(ThySistas.com) If one is not careful what a child needs to be taught will be determined by their gender instead of principles that apply to all humanity. Domestic violence, and other forms of assault are serious issues that we must begin to tackle opening in our community. In order to have any success in this area we must focus on what we are teaching our children about simple respect for others. Women with daughters are quick to tell other mothers: “teach your son not to hit”. The problem with that statement is we must teach all of our children not to hit.
Parents that raise boys deal with an interesting directive of what to teach their sons, and though many would agree, they are rebuffed when requesting daughters learn the same lesson. Growing up in elementary school many may have experience the female bully…she exists and yes, she beats up little boys. Are we willing to turn a blind
eye, or tell the boys to be simply be tough? The notion is boys/men, and stronger than girls/women, and under no circumstances should he ever hit a woman. Though this is agreed upon it’s one sided, and disregards the humanity of boys. This area of disregard could have a hand in fueling the anger buried in little boys that erupts when they are men. The humanity of our daughters is not greater than that of our sons. It is important to teach all our children the same lessons.
This double standard has dangerous side effects. In addition to teaching boys they are to deal with what ever a girl does to them because its what a young man should so…we are teaching girls its okay to assault another human being, and if it’s a boy there will be lesser or no consequences. In creating equality in this area, we can better the interaction of men and women through our children.
Boys must understand its wrong to hit, grope or touch another human being in ANY way that is offensive. Girls must realize their gender doesn’t give them a pass to turn a boy into a punching bag, and its also wrong to grope or touch another human being in a way that is offensive.
Just as girls have feelings, and a breaking point…so do boys. There comes a point where any person is at risk of snapping when they are being assaulted, boys are not an exception to this. It is time we teach our children about the importance of valuing every person simply because they are human. We must drive home the point that violence against another human being is absolutely wrong. We must not give our daughters violence passes against our sons, and expect the sons to continue to take the beating. We can’t continue to take a hard stance for equality, and pass this spirit to daughters, while allowing this double standard to exist unchecked.
We love our children. When they hurt everything in us hurts with them. Just as mothers want their daughters to be safe they must ensure the same for their sons. All children are important, and they must all be taught to value each other the same as human beings. This understanding must begin at home.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/christian.pierre.9809 and also Twitter; http://twitter.com/MrzZeta.