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Wish We'd Known: 20 Things No One Told Us About Raising a Boy

From the nonstop movement to the near-universal obsession with cars, here are 20 things we wish we'd known about raising a boy. (21 Photos)

Holly Pevzner on Apr 2, 2012 at 6:49PM

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20 Things No One Told Us About Raising a Boy

When you have a girl, you know that you can always fall back on your own childhood memories to guide you as a parent. But unless you grew up with a brother, there's a good chance that parts of raising a boy can take you by surprise. From the sports obsession to the penis comparisons, here are 20 things we wish we'd known.

There Will Be Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Even if you stock your nursery with mixed-gender toys like baby dolls and play kitchens, your little boy will find the one rogue wheeled toy and play with it nonstop. Little boys adore anything that flies, sails, drives, digs or mixes. Before you know it, you'll find yourself pointing out vehicles on the street ("Look! A firetruck!") -- and you'll know you can kill twenty minutes just watching a construction site. Matchbox cars and trucks will multiply on their own in your home, boats will line your bathtub and odds are there will be a train track looping around your floor. It really is hard-wired.