User:Momccul/sandbox

Parental Influences
Parents have the first influence on gender stereotypes. This is often through the colors they assign to rooms, the toys they give their children, and in household chores. Gender stereotypes are also learned through the gender stereotypes that parents themselves carry. This is most important in the role that the mother has. If a mother is a stay at home mom, then it is more likely that her children will believe that women should stay at home and take care of cooking, cleaning, and the kids. If however, a mother has a job outside of the home, then it is more likely that her children will not hold as tight to traditional gender stereotypes because their mother has a job that contributes to the family income. Also the father can influence the view of gender stereotypes through their role in the home. The more time the father spends doing household chores and helping with child care, the less likely typical gender stereotypes will develop with his children. If parents want to raise their children in an egalitarian home the most important factor is the actions that they perform. If a mother works outside of the home and if a father helps contribute to chores and child care, then their children will not be as likely to conform to typical gender stereotypes.

It is known that gender stereotypes are ingrained in children at a very early age. By pre-school most children can tell you what behaviors are appropriate for their sex. Recent studies have started to look at gender stereotype beliefs in adolescent children and have done so in relation to their household chores. Household chores are another area in which parents tend to promote traditional gender stereotypes. In most families the girls are going to cook and clean while the boys are responsible for the chores outside the home such as mowing the lawn and taking out the trash. It has been found that applying these gender stereotypic chores to adolescents will contribute to gender stereotypes that they will preform in their own family. A way to promote an egalitarian home is to spilt the chores outside and inside among children regardless of their sex. This way girls can learn how to take care of the yard and boys can learn how to cook and clean.