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Raising Children With Choices

Doing their share of household chores can help all chidren become more responsible and cooperative adults, but don't automatically make girls wash the dishes while boys take out the garbage. Teach both sexes that all family members share both in the labors of and the rewards of family life. Both can help with the housework, both can help care for the new baby, and both can learn to be responsible for the care of family pets. That way, everyone wins. The world could do with more men who see housework as something that everyone in the family shares equally, who become equal partners in the raising of their own children, and who develop their interpersonal skills, along with their muscles. With that in mind, don't restrict your sons' extracurricular activities to all things macho. Your son may be a budding Njinsky or Fred Astaire but he, and you, will never know it if he's never exposed to a single dance step.

As with other types of unfair limitations on individuals' aspirations or lack of opportunities because of culture, race, income level, or physical handicap, for example, gender is a poor excuse for narrowing children's choices or placing ceilings on their dreams. It's all too easy for all of us to revert to old sex roles without even thinking, as some of these are so deeply ingrained in our society, in popular culture, and in the media. With a bit of care and thought, though, we can help the next generation build a society where boys and girls, women and men are all freer to find meaning in their lives by following their personal dreams, choosing the career track that's right for them, and developing hobbies that are a perfect fit for their individual interests and abilities. To do this, all they need is plenty to choose from and the chance to try out whatever interests them.

For more tips on how to help your children reach their intellectual and creative potential, please visit our site, Children's Clothing, Stories and Family Gifts from Baby Bird Productions at http://babybirdproductions.com which includes special free parenting pages, plus our blog with articles on raising happy children.

About The Author:
Barbara Freedman-De Vito

Visit Barbara Freedman-De Vito's website at http://babybirdproductions.com for baby and children's clothing, matching family clothing, and gift items decorated with her colorful and amusing pictures for kids. Many of the pictures come from her fun animated children's stories, available on her site on CDs and as downloads. Barbara is a professional storyteller, teacher and artist. Her company is Baby Bird Productions.

mail@babybirdproductions.com