I thought that some people with toddlers might want to read this... the ones wondering about their CAH and development (boy/girl toys)...it is from pampers... and the web site has more information (click on the url).

Your Preschooler, Month 39

WELCOME, FROM THE PAMPERS PARENTING INSTITUTE
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IN THIS ISSUE, we will help you become the best parent you can be with
articles on:
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 * How girls and boys learn about being girls and boys
 * Why questions about sex are always asked when you least expect
   them, and how to answer them
 * Girls and Boys: Learning About Themselves
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By Suzanne Dixon, M.D., M.P.H.

Before your son or daughter knows what it means to be a boy or a girl,
you do. And you behave accordingly in ways that are both subtle and
obvious. Your son's proud father may have boasted about the baby's
"strong" lungs after he was born. You may have described your newborn
daughter's hands as "delicate." You may also have expectations--
perhaps unconscious--that are based in part on gender. Nearly everyone
does.

EXPLORING DIFFERENT IDENTITIES By age 2, your son or daughter knows
his or her sex and can describe other people correctly by using hair
or clothing cues. Still, it's perfectly normal for young children to
see gender as a changeable part of themselves. They explore different
identities through dress-up, stories, fantasy play, and statements,
learning more about themselves each time.

WHAT'S EXPECTED The preschool years are when a child acquires a sense
of what is expected in terms of male and female behavior or roles.
Playing and toy preferences, language, body posture, and movement
begin by age 2 to differ for girls and boys and are striking by age 4.
Click here
http://us.pampers.com/cgi-bin3/flo?y=eIbh0Cp6Th0Buf0gRD0Az
for more by Dr. Suzanne Dixon on how gender roles develop for girls
and boys.
Sexual Curiosity
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By Loraine Stern, M.D.

A CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE Children from ages 2 to 4 are as naturally
curious about what's between a boy's legs as they are about why the
sky is blue-everything is interesting. Sexuality and genitalia have no
excess emotional weight for children this age. That's why they
sometimes blurt out shocking questions while waiting in line with you
at the bank. Answering children's questions simply and clearly can
pave the way for ensuring that you remain your child's major source of
information as the years pass. He'll ask about what he's ready to
hear, so be ready to answer his concerns when they come up.

That's easier said than done, of course. We have so many
feelings-embarrassment, guilt, or confusion-tied up with sex that we
often do poorly talking about it.

KEEP IT SIMPLE Children don't want all the details. "A mother's egg
and a father's sperm come together and make a baby that grows in a
special place called the womb or uterus" is a simple answer to "How
are babies made?" Don't tell him more than he really wants to know. If
you give an answer, wait for a follow-up question. If there isn't one,
you've probably given enough information for that time, so stop there.
You've also let your child know that you can handle future questions.
Click here
http://us.pampers.com/cgi-bin3/flo?y=eIbh0Cp6Th0Buf0grW0Aq
for more guidelines by Dr. Loraine Stern on handling your child's
sexual curiosity and for recommended books on the subject.

MOMMY SMARTS
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Use the correct names for your child's "private parts" when referring
to them. Using silly or cute names all the time gives a sense that
there is something special or forbidden about these body parts and
that asking questions about them is different from asking about other
things. Using special family labels confuses a child when others refer
to these body parts.

BUSY BODIES
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FUN WITH VEGGIES It might be science, but first and foremost it's fun
with food. Start with carrots. After making a salad, instead of
tossing the tops with the greens on them, save them. Ask your child to
fill shallow saucers with water and put the carrot tops in them,
greenery up. Then measure the greenery or let your child mark the top
and bottom of the greenery (measuring it) on a piece of paper. Put the
saucers near a window. The next day (and the next), measure again.
She'll be thrilled to see the difference from one day to the next, and
proud to be the recorder of change.