What impact do gender stereotypes have on raising boys? Parenting SOS with Kirstie Beaven

[@steviec3737]

Love this. Pregnant with my first baby and have always been passionate about this topic. But I didn't realise how difficult I would find it to go against the grain and deal with family''s opinions until I started having to buy baby stuff!!

[@stefaniegalea6810]

My youngest son is 3 years old. he is a sensitive sole, very caring and loving and gentle. People (and family) often say to me , it’s because he has older sisters that he is girly and sensitive ! It makes my blood boil . He is a beautiful child and I am proud of his sensitive side. I treat all my children the same whether they are girls or boys. X

[@amiewilson3012]

My 6 year old son was accused of sexualy assault at school!! We got to the bottom of it and the girl (also a similar age) has accused other kids and followed other kids to toilet and played inappropriate game with other kids! School resolutions to this is to tell my son to just stay away for her! The problem is there in the same class. It's massively affected my son and still does sometimes. This happened over a year ago and the mother still talks about it like my sons the on going issues!!!

[@LaurenStagles]

My son absolutely does wear hand-me-down clothes from his sister 😂

[@phoebewheelwright5083]

So interesting, so well explained and SO important. Thank you, from a mother of three boys and a girl.

[@fionasharp595]

My lovely friend’s little boy went to school dressed as female characters. She had to suffer the negative comments from other parents 💔 For her daughter she couldn’t find girls clothes with Thomas the Tank Engine 🤷‍♀️ we still have a long way to go but we are getting there. Glad to say that Morrisons sell swimwear tops with arms and shorts. My granddaughter loves hers and wears them on the beach or in swimming lessons. 😊

[@ItsMe-l3q]

Getting where? To retardville? Youre in full flight aint ya..

[@CarolineDakin]

Oh Gi I thought Paw Patrol seconds before you said it 😅 I also have three boys. 8, 5 and 3

[@jessk7240]

I was thirty five when I had my son and as a somewhat older mum I was amazed at the change in children’s clothes since I was a kid - there were ‘girly’ clothes of course, but equally lots of girls clothes were just brightly coloured t shirts, shorts, etc. When my son was born I was amazed at the sea of blue and pink in shops, and at the styling which was so strongly cars, trucks, trains for boys and sequins with ‘be kind’ on for girls. It was such a stark difference. Put this kind of gender ‘training’ alongside the inescapable 24 hour presence of social media full of hyper-feminine, fully made up, often surgically enhanced girls and women, it is no wonder that there has been such an unprecedented rise in the number of girls identifying out of womanhood.