The topic that I chose for the simulation is the gender role in play for boys and girls. I chose this topic because I have seen as a professional parents, fathers in particular get very worried when they see their sons playing house or dress-up with the girls in the classroom. The children in my classroom now are 1-1 1/2 years old and in my past classrooms the children were 2-3 years old. It always throws me for a loop when parents get upset when their children are not playing with the toys that they think they should be playing with. Society and the world is guilty of putting children in curtain gender roles and when it comes to play they are suppose to keep those gender roles. I DO NOT believe in gender roles for young children when they are playing. I think they should be able to express themselves equally and without judgment.
I found my research on this topic to be very exciting and interesting. It was very important to me to find out what other professionals in the Early Childhood field have to say about this topic. If anyone has any information about my topic please feel free to let me know.
Family and parenting are a factor in gender differences in play. It has been proposed that parents tend to interact differently with sons than with their daughters. Moreover, these differences extend to differences in how mothers or fathers interact with sons and daughters. Research on this topic has resulted in disparate results partly because differing research methods have affected findings, studies have resulted in conflicting results, and differences in children’s personalities and behaviors affect parent interactions (Lindsey, Mize, & Pettit, 1997).
ReplyDeleteToys play an important part in defining gender roles. If parents buy girls dolls, dollhouses, high-heeled shoes, and makeup, they give one set of messages. If they buy boys chemistry sets, tool kits, doctor’s bags, building blocks, and wheel toys, they give another set of messages. Children learn roles and skills from playing; the toys they have to some extent determine which roles and skills they learn.
Reference:
Lindsey, E., Mize, J., & Petit, G. (1997). Differential play patterns of mothers and fathers of sons and daughters: Implications for children's gender role development. Sex Roles, 37, 643-661.
Hi Emily, this topic should be very interesting to research. It seems like fathers get more upset about their boys playing dress-up then their little girls playing with trucks.
ReplyDeleteI agree that children should be able to express themselves in the dramatic play center. I usually have one or two boys a year that like to put on dresses in the dramatic play center. Girls put on some of the boy clothes and it seems that no one gets upset about it. I too have seen parents get upset about the toys or activities children choose to do. I think the topic you chose will be a good research subject.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily,
ReplyDeleteYou are quite right. I share the view that gender roles have a lot to do with family and by extension the society. In society certain roles have been attributed to males and females and children are expected to demonstrate these roles during play even in their early years. However, I am of the opinion that when it comes to child play there should be no gender roles, nut rather children should have the liberty to play and express themselves freely. Your topic sounds very interest and I look forward to reading more about it through your blogs.
Hello Emily,
ReplyDeleteI feel your topic is totally current with the way times are now. We live in a society were boys are told not to cry and are not allowed to show a caring side. The "tough guy" mentally. You have chosen such a controversial issue that parents/guardians have to deal with. I also am an educator but work with 4-5 year olds and I can relate to your personal experience that you shared. I can't wait to hear what further information you share.
Thanks,
Tierra Jackson
Hi Emily
ReplyDeleteYour topic is very unique. I never have given it any though when it came to boys playing dress up. However, I do agree that some parents have a hard time with this type of play. There are so many things that boys are not allowed to do or told not to do based on the rituals of society. This prevents a sense of false perception for the boys.