In a developing country like India, the chasm between the genders has almost always remained huge. Time and again, gender discrimination has emerged as a murky issue, affecting the society at all levels. If we really wish to get rid of the prevailing problem of gender discrimination or gender inequality, it is very much essential to teach our children to respect the opposite gender.

We, at Chanderbala Modi Academy, recognized as one of the Best Schools in Ankleshwar, firmly believe that to enable our kids to grow into good human beings, it is necessary that the seeds of empathy, respect, honesty, etc. are sown right at a young age. And this will happen only when they learn to appreciate the other half of the population. We strongly believe that it doesn’t matter what the gender of your child is; it is essential to help all kids understand why respecting the other gender is important. It helps them grow into unbiased, appreciating, and understanding adults. After all, only when we teach our kids better will the future have a better world.

So, on that note, we, at Chanderbala Modi Academy, have brought for you today five effective ways to imbue respect and understanding for the other gender in your children. Read on.

• Be respectful to the other gender yourself 

Children learn from perception, and thus they emulate the behavior that they perceive from you. Hence, make sure to treat your significant other and/or other people from the opposite gender respectfully. Ask other’s opinions and consent before doing anything. It shows your kids how to work as a team with the opposite gender instead of being stubborn.

• Educate them on sex and gender

It is important to explain the concept of consent to the next generation. The first step to respecting the other gender is understanding the other gender. This can be significantly done through sex education because it helps kids understand how the genders are different but equal nonetheless.

• Treat your children equally 

Parents generally love all their children equally. However, there are still many families where not all children are treated the same. There are different rules set for daughters and sons. At Chanderbala Modi Academy, regarded as the best school in Ankleshwar, we believe that kids must be treated as human beings first instead of a son or daughter. Don’t tell your son that boys don’t cry. Don’t ask only your daughter to help out with the house chores. Bring down the wall at home, and they will bring down the wall outside themselves.

Let them play with whatever toys they wish to and wear whatever color clothes they fancy. All children are born equal, and it is us, the society, that grows the divide between them. As a parent, it’s your job to preserve this equality. Don’t let it fade away.

• Strongly discourage their disrespect towards the other gender

Your kids may get influenced badly by any shows or people they might come in contact with. They could copy their wrong behavior, thinking of it to be alright because the other person did it too. You need to strongly discourage the wrong behavior, no matter how small it is. Tell them what wrong they did, why that behavior was wrong, why they must apologize for the same. Understanding their mistakes will ensure that they never repeat them. Apart from this, it would be best to consider cutting down contact with whatever is putting up a bad influence on them.

• Encourage breaking gender norms

Even though most people are still obsessed with gender roles, we, at Chanderbala Modi Academy, positioned among the best schools in Ankleshwar, firmly believe that no effort is too small. Let boys be interested in fashion and let girls be athletic. If they learn from us that they can be who they want to be and not who society asks them to be, they will grow up respecting adults who understand the other gender.

Apart from the points mentioned above, we at Chanderbala Modi Academy, also believe that encouraging gender-neutral terms is one of the best ways to help build a common ground where all can relate to understand each other. And as Mahatma Gandhi said, be the change that you want to see in the world; we firmly believe it is our responsibility as their adults and as a society to raise our kids in a way that they willingly take part in making a newer and better future world. And for that, all we need is a little bit of love and respect for each one around us.