By: Kurly de Guzman
This year we celebrate International Womenâs month with the theme, âBalance for Better.â While the concept of gender-balance in different aspects of society and community may be too complex for younger kids to understand, here are three simple things you can teach your sons, not just about womenâs month, but also about the role and importance of women in society.
Watch Captain Marvel and read about other women who made a difference.
I donât know if it is by design or by chance that Captain Marvel was shown on the big screen just a few days shy of International Womenâs Day. But it is the perfect way to show kids that in this world where most superheroes are men, women are strong and can make a difference too! You may supplement this by watching other videos or reading stories about other women in society who made a difference. Start with our very own, like Gabriela Silang or Cory Aquino, or even talk about the women in your family!
Teach him about authenticity and emotion.
Itâs not really a question of which gender is better than the other. What we really need to break are gender-stereotypes. While some of us might have grown up believing that men donât cry, Iâm pretty sure it made your heart melt when you saw your husband cry during your wedding. Aminin! Iâm sure we women have at some point hoped that our partner was more sensitive to how we feel. So letâs break away from this notion, and allow our little boys to be authentic and freely express their emotions. Your sonâs future wife will thank you for this. đ
Model the behavior.
Children learn a lot by observing us. As moms, we must be an example of how a woman should be treated. This means making sure that other men in your family and outside treat you with the respect you deserve. This could also mean showing them how you are confidently beautiful in whatever state of life you are in â whether being a stay-at-home mom or a full-time working mom. Another way to model the behavior is by involving him (and maybe even the dad!) in household chores that are stereotypically known to be womenâs tasks like washing dishes, cooking or doing the laundry. You are not only teaching him about shared parental responsibility, but youâre also building his life skills!
Come to think of it, these three things arenât just reserved for the celebration of Womenâs Month. These are things that must be consistently observed and taught by parents and educators⌠Well, except for Captain Marvel which wonât be showing for long!
Kurly de Guzman is a life coach and CIO (Chief Inspiration Officer) of KurlyConnects. She is a hands-on mom to an energetic boy and a furbaby. She believes that parents ought not just to teach and preach, but to demonstrate, encourage and inspire.
