and a DVD like Walking with Dinosaurs holds far more fascination for Calista, whereas Keela is much more interested in My Little Ponies and watching Barbie’s Magic of Pegasus. We’re somewhat baffled by this. Keela’s not been exposed to nearly the level of pop culture gender roles as Calista, but she’s following those lines much moreso than her sister. Her personality is simply more inclined to follow those pathways. But you know, if Orion expresses an interest in Strawberry Shortcake when he gets a little bigger, we’re not about to forbid it because it’ll turn him gay–seriously, a dad got *really* bent out of shape at our house once when his TWO-YEAR-OLD-SON picked a toy hairbrush and played at combing another child’s hair. He actually said he wouldn’t have any son of his growing up to be a gay hairdresser. With those kinds of mindsets out there, how can kids not turn out to be stereotypes?

Heidi: Yes. I wish my parents had taught me more about self-sufficiency. It’s important.

Sophia: I remember feeling frustrated that way, too. I think, unfortunately, that not everyone is strong-willed enough to overcome the conditioning.

Saffster: Absolutely, I remember guys not liking me for being smarter than they were. There will always be that type, and I make it a point to tell my very bright daughter that she should only be interested in people who enjoy her intelligence. Hopefully it will stick.

I just really thought things with this generation were changing so much more than they appear to be. It’s disheartening.