Because I have only ever had to take care of a girl, I naturally assume that children survive by aborbing nutrients from the air. Socorro can eat a lot, but mostly her meals are small and (sigh) very healthy.
Taking care of ProgVar, a male-dominated enterprise, has shifted my world view. Boys eat. A LOT. If you buy jumbo siopaos, for example, make sure you buy two per person. The empanadas of Banapple, the ones as big as a plate? 1.5 per person. One of our boys who also happens to be on our varsity judo team, can tuck away four helpings of barbecued ribs. Oh, and for the healthy eaters, make sure there's fruit and yoghurt.
The injustice of it all is that most of our ProgVar boys are thin or fit or both. They don't look like they eat very much, but this is a classic case of looks being deceiving.
I say all this without malice. It's actually fun to see our kids eat. It is certainly far more fulfilling than seeing food left on the table, untouched. From an anthropological sense, it's interesting to observe this dimension of the sexes--the differences in the way they feed. The conclusion? Boys and girls are different.
