When do you remember being interested in the opposite sex?

[american_mama]

I'm the leader of a middle school Girl Scout troop and am curious whether I have a skewed perspective on when girls get interested in the opposite sex. I say opposite, but really mean romantic interest, so if that was for another girl, please vote as well.

I remember being shocked in 5th grade when I heard of a boy who asked a girl out. All my friends were a little shocked (and I doubt it went anywhere) and it was highly unusual. After that, I remember a friend in 6th or 7th grade who had a crush on a boy a year older and not entirely "getting" it - the drama was fun, but why did a boy matter so much? For me, I didn't get interested in thinking about boys until 8th grade.

In my Girl Scout troop, one girl has been boy crazy since 5th grade, with a significant ramp up each year since then. A neighbor has also been talking about boyfriends and dating with great interest since elementary school, and was really into boys by 6th grade. I think boy crazy is an accurate term for them. My own DD1, now in 8th grade, shows no interest. She generally thinks boys are just irritating.

I guess a related question... if you have an older daughter, does she seem to relate to boys as you did? DD1 and I seem very similar in that way, just as the mom of the girl in my troop said she and her daughter are similar. It's largely a good thing to have a daughter who is fairly similar to me - easier to predict and relate to - but it does mean I am unprepared for girls who are different, so I thought a poll here would let me see a broader perspective.

eta: I hit puberty early, and my 8th grader looks almost fully grown. No waifs or late bloomers here, so I am not sure if physical puberty matters that much compared to personality.

[megs4413]

I would have answered 3rd grade....so.....

ETA: His name was Adam Green and he had the most adorable freckles I'd ever seen. I wanted him to ride the ferris wheel with me at the school carnival. His mom let slip that he had a crush on me, too, though nothing at all ever came of it as that was the last year I was at that school.

DD had a boy in kindy propose to her. He came home and told his mom that he had to get a job because my DD planned to stay at home. LOL


ETA: I do have an older daughter....she had a crush on a boy in 3rd grade, so yeah, right around the same time as my first crush. It didn't go any further than her telling me (and a couple of her little friends) about it. He's a sweet boy and they are friends still. That's the only crush she's ever had, so I wouldn't describe her as "boy crazy." She gets a lot of attention from boys both her age and older because she looks quite a bit older than she is. She's adult-sized (albeit a short adult!) and is a Tanner Stage 3 in development. I would guess we got the crush right around the same time she entered Tanner 1. I got my period when i was 10. I think we will make it to 11 or so before she gets hers if she stays on this curve.

[petesgirl]

The first boy I remember thinking was 'cute' was an 8th graders when I was in 7th. Ive drawn hearts all around his picture in my 7th grade yearbook. the funny thing is that my best friend and I both had a crush on him and swooned over him together all the time.

[AnnieW625]

I voted 4th or before. I think I was 8 when my first crush was Matt Dillon in The Flamingo Kid, not long after it was Rob Lowe (neighbors had cable with HBO so I saw snippets of St. Elmo's Fire way too young!) and at the same time I loved Doug Flutie, he was my first sports hero. Oh and Wayne Gretzky in the late 80s/early 90s when he came to LA.

In real life I think it was the 7th grade. I liked the 9th grader with the locker one above mine, and in the 8th grade I had a full on crush on a boy in the 9th grade.

[gatorsmom]

I had a crush on a boy in kindergarten who said I smelled nice. . I remember having a crush on some boy every year after that.

[bisous]

I had a crush on a boy in kindergarten who said I smelled nice. . I remember having a crush on some boy every year after that.

Me too!

DS1 has had girls that like him in 2nd and 5th grades so far. It is crazy to me because he's kind of an awkward kid but he's really nice to everyone (including girls, lol) and I think girls like that.

[Philly Mom]

By first grade. I had a "boyfriend" from then on through 5th. We danced together at formal dance class, kissed maybe once, had sleepovers and were really just best friends but I liked him. By 6th grade, while not me, people in my class were getting fairly sexually active. DD1 is 4. She has had the same "boyfriend" since 2. They call each other boyfriend/girlfriend and talk about marriage in their 20s when they will get to kiss. It is innocent and quite cute. They are best friends but have a very special relationship.


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[essnce629]

I had a crush on a boy in kindergarten who said I smelled nice. . I remember having a crush on some boy every year after that.

Me too! I had the same crush from kindergarten through 2nd grade. And then from 3rd through 8th grade I must have had a thing for guys named Michael because I had 3 crushes named Michael or Mike all during that time LOL!


I don't have a DD, but I will say that on his own I've NEVER heard DS1 (now 12) ever talk about girls BUT ever since 4th grade, when he's with his friends at a sleepover, etc and I listen in on them, they are ALWAYS talking about girls and who likes who, who's dating, etc.

[TwinFoxes]

I always had a crush on somebody. But that just meant I wanted to sit next to them or talk to them. It was completely different from crushes in junior high/post puberty.

[specialp]

My first crush was 4th grade, but it wasn't boy crazy type of crush. I think that really ramped up for me around 8th grade.