They Are What We Let Them Play. Are We Even Paying Attention?

For every time we as a parent, knowingly or unknowingly, pass on a stereotype to our daughter or son, this is the video we should try and remember.

We ignore what kids play saying its “meaningless” or “innocent” or “just child’s play.” IT IS NOT.

For every time we feel “pleased” at our boy playing with a car and for every time we feel “shocked” when our girl plays so;

For every time we feel “pleased” when a girl plays “ghar ghar” and for every time we feel “shocked” when a boy does so;

For every time we love when our boys play with tools and dirty up their clothes and for every time we don’t like when our daughters play with tools because they might get “dirty;”

For every time we end up buying another doll for our daughter and for every time we end up buying another bat for our son;

For every time we let them play anything, they learn. We often put the onus on our children, we often say that we are helpless in their say, “that’s the only game he plays” or “doesn’t matter what I buy she only plays with this.” I agree to an extent, children often are stubborn. But there are so many things that we still make them do when we want to. We use every strategy, every kind of shaam, daam, dand and bhed. If we want them to eat, we somehow make them eat; if we want them to sleep, we somehow make them sleep; if we want them to finish their homework, we somehow make them do it. Then WHY CAN’T WE USE THE SAME STRATEGY AND MAKE THEM PLAY THINGS THAT ARE BALANCED AND BREAK STEREOTYPES.

Your daughter won’t play with a cricket bat, go to a play ground and play catch the ball with her. Your son won’t play “kitchen,” make him help you in the kitchen washing vegetable and whisking stuff.

Playing “kitchen” is not bad for girls and playing “cricket” is not bad for boys. However, playing only “kitchen” is bad for girls and playing only “cricket” is bad for boys.

But you know what is the worst? YOU RECOGNIZING THAT “KITCHEN” IS ONLY FOR GIRLS AND “CRICKET” IS ONLY FOR BOYS. YOUR REWARDING IT. YOUR PROMOTING IT.That’s the worst.

Don’t ignore play as a harmless fun. Because it is never. There is always something that your daughter and son will learn from it.

Ignoring play is as harmful for your daughter as it is for your son.

Make sure they play without stereotypes.

With subtitles –