“Mom! Dad!” said the little boy kicking back sand with his heel as he ran toward the couple sitting on the beach. He had a blue life vest on, and was so excited to show his discovery of a crab to his parents. While not far away another boy floated in the water on his own with nobody near and no life vest on. These observations show the differences in parenting styles, one being more protective while another family let their son wander on their own. These parenting styles all started from the very beginning before the children were even born. Clothes and toys have the first effect on children. Their sex is stated by American culture by their toys and clothing. For example, when girls are babies they are already wearing outfits with crowns on …show more content…
I found one toy specifically, which effected my opinion about the sexist toys in America’s society today. In the girl’s toy section I noticed a vanity set for girl’s whose ages ranged from three and up. I was shocked to think girls are trying to change their appearance that young. Another thing I noticed which I was shocked by was that vanity set was the only one available on the shelf, while the other dolls were all still available along with the puzzle games. I interested me to see what things were out of stock and which items were still available on shelves. And this also reminded me of the reading in Chapter 6 of The Anthropology of Childhood, when they spoke about children imitating their parents, but more specifically the Mehinacu playing a game formed around jealousy. (p.232, The Anthropology of Childhood, …show more content…
But at the beach, I felt it was easier to sit back and watch the parents and children playing. I felt as though, I shouldn’t judge the parenting styles because I remember when I was younger and how my mom’s parenting looked different from an outsider’s perspective. Also since I was raised around a mixed culture of people, I think you shouldn’t judge until you fully understand the situation. I found the observations interesting though and helped me see how children’s life styles have evolved since I was
Toy stores are perfect places for a sociologist to use their sociological imagination. Gendering and racism is thought to be something that is socially constructed as opposed to biologically constructed. Gendering starts during infancy, and around 2 years old children start to internalize these gender differences. I argue that children’s toys help socialize children into gender specific roles. Toy stores, like Target and Toys R Us help us understand what types of toys help to gender children. I will explain how the toys in the toy aisles differ and compare. Not all toys are either male or female, some toys are gender neutral.
As a maturing adult I now realize the importance of having a strong parental foundation. Throughout my life there have been moments where both parents demonstrated the characteristics of all four basic parenting styles. However, as I aged it became apparent that my parents had successfully found their niche in a parenting style that was analogous with their personality and beliefs. In my father's case it was the authoritative parenting style. With this style he captured my trust and respect; never letting me down. Furthermore, it was my mother's permissive parenting that undeniably contributed towards my love and gratitude for her. There were also instances where my parents influenced my life both positively and negatively. Nevertheless, I am forever grateful for having my parents in my life, for they contributed (and continue to contribute) towards my success as a growing adult.
In David Barry's article, Guys vs. Men, he discussed the differences between "guys" and "men". This article made several valid points, including that guys will try and out perform each other where sports are concerned and that the space shuttle is the ultimate guy toy. My question is why do only guys play with all the neat toys?
I noticed the girls’ toys engaged fine motor skills more than the boys’ toys did. The girls have several different types and sizes of dolls to choose from – however, this also makes dolls or items used with dolls (Barbie clothes, doll clothes, doll houses, Barbie cars, and doll furniture) over half of all the products in the girls’ section. This shows the stereotypical attitude that all girls like to nurture and will someday be expected to be mothers and the primary care giver for their children. Other toys I noticed that were very stereotypical were the child size vacuum, broom, and kitchen set. Even at this young age we teach girls it is part of their role to cook and clean.
I will not impose “gender specific” toys on them or tell them that it is not acceptable for a boy to play with a baby doll or tell my future daughter that it is not allowed for her to pretend sword fight. My children will be able to decide what they like and what they do not like and I will not allow anyone to decide that for them. This assignment has definitely opened my eyes to the market that is out there stereotyping children without much notice. Taking time to actually look into what is being done with toys and society with children has broadened my understanding and awareness of the impending problem that children are being faced with. I hope that one day we will see an end to gender stereotyping so that my future children will not be forced to feel out of place if they do not identify with a specific feeling or emotion that a boy should have or a girl should have. It sickens me and breaks my heart that things so minuscule such as toys can have such a negative effect on lives, especially on such a young children. This ideology of gender segregation should not be supported or further produced because it is harmful to the children that are directly or indirectly being affected by
The socialization of children is greatly affected by the toys they are exposed to while growing up. Looking through magazines and walking down the aisles of toy stores it is clear that toy companies are supportive of cultural gender roles biases. Toys designed for girls are commonly found in pink boxes; typically these toys involve housework or taking care of children, for example, dolls and easy bake ovens. On the other hand, “boy” toys are found in blue and black boxes, and a lot of them involve construction and cars.
Many of the toys I had consisted of pink frilly things that were given to me by my parents or other adults. My dolls were Bratz dolls that were full of different outfits and makeup, teaching me to worry about the way I looked. My animal related toys consisted of little plastic horses and farm animals that were always in “gender neutral colors”, they always came in a red pack and any accessories were always bright and yellow or green. While when I had a gender-neutral toy, a leapfrog leader, that had a distinction of being a girls because of the case being pink and purple, not in in of the “gender neutral” color categories. My sports toys were the same, my soccer balls and basket balls were not neural colors, but pink or purple,. I also played with “boy toys” like cars, footballs, baseballs, however none of these things were ever bought for me. If I asked for these “boy toys” I was told that they were for boys not for girls, experiencing cultural competence, because no adult in my life thought buying a girl those types of toys were
A parent’s parenting styles are as diverse as the world we live in today. Nowadays, parents only want what is best for their children and their parenting styles plays a crucial role in the development of children which will in the long run, not only effect the child’s childhood years, but later prolong into their adult life as well.
Gender Socialization plays a big part in a child’s life in shaping their femininty and masculinity. Every child is brought with to have played with at least one toy to have called their own. Now, the purpose of the research that has been conducted is to take a further look into how toys that is sold through stores and played by children. This will then give hindsight as to how what is considered the gender norm has a part in gender role stereotyping and the affect these toys have on children view of gender characteristics.
Children start to define their gender identity in early preschool (Zhumkhawala 47). This means that the toys children are given go a long way to further (or help change) gender stereotypes and inequality. In general, boys are given trucks, blocks and doctor’s kits, encouraging them to build, explore how things work and be a...
Good parenting is key for the development of young children for the way they act, make decisions, lifestyles and how they perceive others. So, when it comes down to choosing the right parenting style, it can be a bit challenging for many new and old parents. There are currently four popular parenting styles that consist of authoritarian, neglectful, permissive and authoritative. Although there are only four main parenting styles, parents can still be non-decisive and have a mixture of the parenting styles. Within this work I will be explaining the four different parenting styles and the effects they have on children. As well as explain how my parents raised me and the changes I will make when raising my children.
The gender stereotypes we are experiencing today are outdated and need change. Right now, gender marketing is higher than it has ever been. A comparison can be shown as Robb states “In the 1970s…few children’s’ toys were targeted specifically at boys or girls at all; nearly 70% of toys had no gender-specific labels at all” (Robb). Since the 70’s gender marketing has climbed its way up to its peak. There is a sort of disconnect between marketing and new gender advancements that have been occurring recently. The gender standards that are currently being used are outdated and do not hold true as more women are excelling in the sciences, while more men choose to become stay at home fathers. The “Let Toys be Toys” campaign website claims that “themes of glamour and beauty in toys and playthings directed at even the youngest girls tips over into a worrying emphasis on outward appearance. Stereotyped attitudes about boys are equally harmful as the constant assumption reinforced in toy advertising and packaging that boys are inevitably rough, dirty, rowdy…which feeds low expectations of boys that undermine their performance at school”(“Let Toys be Toys”). These outcomes are not acceptable, and gender-neutral toys may aid in combat against these old age ideals, and could possibly help make the
As a child, our toys were not exactly as gender neutral as earlier times, but also were not as gender stereotypic as the toys in today’s time. The fact that everyone eventually comes into contact with buying toys whether you have kids or you have a friend or family member who have kids which makes this an important topic. Eventually, everyone has to buy a child a present. Would it bother you that all toys are either pink or blue and there is no in between? Or does sticking to what your child is already familiar with and knows the more ideal option when it comes to gender stereotyping with children’s toys? Authors James Delingpole and Eleanor Muffitt both do a good job at arguing both sides to this issue. Although both authors provide valid points throughout each article, about gender stereotyping with toys, James Delingpole clearly was more effective in persuading the audience because he used all three elements; ethos, logos, and pathos to support his idea.
Secondly, playing with gender-typed toys has an impact on the child's psychosocial development. It influences the children on expressing themselves and behave according to how they perceived their genders to be like. One aspect affected is the child’s expression of masculinity and femininity in their
In the mind boggling world of parenting, we discover a variety of parenting techniques. Realizing these techniques usually involves a lunch date with the neighbor and her child, or a lavish birthday party that we were invited to. In these events, we find the parent who is their child’s boss, the parent who has the colossal “Kids will be kids” mentality, and then the one who feels the need to offer an unrestrained amount of discipline. When we become parents for the first time in our lives, we are truly unaware of how much patience and understanding is involved with being an effective parent. As we raise our children, we learn their behavior and they also learn ours. As new parents, we fail to realize that this domino effect soon becomes a mutual agreement between the parent and the child.