What kids are made of

Sugar and spice and all that's nice.

And boys?

Frogs and snails and puppy dogs' tails.

Those words come from a popular nineteenth century nursery rhyme

Actually, I haven't heard the nursery rhyme in a long time but many will remember it.

In a latter version, boys were described as "snips and snails."

Regardless, it's true that boys and girls are different.

I had one of each so I believe I'm qualified to say that.

As a rule, little girls are cleaner, neater. They can turn tears off and on to get their way, especially with daddy.

They like dolls, pretty clothes and ribbons in their hair. They like pink parasols and rings on their fingers, and nail polish too.

Boys are more rough and tumble.They like go-carts and Hot Wheels and BB guns. They do like frogs and snails. In springtime my son used to enjoy catching and collecting those small green frogs that hop all over and attach themselves to lawn chairs and trees. He would go into the woods with his BB gun searching for chipmunks. In Louisiana he would catch small chameleons that crawled all about.

Both sexes tell little white lies to escape punishment or scoldings.

There was the time my little girl was playing much too quietly while I was talking on the telephone.

She appeared before me with smeared lipstick around her mouth.

"Have you been into my makeup?" I accused.

"No, mama,' she said, innocently, eyes big.

Boys will fib too.

When asked if he had placed a dead mouse behind his sister's bedroom door, my son said no.

It was years later before I learned that he had done it as a joke on his sister.

I would never have believed it!

Girls cry copious tears.

Boys hide their feelings if at all possible.

I did know one little boy who would cry buckets when he didn't get his way. Tears would well up, then flow down his cheeks, as he sobbed uncontrollably. But he was the exception to the rule.

And I knew a stubborn little girl who refused to cry when she was paddled.

She, too, was an exception.

I believed in paddling, but I used it sparingly.

It truly is difficult to spank a child that you love, but sometimes it's necessary.

The biblical teaching is spare the rod, spoil the child.

But at no time is beating a child or using excessive force, acceptable

A spanking is not a beating.

Big girls like to shop; boys want to buy a toy and go home.

When big girls grow into womanhood, they become buddies with their mothers. They share confidences, secrets. They are true friends who enjoy being together.

Grown men and their mothers share a special bond of love; rapport.

At that stage, daughters are peaches and cream,

All that you dream.

Grown sons are muscles and mice

And everything nice.

And such are boys and girls made of.