Kids must have really big hearts! More than 1,000 of you emailed us about the people you like and love. We heard from people all over the world - from the United States to Singapore. Some of you told us about your "bestestestestestestest" friends. Others gave a shout-out to their loving family members.

Michael, 12, said he likes his very funny friend, Eric. And he loves his mom.

"She takes care of me," Michael says.

Girls, Girls, Girls

But it was the girls who really filled up our email box. So many of them wrote about this guy. Maybe you know him? He's just, um, sooooooo cute and nice. He might have "owl eyes" or a "cool personality." If you're a boy, maybe a girl wrote us about you! Twelve-year-old Lizzie wrote us about Landis. She likes him because he cares about people.

"He's not one of those 'Touch my hair and I'll kill you' kinda guys," Lizzie says. "He's sweet and old fashioned. He holds the door open for me and my best friend, Cayla."

Some boys might like this kind of attention. A few boys emailed to tell us about girls they like and the nice things they do for them, like calling them and giving them roses. But it's also OK for boys not to like it when girls get all lovey-dovey. Take 10-year-old Kevin, for instance. He said he liked "no one."

"No one's fine for me."

Some boys might feel like Kevin does. Or, if they do like someone, they don't want everyone to know. About 88% of the email we received was from girls. Boys sent 12%. That means email from girls outnumbered email from boys 9 to 1. So what's going on? And doesn't this stink for girls who want certain boys to like them, too?

For centuries, people have been wondering why men and women seem to see things differently. No one has figured it all out yet. To help us understand why girls sent more email to us, we talked with child psychologist D'Arcy Lyness. She knows a lot about kids and their feelings.

Girls are often more interested in being social and developing relationships, Dr. Lyness said. This means girls like talking and expressing their feelings. For many girls, this is easier than it is for boys, she said.

"Girls might send more Valentines, for instance, and find it more fun to make them. Boys might think it's too mushy. They might feel embarrassed or even overwhelmed by a girl's big display of liking them," Dr. Lyness said.

"Get Away From Me!"

Feeling overwhelmed means a person just doesn't know what to do. No one likes to feel overwhelmed. Here's an example: Sally gets up in front of the class and says: "I absolutely love Harry and want to marry him!"

Now, even if Harry likes Sally, he might feel really awkward, upset, or angry. Harry might say something mean to Sally, like, "Get away from me!" Uh, oh. Now Sally's feelings are hurt and she feels overwhelmed.

Boys can overwhelm girls, too. Maybe a boy really likes a girl, but she only likes him as a friend. That can be a confusing situation, too.

It's not that boys never have the same mushy feelings that girls do, Dr. Lyness said. Some boys might not feel this way until they're a little older. (That might be Kevin, who says he likes no one right now.)

"This can be frustrating to girls - especially if the boy she likes doesn't seem to be ga-ga over her," Dr. Lyness says.

Other boys have feelings for girls, but are more interested in other things. Boys also may feel shy or scared about showing this kind of emotion. Then, there are boys who have these feelings and don't mind showing them - which is OK, too. That sounds like 13-year-old Dylan, who likes Catherine. He talks to her and gives her compliments.

"She's awesome," Dylan says.

Why Are We Different?

You might wonder why boys and girls see things differently. Some people say girls and boys are just born that way. What they mean is that girls, naturally, may be more driven to want to take care of people, settle down, and have a family.

But maybe it has something to do with the way boys are girls are raised, Dr. Lyness says. Boys are often taught to be "tough" and get trucks and action toys to play with. While girls, on the other hand, often get dolls and kitchen sets. No one knows for sure. It gets complicated because there are plenty of exceptions - girls who have no interest in dolls (or mushy stuff) and boys who like expressing their feelings.

What You Can Do?

So what's a boy or girl to do? Just understanding these differences is a good first step. A boy doesn't have to return a girl's strong feelings, but he can try not to hurt her feelings. Likewise, girls can respect that boys may be less interested - or more private - when it comes to mushy stuff. That might mean not calling a boy you like every night, especially if he doesn't seem to like it.

But girls don't need to feel strange just because they have a lot of emotion to express. It can help to talk to friends who understand what you're going through. You also might write down your feelings in a journal. It can feel really good to write it all down.

Who knows? Someday, that boy might come around and call you. Or that girl who embarrassed you with a Valentine might start seeming pretty cute. But it's also OK if that never happens. The two of you might decide just to be friends. These friendships are really special and can help you understand what it's like to be a girl or boy.

Thinking about boys or girls is all part of growing up. You're starting to imagine what it might be like to have a boyfriend or girlfriend - or even a husband or wife! For now, enjoy Valentine's Day. And since we're talking about people we like, it seems like a good time to tell you: We really like you and love hearing what you have to say!

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: January 2005