Gender

In our family children have come in sets-- 2 girls, 2 boys, 2 girls, 2 boys, and now of course a baby girl.

Three years ago, Rachel and Anya were always sneaking into Ruth and Kate's bedroom and dumping out and messing up their stuff. Ruth and Kate had to keep their bedroom door locked. After about a year, Rachel and Anya quit sneaking in their sister's room and Ruth and Kate have quit locking their door. I thought for sure Joseph and Joshua would become a problem for Ruth and Kate. They have not. Joseph and Joshua have become a problem for Johnny and Adam.

Everyday, Joseph and Joshua sneak into Johnny and Adam's bedroom, dump out their things and make a mess. Now, Johnny and Adam have to keep their door locked.

I find it interesting that the little girls automatically got into the older girls room with no real interest in the older boys room and that the little boys automatically get into the older boys room but have no interest in their sisters' rooms.

Along the same lines, Joshua LOVES cars. We have showed him different sets of cars in the toy isles of the department stores. He cries when we put them back on the shelf (great news for Christmas!) The last time, we took cars away, we handed Josh a Barbie doll. He looked at it and pushed it angrily way.

We have not taught our boys that they should love cars and legos. They just do. We have not taught our girls that they should love dolls and pretty animals. They just do. I do not think it is wrong to teach gender rolls. It just doesn't seem necessary. It is like they were just born that way.