Boys and girls can be encouraged to interact as equals.
There are many reasons why parents might want to spare their children from gender bias --- whether to give them a broader sense of personal identity, to combat sexism in the world or to give them access to as many different kinds of experiences as possible. Parents can surround their kids with playmates of both genders, encourage them to participate in activities which span the gender continuum, and give them responsibilities that emphasize both traditionally "masculine" and "feminine" roles.
Instructions
1. Introduce your children to playmates of both genders, encouraging them to socialize with both boys and girls. Use play groups to help your kids become more comfortable with mixed gender groups and to find ways to play that creatively engage with gender roles and differences. When parents are involved, the roles can also be varied. Moms can take their kids camping, and dads can play dolls with their daughters and sons.
2. Encourage your children to participate in activities that span the so-called gender continuum. For girls this might include supposedly "masculine" activities such as martial arts, go-kart racing and woodworking. Boys might be encouraged to participate in activities more traditionally associated with femininity, such as choir, painting and ballet. In either case, the point is to give kids the chance to explore their world without being weighed down by gender stereotypes.
3. Give your children household responsibilities that emphasize both traditionally masculine and feminine roles. Parents can ask their daughters to help change the oil in the car, fix the sink and work in the yard, for example. Boys can be asked to help with sewing, cooking and shopping. Parents can also vary their own roles to model gender fluidity and interchangeability.
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