Quote:
Originally posted by highwayuni
I already said this but I personally don't think kids should be encouraged to think that they are the opposite gender. Getting them a barbie doll or letting them dress up is fine but actually getting a kid to think that they are the opposite gender is only going to set them up for failure. Like I don't agree with a 5 year old identifying as transgendered.
I would much rather my child focus on learning solid life skills when they're younger that they can apply and develop in later life than to get them worrying about their gender. Kids don't think that deeply and don't know how to handle it. The last thing they need is their parents saying "oh you can be whoever you want!". I raise them without any judgement but I wouldn't put ideas into their heads.
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That's not what gender neutral parenting is. The idea is not to force your child to adhere to certain gender based stereotypes just because of their biologically assigned sex. All children play with dolls and kitchens, not just girls. Children will always let you know what they want to play with. Playgroups, pre-schools, nursery schools, etc. all have a variety of toys, and the kids gravitate to the ones they want to use.
As it stands, boys have the upper-hand in gender neutral toys, because the toys they are often encouraged to play with such as building blocks, construction sets, tool kits, LEGOs and the like, develop skills and behaviors that will eventually benefit them financially, whereas stereotypical girl toys often encourage girls to do little more than cultivate their appearance and be caregivers. "Boy" toys tend to focus on what they do, rather than what they look like. This is changing. Parents are smartening up about what they're buying for their daughters, and toy companies are taking notice. Now there are all types of building sets and STEM toys that are either gender neutral or that target girls specifically because they are profitable.
