When we are born we are given a gender base don our physical appearance. But this shouldn’t hamper opportunities as we grow. Gender discrimination in kids is a challenging topic to address. And there’s no one place/ situation where it needs to be corrected – it exists everywhere school, home, social circle and even among kids at playtime.
Children learn a lot by observing and some subtle habits followed unknowingly can give rise to gender bias in their minds. It’s important that all boys and girls are given equal opportunities and expectations to thrive well and grow.
To understand gender biases and correct them, we need to first start recognizing stereotypes, for example: even today gender reveal parties use pink and blue colors to depict a boy or girl child. Or boys are asked to move equipment in school because girls are weak. These are thoughts that are ingrained in society and these need to be relooked.
Ways to reduce gender inequality as parents:
1Educate yourself about gender biases. Many of us unknowingly have thoughts like girls should cook and boys should provide. Try to understand where these thoughts come from and see if there are realistic.
2Ensure that anything your child reads or plays with is not stereotypical. For instance: its ok for boys to play with dolls and girls with trucks. It’s ok if these boys grow into adult men who look after kids while their partners provide or support them. It’s ok for boys to cook and girls to build.
3Don’t use gender specific words while speaking or addressing kids. Eg: it’s better to use postal staff or firefighter instead of postman and fireman. Use the word house-husband as equally as you would use housewife.
4Teach boys to treat girls with respect. This is important so that we can create a society where women are equally free and feel safe and secure and don’t need a man to escort them.
5Teach girls to respect boys for their emotional intelligence and not just for being rough or tough.
6Teach children of all genders to look after themselves properly. Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, maintaining a home, changing a lightbulb, assembling furniture and figuring out a monthly budget to run a home are all life skills and everyone should know them.
It’s important to provide an equitable environment for all rather than providing equal things for all.