Nine Year old social circle

[Tray69]

My son is nine and is very social. He is an only child and we live in a wonderful neighborhood. One of my neighbors is a good friend of mine who has an 8 year old daughter who is a tom boy and also an only child. My son and her play a lot but they really play many things that would be considered boy things. One of my family members feels he should not play with her and that he should play with more boys. He does hang with the boys at school and not the girls at all. This particular girl is just different in our neighborhood. They both enjoy nerf guns, climbing trees, and being silly. I feel it is like having a sister and they really act like siblings. I do not see the harm in it. It is not like they play dolls or paint nails. What do you think?

[jdtm]

Our son played with our neighbour's daughter until he began high school.  The neighbour's daughter was a year younger and when in Grade 8 listed our son as her "best" friend.  In high school, she, too, found "other" friends.  Today they rarely see each other (perhaps once in every three or four years).  Both are married with children.  I think your family member is being "silly".  I don't think that I would comment any more on the topic to that person - just forget it.  It's really a non-issue.

[shanta35]

I have a nephew that is an only child and also a niece because they are the same age they spend most of their at home time together either at my home or my sisters home. they share games and take turns with what each other likes to do, but when my nephew gets to school he does not pllay with the girls he says that he doesn't like girls.  tell your family member thanks for the advice and then go on about your day.  I have an 18 yr old who has had the same bestfriend for 15 yrs and it a boy.