TEACH KIDS THAT GIRLS & BOYS ARE EQUALS
New research has shown that children see ‘brilliance’ as a male trait, Emma says we mustn’t hold our daughters back
When the Lionesses won the Euros, girls all over the UK were sent a message that no sport, job or role is outside of their reach. It coincides with new research that has shown children to see “brilliance” as a male trait. The researcher said these views take root in childhood and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. That may lead girls to doubt their abilities, limiting their ideas about their interests and what they can achieve. You have the power to help your kids follow their dreams no matter what society tries to tell them. You may have a daughter who isn’t academic and if you allow her to form an opinion of herself based on her grades, it’s likely she’ll feel bad about herself. If, however, you help her to concentrate on all the things she excels at, such as art or sport, and that if she works hard on these areas she will succeed, she will see herself as talented. Researchers found that almost
100 per cent of adults when asked to describe pilots, doctors and scientists used male pronouns, and when it came to hairdressers, nurses and receptionists, used female ones. This means that we unconsciously assign a gender to certain careers, and our sons and daughters are likely to do the same. Show your children examples of female role models so they understand what women are capable of achieving, and when you hear your children talk about women differently to men, ask why they believe what they are saying. This helps them unpick their assumptions and redefine their expectations of themselves and others. Studies have also shown that parents feel more protective of their daughters than sons, which means they’re less likely to let them take part in certain activities, such as rough and tumble sports. This holds girls back, so stop yourself if you notice yourself doing that.