Blue or Pink?

One of the most familiar traditions when it comes to a new baby is the question of what color to paint their nursery, and what color clothes to buy for them. As the old traditions have it, there are only two options, and these are dependent upon one major factor – the sex of the baby. If your baby is a boy, the tradition claims, he should be clothed in blue. If you have a daughter, then they must be clothed in pink. There is, it has to be said, absolutely no practical reason as a parent for sticking to this, although it does save a few seconds when people meet your baby for the first time and do not have to ask “Is it a little boy or a little girl?”

What can be said for certain is that children do react to colors quite early on, and for reasons best known to themselves will favor certain colors over others. Psychologists will even point to the effect that can be had by color on grown adults, and some sports teams even take it into account when choosing uniform colors. Have you ever seen a professional men’s football team wearing pink jerseys? Clothing your child in a color that they like can, without a doubt, make for a happier baby. Clothing it in the color of your favorite team may have the effect of giving them a liking for that color and therefore that team, but it is a bit underhand. If you are OK with that, go ahead.