Instilling Moral Agency in Our Children

Instilling Moral Agency in Our Children

Bringing up children in our ever-evolving world is a challenging task. You want what's best for your kids and for them to reach their full potential in whatever they put their minds to, but in a world where certain activities are still too often seen as the domain of males only or of females only, it may take some work to ensure that your kids, whether they're boys or girls, have as many opportunities as possible.

Innate abilities exist in every child and, therefore, in every person. It's possible that some children perform better academically than others; while some may shine in the area of verbal skills, another's strength may lie in the area of analysis and problem solving. Some kids are more naturally gifted in math and science, while others excel in the arts. The inner workings of machinery have long piqued the interest of the general public. Not everyone can keep up with a difficult new task for an extended period of time. Some youngsters naturally excel at the arts or music. There are an infinite number of permutations and combinations.

What each child becomes as they develop depends on their unique combination of genetic predisposition, environmental enrichment (including parental, teacher, and peer influences), and character-building events. Without the other variables, it's possible that focusing on just one won't help. Some kids have natural musical talent, but that talent may go to waste if they never hear other kinds of music or get a chance to try out several instruments and learn to play the one that they like best. The education of another child in basic biology and other sciences is crucial if that child is to one day make significant contributions to medical science, but that child is at risk of never considering medicine as a career option without guidance.

You have the power to shape your children's futures by influencing their educational decisions at every stage of their development, from the classes they take in school to the extracurriculars they pursue to the books they read, the organizations they join, and the opportunities they pursue in and out of the home. You may instill in your offspring your unique set of abilities, your wealth of information, and your passions.

We should never underestimate the power of our nation's youth. Try to keep this in mind while you bring up your kids, and think about how the subtle sex role stereotypes you were exposed to as a child can effect the opportunities you give your sons and daughters. Do guys get toy trucks and girls get dolls when they're young? Is a girl being offered ballet lessons while a boy is enrolled in Little League?

Having little girls take dance classes and play with dolls is quite normal. In my opinion, both of those options are acceptable. Playing with dolls is a great way for young girls to practice social skills and gain confidence in their own abilities in a safe and encouraging environment. If your daughter takes dance classes, it could lead to a career in dance, a healthy and enjoyable pastime, a newfound appreciation for ballet music, or even just a few pounds lost. There's an issue if females just learn about and participate in stereotypically "feminine" activities like playing with dolls and taking dancing classes. Toy boats, vehicles, and trains should be available to girls beginning at a young age. Give your daughters science experiment kits when they are old enough, and push them toward participation in organized sports. Don't confine your kids' interests and abilities to stereotypical gender roles.

As your daughters develop, it's important to give them exposure to as many activities as possible. You should tell them how much you value their smarts and academic performance. Acknowledge their efforts without putting undue stress on them. Throughout time, kids will become more comfortable with and confident in their own unique set of skills, interests, and preferences. However, everyone requires a variety of options from which to choose in order to find the profession and leisure pursuits that are the best fit for them.This may seem like common sense, but it's easy to forget about gender stereotypes and the expectations placed on boys and girls in the midst of daily life.

Even if a young woman has many options and experiences throughout her formative years, she may still decide to pursue a traditionally female-dominated field like nursing or teaching. Those are all excellent career paths, and they're crucial to the functioning of our society. I'm not trying to put down one profession in favor of another. Personally, I think a decision can only be considered a choice if it is made after considering all of the options available. It's fantastic if a young lady (or lad) decides that nursing is the career path that most excites them. It's unfortunate and not a genuine career decision if a young lady decides to become a nurse when she might have instead become a world-renowned heart surgeon had she known the possibilities her interest in medicine had.

Inadequate options can be harmful for everyone, not just young females. Little boys, like little girls, should be encouraged to try out as many different things as they like. Why shouldn't boys use dolls to practice becoming caring fathers if they can help girls prepare for motherhood and social connections with peers?

All children benefit from learning to take on responsibilities around the house at a young age, but that doesn't mean you should force girls to do the dishes and boys to take out the trash. Instill in both sexes the idea that everyone contributes to the upkeep of the family and benefits from its success. Both can learn to take on more responsibilities around the house by pitching in with chores and helping with the new baby, and both can assist with pet care as well. 

As a result, all parties involved benefit. If the world is to progress, more men need to develop their interpersonal skills alongside their muscles, regard housework as something that everyone in the family shares equally, and participate equally in raising their own children. This being the case, it's not a good idea to limit your sons' extracurricular activities to only the more masculine ones. If your youngster is never exposed to even one dance step, he and you will never know if he is a developing Njinsky or Fred Astaire.

Gender shouldn't be used as an excuse to limit a child's options or put a lid on their potential because of a lack of opportunity or because of a person's cultural background, socioeconomic status, or physical ability. These traditional sex roles are so embedded in our culture, our media, and our social norms that we often fall back on them without giving them any thought. However, with some planning and forethought, we can assist the next generation in creating a society where boys and girls, women and men, are all freer to find meaning in their lives by pursuing personal dreams, selecting a career path best suited to their interests and abilities, and creating hobbies that are uniquely satisfying to them. 

All they need is a wide variety of options from which to pick and the freedom to explore their passions.

Our site, Children's Clothes, Tales, and Family Gifts from Baby Bird Productions, can be found at http://babybirdproductions.com. It features free parenting pages and a blog with articles on how to raise healthy, successful kids.