He, she or it? Family keeps baby's gender a secret

[CutiePie2000]

When I had the opportunity to have a guided tour of the Palace of Versailles in France, I vaguely remember that there was a portrait there of a child wearing a dress. Some people commented of "what a lovely girl in the painting!"

The guide pointed it out and said that the child in the portrait was actually a boy (possibly Louis as a child, but I cannot say for sure..this was a trip that I took in 2006), not a girl -- back in the time of when the portrait was painted, that it wasn't really the custom in France to differentiate as strongly between boys and girls until the child was approximately age 5.

I thought that was interesting.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

When I had the opportunity to have a guided tour of the Palace of Versailles in France, I vaguely remember that there was a portrait there of a child wearing a dress. Some people commented of "what a lovely girl in the painting!"

The guide pointed it out and said that the child in the portrait was actually a boy (possibly Louis as a child, but I cannot say for sure..this was a trip that I took in 2006), not a girl -- back in the time of when the portrait was painted, that it wasn't really the custom in France to differentiate as strongly between boys and girls until the child was approximately age 5.

I thought that was interesting.

Also pink was a male color as it was a watered down red and girls would have worn 'baby blue' as blue was a female color and associated with the virgin. Assuming one had the money for blue that is.

Sometimes they're not sure if it's a son or a daughter int he painting and they'll look at what the child's holding, a teething 'toy' is male, etc. It's very interesting.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

When I had the opportunity to have a guided tour of the Palace of Versailles in France, I vaguely remember that there was a portrait there of a child wearing a dress. Some people commented of "what a lovely girl in the painting!"

The guide pointed it out and said that the child in the portrait was actually a boy (possibly Louis as a child, but I cannot say for sure..this was a trip that I took in 2006), not a girl -- back in the time of when the portrait was painted, that it wasn't really the custom in France to differentiate as strongly between boys and girls until the child was approximately age 5.

We have a similar picture of my grandfather (wearing white) from around 1900. That was the custom here, as well.

He hated that picture by the way.

As for the parents this thread is about, I don't know. It just seems to me they are trading one set of problems and challenges for a different set of problems and challenges. Sure, what DTD Alum describes is very hard to do, even when one is trying to be intentional about it. But I think I'd rather try to do that and not succeed completely than do what these parents are doing.

But it's their choice. Parenthood, like much else in life, is all about choices.