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Gender stereotypes are far from fading away! They continue to linger on in every corner of our society because of the deep rooted irrational beliefs such as women being expected to take care of the house, being submissive to their husbands, and being docile. These have been ingrained in every individual’s mind for several decades now.
Being a woman, it pains me immensely to get news of many children being raped, girls being molested, and women being harassed for dowry. While many of us cringe at news like this, is there a real solution? A lot of people believe that education may bring about a genuine change in the society. But how far has that helped us? Thanks to the stereotypes, we don’t really see any hard change. So, how do we break the shackles of stereotypes?
As charity begins at home, why don’t we start from our homes and be a part of small change, which could cause a positive ripple effect.
I want to raise my sons to respect women! Having said that, it is a common belief a mother has an important role to play in raising kids. Maybe this is also a gender stereotype or maybe not. However, I strongly feel that a father should be equally involved in parenting, and support his spouse in raising the sons to respect women.
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“You’re not just raising your son. You are raising somebody’s husband and somebody’s father. Raise him well.”
This quote is a beautiful reminder of how careful one needs to be while raising a child. Whichever way the child grows up to be, the credit goes to the parents.
When it comes to imparting education, parents become the first teachers to their children by default. It’s their duty to instill values, ethics, discipline, and mold their character so that they grow up to be responsible, caring, and empathetic individuals.
So, as a mother, this is how I do my bit in ensuring that my son grows up to respect women.
- Charity begins at home. I treat both my daughter and son equally. I don’t differentiate between them by giving them different tasks based on gender. They are expected to do every job equally.
- I set an example as a couple by sharing responsibilities and taking care of each other and kids when they are unwell. This inculcates in them the habit of sharing responsibilities irrespective of the gender. And, remember, kids learn a great deal by imitating you.
- I educate them about what’s happening across the world whether it’s eve teasing, molestation, rape, or female feticide. I keep them aware of the alarming incidents and the need for it to be curbed. That makes them sensitive to such issues.
- I involve them in small household chores whether it’s cutting veggies or watering plants or folding laundry. I ensure that they get the concept of doing their work irrespective of the gender.
- I discourage them from watching or accessing abusive things related to women on the media. Children learn a lot from television and it is important not only to regulate what they watch, but it’s necessary not to let them form wrong notions related to women.
Being a man or woman doesn’t really matter. They have different anatomy and abilities, but we are all fundamentally humans. All of us want to be loved, acknowledged, appreciated, and respected. And the best way to get respect is to give it. Think about it and act accordingly!
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