Jeannie is eight months pregnant with her first child. She has little use for traditional gender roles and plans for her son or daughter not to view the world in gender-related terms

Question

What can you tell Jeannie about some things that she can do to help achieve her goal and about the influence of other factors in the development of gender stereotypes?
What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

A good answer will be similar to the following:
First, Jeannie should be aware of the fact that many parents encourage sex-typed play and assign sex-typed chores around the home. Fathers are more likely than mothers to encourage sex-typed behavior and to treat sons and daughters differently. Jeannie and her husband will need to make a conscious effort to model chores and behaviors that are not gender-bound. Also, they should base decisions about their child's toys and activities on the child's interests not the child's sex. Second, Jeannie also should be aware of the fact that in spite of her best efforts her child will probably adhere to some traditional gender-related behavior and stereotypes. Parental influence on gender roles is minimal because children also are influenced by peers, the media, and teachers. The results of the Family Lifestyles Project have shown that children whose parents are deeply committed to rearing them without traditional gender stereotypes are still similar to children who are raised in traditional homes. These children still prefer same-sex playmates and they like gender-stereotyped activities.