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Unread 19-05-2010, 20:29
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gvarndell gvarndell is offline
Software Engineer
AKA: Addi's and Georgie's Dad
FRC #1629 (GaCo)
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Re: Girls in Engineering- Comic that explains it all

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cynette View Post
The hard part is that in the realm of parenting we have not yet figured out the fail proof combination to make children turn out the way we imagined they will.
I was leaning toward leaving this thread alone, but this statement changed my mind.

From a parent's perspective (since we're being blamed here) we should not be about molding our children into any particular vision we have for their future, other than to prepare them to be happy, law-abiding, and self-sufficient -- basically good citizens.

I raise my daughter in a way I hope will make her feel totally empowered and entitled to dismiss and reject any notion that her gender is a limiting factor in any endeavor she might choose to undertake.

More important (to me) than whether she ultimately becomes an engineer, a lawyer, a waitress, or a lady wrestler is that she must be unflinchingly intolerant of any pressure, from any source, to only do girl stuff.

When she was little, if she wanted a Barbie, she got one.
If she wanted a chemistry set, she got one.
If she wanted a 4-wheeler, she got one.

A couple years ago, at a family gathering, my son (he was nearly 4 then) saw that one of the little girls had a pink Barbie purse.
He wanted to play with it, but she wouldn't share.
So, I got in the car, went to Walmart and bought him one -- pinker than pink and loaded up with Barbie cell phone, makeup and stuff.
He's nearly 6 now and he still has it.
This last Mother's day, the family all went to Bob Evans (about 23 of us) for brunch and Georgie 'had to' take the purse with him.
Everyone in the family knows how I feel about gender stereotypes, so nobody said a word.
No comments that I might make him gay or effeminate, which is bull.
A few nearby patrons gave him odd looks -- as if their small-minded opinions matter

Our children have an inalienable right to be whatever they have the passion and drive to be.
As an engineer who is married to an engineer, I would love for Addi to become an engineer.
But I guarantee you, if she doesn't become an engineer, it won't be because she was born female.
And if my son grows up to become a chef or a fashion designer, it won't be because I bought him a Barbie purse when he was four.
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Robots never, ever, ever, ever break -- The Robot Repairman (Backyardigans)

Last edited by gvarndell : 20-05-2010 at 14:06.
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