This past Saturday we had a house party. We usually do this once every month, some friends get together, enjoy good food, fun games and lots of good conversations.
We are 5 families with 7 children in total (3 girls and 4 boys). Our neighbors might not enjoy these get-togethers as much as we do, but they are really sweet. They never complained! As for us... It's 3 to 4 hours of good fun.
Few minutes into the party, boys ask if they could go to the club downstairs to play football. A few set of instructions followed and off they went leaving us some peace. Isha too loves football. She decided to go with the boy gang too. Secretly, even I wish my daughter would pick a sport soon. Although she hasn't shown any signs yet she is four - giving her time to explore. We were just left with Sarah and Kritika, they weren't too hard to manage. The two girls get along really well. Before we even knew it, they got busy with their puzzle set.
We all sat down at the table and conversations started. The most obvious topics with us women are always shopping, the new diet trends, health, respective bosses, and oh yeah maids! Everyone wants a good one.
We noticed that the two girls' attention had shifted to a large dressing mirror we had in one of the rooms and they got busy watching themselves and posing. Kritika's mom sighed and explained how she was so annoyed about Kritika's interest to become a Barbie when she grows up. Where do these kids get their imagination from?
My daughter too never leaves an opportunity to torture us on our shopping trips until she gets her ransom - a doll. Honestly, she is the biggest reason that I have now started shopping 90% of my stuff online. Every time I go out for a meeting or a business trip, she asks me to get her a doll or a princess like a dress when I return. And I being the mum, I am - I get her binoculars to have her explore the world; robots & science kits to make her more curious; books to get her into the habit of reading. She is 4 now, it’s easier to manipulate her, but not for long.
We are a conscious generation and have been very mindful to expose our kids to the right kind of stuff. No stereotypes! Pink & blue are after all just colors, it doesn’t define who we are!
I really hope that she grows out of her pink zone and challenges the stereotypes herself. Remember that commercial #RunLikeAGirl - why are there such assumptions that limit our daughters to achieve their real potential.
I want my daughter to make her own choices not live her life by the rule book. And that she feels proud to be a girl but does not let that fact limit her dreams. I hope she knows that girls can challenge any and every limiting belief and it is up to her to decide what she would like to be. She does not have to fit the mold and she can create her own identity - the color does not matter!
For all mothers reading this, Do you give your children the freedom to discover their own likes and preferences? How would you react if your daughter would want a blue race car, and son wants to play with a pink kitchen set?