Why Reflection Matters

Have you ever found yourself surprised by a subconscious notion that was still living in your head from childhood?

If you asked me outright, I’d say of course, toys don’t have a gender. Boys can enjoy baby dolls, barbies and crafts. It’s acceptable and encouraged for girls to like getting dirty, blocks and monster trucks.

Turns out though, there was still a tiny piece of a stereotype, built on things I’d heard through childhood, still buried in my head- that caused me to think my daughter wouldn’t take an interest in Legos.

We purchased a set for my school-age son at the holidays last year. He’ll explore with them here and there & he does love going to Lego Club with friends at the library. However, it’s never his first choice to reach for at home. He also needs clear direction, assistance or the guide to feel confident in building. And that’s perfectly okay, maybe the toy will grow with him and maybe it won’t.

My older daughter though? It’s something she very often reaches for. And more often than not, she’s creating wonderful, intricate builds completely on her own.

She brought me this food truck build this morning, and I thought back to the moment when a thought had slipped in that Legos weren’t something that my eight-year-old girl would like.

What a wonderful opportunity to reflect in parenthood. I considered how if at the time that childhood stereotype had squeezed its way into my head- that if I’d paused and thought about my daughter as an individual, how creative, patient, artistic, she is- I would have absolutely seen the potential such a toy had for her.

Here’s to say, we are always evolving as parents and it only makes us better, more effective & able to raise our children in a way that won’t hold these same silly generalizations in their own subconscious.