Gender Neutral Parenting

Relationships with others and growing awareness of societal values help children and people build a sense of who they are and the societal roles available to them. Societal pressures and parental influences are more helpful than harmful. Authors Kenji Yoshino and Jayme Poisson discuss in their articles how people are trying to change societal views by challenging them and introducing new and scary situations. Poisson describes an extreme case of parenting to end covering due to societal norms. Practicing “gender-neutral” parenting does not guarantee that the children will be gender-neutral because the biological differences between the two sexes are not arbitrary. Cultural expectation and parental choices enhance the identification of one’s …show more content…
Children should be allowed to explore by themselves, but part of that exploration is the interaction with other people and the community, and it is the obligation of the parent(s) to influence that exploration to be a safe and enjoyable experience rather than a confusing, traumatizing one. Poisson states that “Witterick practices unschooling, an offshoot of home-schooling centered on the belief that learning should be driven by a child’s curiosity” (Poisson pg 3). Unschooling lacks the diversity and framework that board certified school lacks. The quality of unschooling time and techniques that are needed to teach the necessary skills and fundamental knowledge. What children learn in school is what they apply in their futures, and unschooling limits the number of opportunities the children are exposed too.Yoshino a law professor writes that people are “all bowing to an unjust reality…to get along in life” (Yoshino pg 552). Adaptations are necessary to be successful in life. It is very hard to achieve your wants without losing a need. Through socialization, individuals learn and adapt society 's expectations of behaviors. Without expectations, life would be chaotic, with no rules or systems to follow. Gender roles are not about what we like or enjoy, but about the actions we take to fill a role in society. They can change over time) but they are always going to be there because they benefit society as a whole. If a person attempted to fill every role possible, they would fail miserably because we count on one another to pick up the roles that we cannot, and dividing roles into genders is a simple and efficient way to differentiate. People have to learn how to prioritize their needs and wants and use the lessons and education they have received to pave a pathway to their