Boys, as we know, have 46 somatic chromosomes [23 from each parent], and an X from mom and a Y from dad.
Girls likewise have 46 somatic chromosomes [23 from each parent] and an X from each.
The X chromosome is much, much bigger than the Y. It carries 2000 genes, whereas the Y only carries a piddly 78. We humans have about 20,000 total genes, so that X represents 10% of the total.
Therefore in girls, the genetic division between mom’s contribution and dad’s is dead even. But in boys, mama dominates.
The question: are the boys in your life more likely to be similar to their moms than their dads? And is it an even split amongst the girls?
Hmm, interesting question. I would say, my brother is more like my mom and I am more like my dad. Though we certainly picked up traits from both of them. Physically, my brother looks a lot like my mother’s brother. With my son, I certainly see a lot of ways he’s like me, but I’m a stay at home mom, so I can’t say whether those are nature or nurture. He looks more like my husband than me, though he does have my huge head Family trait on my father’s side. Sounds like an interesting area of study. Genetics are so fascinating aren’t they? My degree is in biology, and genetics was one of my favorite classes. Right after animal behavior
Boys are more susceptible to X-linked disorders, too. When you think about it, it’s a little terrifying how much responsibility we moms have, in every sense, for these little folks. Having sons feels harder to me, and they seem to require much more emotional and physical energy than daughters. I have to admit I am scared to be having another son, as much of a blessing as any child is.
But what about X inactivation in females’ somatic cells, which is random? I would say that, in terms of genes carried on the human X chromosome, it’s not just the contribution of one X from each parent that makes the daughter an amalgamation.
[name]Just[/name] an observation on our family: [name]Both[/name] our sons could be mistaken for clones of my husband, and our daughter looks like me but appears to have dad’s height.
That is really interesting. And, definitely makes me think about nature vs. nurture and how that would affect our view of which genes are dominant in a person in how they act at least. So far, our little boy looks mostly like his daddy (even their feet are exactly the same but for their size) and his weight and height have been within a pound or half an inch of what his father’s were at every age, it is crazy, they were/are both off the charts tall. Personality-wise though, he seems more similar to me, very passionate, sensitive, and curious, but, he is 2.5-ish so clearly, a lot could change.
I will have to ask my male friends about their experiences too.
When it comes to looks, my son looks a lot more like me and my daughter looks like my husband. In regards to personality, both favor their dad mostly with a little bit of me mixed in.
Well, my daughter, so far is like me. She is small in height in build, with fair hair. She has my sallow complexion, and she gets freckles on her nose and temples from the sunshine, like me too. She is definitely more like me than my husband.
My DH is over 6ft tall and a broad build, like his dad. However the similarities end there. He has his mums almond eyes and long eyelashes, her dark hair and her gentle, humorous personality. They laugh at all of the same things. They have the same hands and fingers too, though his are much larger than hers. They are uncannily alike despite the size difference.
My own brothers definitely favour my father, in appearance and personality.
Well, my daughter, so far is like me. She is small in height in build, with fair hair. She has my sallow complexion, and she gets freckles on her nose and temples from the sunshine, like me too. She is definitely more like me than my husband.
My DH is over 6ft tall and a broad build, like his dad. However the similarities end there. He has his mums almond eyes and long eyelashes, her dark hair and her gentle, humorous personality. They laugh at all of the same things. They have the same hands and fingers too, though his are much larger than hers. They are uncannily alike despite the size difference.
My own brothers definitely favour my father, in appearance and personality.
Five of my first cousins are boys. Three are more like mom, and two are more like dad. My dad is a lot like my grandmother, but his brother is more like my grandfather.
My son is VERY, VERY much a mama’s boy - he is very attached to me and does a lot of things I did when I was his age. (But at 4, that’s not surprising, 4 year olds are odd little ducks). Look wise - he is very much like the rest of my family. I don’t look like my siblings at all, they are all tall, thin and blond with blue eyes - just like my son. I am much shorter, rounder and very dark haired compared to hem.
My husband is a carbon copy of his dad, in mannerisms and appearance. (Thank goodness) My two male cousins are EXACTLY like their mom in every way. It’s almost as if my uncle has had zero influence what so ever. (Also Thank Goodness)
My maternal grandmother was an enrolled member of a local tribe and her husband was white. It’s funny to see who got the “[name]Indian[/name] gene” and who didn’t, as it seems kind of random. My uncle and one of my aunts had/have (my aunt passed away) exhibited the most obviously [name]Indian[/name] traits- dark skin, eyes and hair, hairless legs and arms, bigger belly and skinny legs. My mom and her other two sisters look a lot like my grandmother, but they are markedly paler (although my mom has never had hair on her legs). My cousin, the daughter of the darker skinned aunt, is also darker skinned- but blond. My other cousin- son of my [name]Indian[/name]-looking uncle- looked just like his mother. I have one other male cousin who is the oldest of 4 (3 sisters). They all have a very distinctive speech pattern that neither of their parents have. It’s weird.
In my immediate family, my brothers and I look a LOT like my dad, except that my younger brother has my has my mom’s teeth. (I mean that his teeth are exactly like my mom’s- not that he keeps mom’s teeth in a jar- that would be super creepy). He also behaves a lot like my dad, while I’m often surprised to hear my mother’s voice coming out of my mouth. My fiance’s dad passed away when he was little, so he has a lot of his mom’s mannerisms, but he looks like his dad. I hope that if we have a son, he’ll get my thick hair and good eyesight and his father’s height and butt-chin.
My brother favors our mother in appearence and mannerism although we both have the dirty blonde hair that turns brown and blue eyes of our fathers.
I look like a female clone of my dad. We’re built the same (tall with lots of muscle under a layer of blubber), have the same nose and mouth. My teeth are the same as well. My dad has one tooth the sits a bit farther back than the others. I do too and its the exact same tooth position wise. And I’m like my dad in mannerism.
With DH’s family there’s too many siblings to go into detail on them but they tend to be a fairly even mash up. I always said DH looks nothing like either of his parents until I saw a picture of his mom with her hair pulled back when she was closer to our age, the resemblance was scary. I think DH actually looks more like his maternal uncle out of anyone in his family.
[name]One[/name] of my good friends and his little brother could be carbon copies of their father and grandfather.
(Seriously, if you see them next to each other you think you’re looking at the same guy at four different ages).
My SO on the other hand looks more like his mother and was a total mamas-boy. She was and always will be the most important women in his life, I’ve resigned myself to having to come second best.
I have a younger brother who is very much like my mum (they look identical in their baby photos). I’m very much like my dad (both in looks and personality). That’s a really interesting notion.
My OH is much more like his mum than his dad, both in looks (he’s got her hair, for sure) and in mannerisms. My sisters and I are both a real mixture of both our parents, my youngest sister is more like our mum but my other sister and I are a decent mix.
Family trait on my father’s side. Sounds like an interesting area of study. Genetics are so fascinating aren’t they? My degree is in biology, and genetics was one of my favorite classes. Right after animal behavior 