From Clarence
On a recent warm day I was spending time with my friend at his place. He lives with his family, and his niece and nephew were out to play that day. This picture of these two siblings shows a lot about the socialization of children in early childhood. The big sister is only nine years old, and yet has been trained to safely lift and carry her brother. She also has minor duties in his daily care, like putting together a bottle of formula when he's hungry. Her actions around her younger brother not only teach her how to be a good big sister, but even at this age she is learning skills that she will need when she herself has children of her own. If the socialization of gender involves the imprinting of social expectations and roles on that basis, then even at a young age, little girls learn skills that help them with child care and maintenance.
11 comments:
There's is a girl I know at church and she's only about 12 years old but she's been looking after her younger brothers since the same age as well. Her parents are very strict in what she does and really only encourage her in activities that are deemed feminine. I think it's because of that that she's 12 and already wearing make up, dying her hair, and basically stays away from what is considered guy things. They are really gearing her to be a mother/typical woman, I guess.
I really liked your picture because it seems tender. I think it would have been more effective if you had a comparison picture, like a picture of a mother and infant to show exactly what the child may grow up to become like.
This photo reminded me of people I know with large families. Often times the older daughters become like second mothers to the littlest siblings. Babysitting at a young age also socializes young girls to develop good parenting skills.
I know this is very true, girls are taught very early to be nurturing. I know as a little girl i was always taught to help my mom around the house, and help out with my little sisters, taking care of them and such. It is just the way things go, woman are more caring about other people's feelings and like helping people out. I think it is mostly because they are learning to become a mother some day, and that takes a lot of responsibility.
This is more and more common every day especially with the economy now. People can't afford a babysitter. So some parents leave the oldest as early as ten yrs with an infant who could be six months old. Many single parent women do this because they have no choice, they have to bring home the money and do the house work.
This photo portrays that human beings are affectionate in nature,it also shows that it is from the time that we are young that we learn that we are able to receive and give affection an individuals.
I love this picture. I reminds me of when I was little taking care of my little brother and sister. Even though you can not see the full faces of both children you can tell by the body language that they care about each other. That this young age the girl knows how to take care of her little brother. She is taking motherly attributes well at a young age.
The picture shown is a clear indicator of the way that children are socialized to think that women and girls are meant to take care of everyone else and that they are destined to be mothers. This leads to the stereotype that women are meant to be stay home moms who take care of their families.
Some may consider it to be "sexist", but I consider it to be a way of life. Times are changing and with those times different duties may be posessed amongst men and women. However in my eyes chilvary chould not be dead with women or men. I love the fact that this young girl is so nurturing now. She's already showing the charicteristics of being a wonderful mother when the time approaches . I think how shes being taught is comendable.
I really like this picture and how it shows the girl and the baby’s interaction. Also rather than another child being influenced by the bad things in the media, instead it shows a young girl taking on responsibilities at an early age that will help her one day. I think this is great because she is learning to nurture and be independent. I don’t see very many girls doing this. This will help develop parental skills that she will use in the future.
This picture is so true. little kids want to be able to help take care of their younger sibling. they want to act like they are doing the same things as their parents are doing to raise the child. they know how to be careful with the child, and how to sooth the child when needed. little kids just want to feel like they are playing a role in parenthood.
Post a Comment