There are countless things to talk about when it comes to gender equality and supporting women. But how do we ensure that our future generations, our kids are raised to know the true meaning of gender equality? To make sure that they do not just talk about it but also follow the same in their day-to-day lives. Every deed that we want to do should start from home. That is the cocoon where the foundation is built and we need to start right there just like we teach everything else.
Let’s see how we can implement some simple steps at home.
No work is gender assigned
Cooking to cleaning, taking care of kids and elderly, all of this and more is mainly done by women of the house. They have always been at the frontline when it comes to household work as they mostly are the caregivers. Some partners do help out but men being at work all the time and in the current scenario, online all the time has not been helpful.
Make sure that your kid does not consider it as gender assigned. Home is for moms and work is for Dads. Divide the household work between all the family members. When has it been compulsory that only a woman should cook or clean, right! I and my husband have our specialities when it comes to cooking. He can make Asian food and stir-fries way better than me. So my kid knows who to go to when she wants some stir-fried noodles and whom to come to for a bowl of pasta or aloo paratha.
Assign daily chores to kids as well. Make sure they understand the importance and why they need to play a role in it. Kids can help in dusting and tidying up around the house, fold laundry. Help plan/prep a meal and make a salad.
Gender stereotyping must be explained
There are couples who work, then there are couples where men work and women are homemakers while there are also couples where women work and men are homemakers. I’m sure it didn’t come as a surprise to you but you also need to make sure it doesn’t surprise your child either. Having age-appropriate conversations on gender stereotyping is very important. Some logical conversations with a mix of real-life examples can make that work easily. Children are great learners you see!
Gender is not an excuse
I have a son in the toddler phase who wants everything his way. He has recently figured out that screaming and crying can get things done just the way he wants. Every person around us says “Boys will be boys”. They are bound to be naughty and violent but is that a good excuse for misbehavior? Can I let my daughter think that just because she is a girl she has to be her best self while her brother can do whatever he likes because he is a boy? That is so wrong in many ways. We cannot generalize behavior depending on gender right! Gender should definitely not be an excuse.
Respect one’s feelings in spite of gender
Practice feminist parenting which demands to respect one’s feelings in spite of the gender of your child. Boys should not cry and girls should not punch. Gone are the days when these cliches were used. A boy can cry when he wants to and a girl can punch back when she is hurt. Not that she should but it should be both ways.
Respect the choices that your child makes
Toys are never gendered specific but somehow dolls and kitchen sets have been attached with girls while cars and trucks for boys. But when it comes to a doctor set, both can have them. Why so?? A child can play house with dolls or race some cars while cooking with a kitchen set. While another child may reject all of these and play only with a set of blocks. We need to learn to respect our children’s choices. It is their imagination that is going to help them grow and toys just aid in that.
Practicing what you preach is also important. Parents are the most important role model for children so make sure you are practicing gender equality rather gender neutrality at home. After all, the change will start at home and will ripple into their lives making them better person respecting other people irrespective of their gender.
This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.
My World with Eira 
I second your thoughts. I also have a m mixed doubles. Frankly speaking, I dislike the notion of boys will behave in a certain way and girls will behave in a certain way. It is more about their personality. Have seen very calm and quiet boys and over naughty girls. It is also about what kind of environment they are growing in, what options they are getting.
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I go crazy and become a witch if anyone talks about me doing anything because I’m a woman. I will do whatever is required to be done but if they ever say I have to do it because I’m the woman, I take offense.
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Exactly it should first start from home that’s really important gender equality is mandatory for each and everyone… Good to read this ❤
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Agree totally with your views. I always treated my kids equally and now my son does all the cooking at home. Both always were made to do all the chores. Gender sensitization starts at home only.
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What a great topic you covered 👏 totally agree with you. Love your thoughts and views.
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True gender equality should start from home and right from the very childhood state. Quite practical tips for one to follow indeed to instill gender equality in kids.
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I loved this article so many.! I wish every growing child reads this and understands this.!! This is going to make a huge difference then..❤️✨
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Completely agree with you and its good to see people talking about it. It is necessary to teach your children about the equality. Starting at childhood helps is great initiative and every parent should read this.
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I am glad that you brought this up. Growing up , my toddler son loved playing with make up and that worried me a bit but I let it be and soon he outgrew it. We should never force children into stereotypes.
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It’s really important that we teach since starting our kids about gender equality. Your tips are really going to help every parent!!
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Gender equality …. still this mission is half achieved by society. As still there are parents and unfortunately women who deny being empowered as that gives them the privilege to enjoy a secured risk-free life under a partner’s umbrella. So blaming men always for not supporting women is also not correct. Kids need to understand actually what empowerment is and you are correct it should start for chilhood
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That is so well said! Blaming men for every other thing is just not the way and women also need to understand that they need to be equal not dominant.
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Gender neutrality needs to be talked about from young age. I’m so glad you talked about things like doing work and not using gender as an excuse.
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Such an amazing post and I agree with your thoughts completely. gender equality should start from home and practice rather than preach is something that works great in practical world and even with kids too.
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I so agree to you. I too am a mom of a boy and a girl and I make no differences in their role based on their gender. Both help me in house chores, both play with dolls and cars and watch barbie and also football cartoons together. This is a generation where no one is above or beneath another only coz of their gender and it should indeed be told to them from the start.
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The points you have mentioned are quite impactful. I totally agree with your last point that parents should practice what they preach if they really want to make a difference and bring change at home.
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Parents play a major role in breaking the stereotype and raising kids while accepting their personality is important. We cannot ask boys to go rampant over the world and then only say boys will be boys. And when it come to toys I am annoyed each time I ask shopkeeper age specific gifts and the next question ‘is it for boy or girl’ . We can surely have any toy or game for any child. Your post is great example to all who wish to break the chain.
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In maximum case the gender inequality begins at home only. The boy gets blue always and girl gets pink only. Girl can do this, boy can do that. They are seen often at homes.
But I strongly feel that parents are the first teachers and they can easily put an end to gender inequality with right upbringing.
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I totally believe in gender equality and it’s really important to start from home as kids learn the best from us
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Gender equality starts from home. Child learn everything from parents. This is very important article. Thanks for this beautiful article 👏👏
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absolutely agree with all your points here. it truly essential we make sure what we teach the kids starts at home. There are few things we learn only by observing and it goes without saying kids observe us well and even read and learn from our gestures and habits. Great Post
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Yes practising it is important. We can talk about it as much as we want but putting into practice need lot of effort since the society has not yet accepted gender equality.
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It’s high time to teach each child from beginning.
Yes, if it would start from home from earlier , can imagine how acceptable society we lived in. Child imitate Very fast and moulding them into right is easier.happy to see your article.
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This is something that we were taught during our childhood. My parents never ever made any discrimination between me and my brother. It helps to develop personality and the perspective towards life. This can change the world for good. ❤️❤️
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Gender equality is such an important thing that should be taught during childhood. This can change our world for good. We should try to shape a child’s mind when it’s still tender. They learn everything quickly and it helps to develop their mind. If they learn to respect the opposite gender, then only they will become true human being.
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I love this blog 💗 and agree with each point 😊 We parents are first teacher of our kids and itz important to nourish them with all positive and good manners. Thnx for sharing this blog dear
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Thanks Kirti 😊
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I am so glad we share the same thoughts and sentiments when it comes to begin gender neutrality at home. I too have shared almost similar points in my post. Hope you like it too.
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This is a wonderful post . It is necessary to teach your children about the equality.
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As a mother of boy and girl both, itz my responsibilities to guide them in right way and I’m doing that. Gender equality is really very important for everyone. Thnx for this lovely blog dear👍🏻❤️☺️
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Very important to teach this in early age of kids especially this generation. Many of us have faced inequality but not anymore👍
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YES YES YES! As a female who’s also a feminist, I couldn’t agree more. This is what I’ll teach my children. I think all of us have to go through gender stereotyping and stuff and these tips can help make sure that our children are not stuck in the same place as us.
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I really totaly agree with you it’s important and necessary that we start gender equality from start and ground ❤️❤️❤️
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I totally agree with what you have written it’s not about girls or boys they have to be treat equally and u have seen many orients who treat them equally and love these people
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